The Great Pancake Escape

Many, Paul

ISBN 10: 0802787967 ISBN 13: 9780802787965

Publisher: Walker Childrens, 2002

Synopsis

When Dad's pancakes magically take flight, it is up to his three children to round up their breakfast. Hot on the trail, the magician's kids pursue the pancakes down alleyways, across town, and through the park. Tracking down a bunch of renegade pancakes is tougher than it seems as the battered bunch blend into the background. But nothing will stop our hungry heroes from chasing down a hot meal. Illustrated with Scott Goto's renowned larger-than-life paintings, this tale of adventure is the perfect concoction to entice young readers.

About this title

About the Author:

Paul Many is the author of two young adult novels for Walker & Company, My Life Take Two and These Are the Rules, both of which were named New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age. Paul lives with his family in Ottawa Hills, Ohio. This is his first picture book.

Scott Gotohas illustrated Will Rogers: Larger than Life; Shooting Star, Annie Oakley, The Legend; Heat Wave; and Shoeshine Whittaker all for Walker & Company. He is a graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Scott lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3-What do you get when you mix together a magician father who loves to make breakfast, a bunch of hungry kids, and a recipe from a book of magic? Pancakes that jump off the griddle and run out the door! Many's first picture book follows a family through city streets as they try to round up their fleeing flapjacks. The author tells the story in simple verse, which unfortunately, by the end, begins to suffer slightly from "tired rhyme syndrome." On the last page, he suggests that readers could sing the text to the tune of "O, Susanna" and includes a chorus to insert between stanzas. The suggestion is a good one and the result is a much perkier reading experience. The expressive and luminous illustrations also enliven it. Goto tells the visual story from a multitude of angles and vantage points to keep things interesting and rolling along. Children will enjoy spotting renegade pancakes as they make their getaway by disguising themselves as traffic lights, Rollerblade wheels, Frisbees, and other circular objects. And while the solution to the situation is conjured up rather conveniently, readers will applaud the children's decision to forego pancakes in favor of frozen waffles instead. The cover art is well designed for eye-appeal, making the book an attractive addition to the canon of lively food tales.
Carol L. MacKay, Camrose Public Library, Alberta, Canadaasq
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Walker Childrens
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0802787967
• ISBN 13: 9780802787965
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Goto Scott