Cornbread & Poppy (Cornbread and Poppy, 1) - Softcover

Cordell, Matthew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0759554862 ISBN 13: 9780759554863

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022

Synopsis

An IndieBound Bestseller • An Amazon Best Book of the Year • A 2022 Kirkus Best Children's Book

★ "A rewarding choice for young readers."—Booklist, starred review

★"Cornbread and Poppy are endearing characters, poised to join the ranks of other memorable early reader sets of best friends old and new, including James Marshall's George and Martha."—Bookpage, starred review

★ "Delightful."—Kirkus, starred review
​
Caldecott medalist Matthew Cordell debuts his first early reader series about two best friends who are as different from each other as can be.

Cornbread LOVES planning. Poppy does not. Cornbread ADORES preparing. Poppy does not. Cornbread IS ready for winter. Poppy...is not. But Cornbread and Poppy are the best of friends, so when Poppy is left without any food for the long winter, Cornbread volunteers to help her out. Their search leads them up, up, up Holler Mountain, where these mice might find a new friend...and an old one. Celebrating both partnership and the value of what makes us individuals, young readers will find this classic odd-couple irresistible as they encounter relatable issues with humor and heart. 

Publishing simultaneously in hardcover and paperback.

About this title

About the Author

Matthew Cordell is the creator of numerous picture books including Wolf in the Snow, which was awarded the 2018 Caldecott Medal, Evergreen; Hope; Wish; Dream; Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers; and Bear Island, as well as the Cornbread & Poppy series. He has also illustrated works of poetry, novels, and picture books such as Bob, Not Bob! by Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon and Leaps and Bounce and Rooting for You!  by Susan Hood. Matthew lives in suburban Chicago with his wife, author Julie Halpern, and their two children.
 

Reviews

K-Gr 3-Best friends Cornbread and Poppy, two mice, are an odd couple. Cornbread is carefully preparing for winter, but Poppy is "not one to worry." In events reminiscent of Aesop's "The Ants and the Grasshopper" fable, Poppy decides to forage for supplies too late. The friends visit all their neighbors, but there is nothing left, so they decide to brave the dangers of Holler Mountain. Although the trip is dangerous, Poppy and Cornbread draw courage from their closeness. Each scene reveals more of the character's personalities; Cornbread's careful planning (complete with clipboard) is contrasted with Poppy's breezy, procrastinating attitude. Cordell's charming pen-and-ink illustrations with watercolor lend a feeling of coziness to this tale of friends who are different. Their facial expressions range from delighted smiles as they enjoy bike rides together to wide-eyed shrieks of terror as they confront the dangers of the mountain. A sense of suspense moves readers from one chapter to the next, as does the thrill of a winged shadow looming over the duo, or the delight when they discover an old acquaintance. Short sentences and repetition of key phrases make the story easy to follow for those transitioning to early chapter books, while the art clearly captures the emotional tone. VERDICT A perfect choice for fans of Jacqueline Davies's "Sydney and Taylor" series, and other dynamic duos.-Suzanne Costnerα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0759554862
• ISBN 13: 9780759554863
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 80