Review by Booklist Review
Henry, the older of the two sibling chefs, sees himself as the lead of his pretend cooking show; however, it is two-year-old redhead Elliebelly who adds her personal touch by insisting, much to Henry's chagrin, that they both don pirate hats for the show. Although they purport to be concocting raspberry-marshmallow-peanut butter waffles with barbecued banana bacon, it appears that the ingredients put in the mixing bowl are more pretend than anything else. After a complication and a commercial break, the two chefs sample their invisible fare, a concept Elliebelly doesn't grasp. However, before it becomes too much of an issue, Mom who is offscreen refereeing and apparently cooking calls them over for real waffles. The appealing cartoon-style illustrations in a bold color palette show Henry and Elliebelly against a white backdrop, so that they, and the few attractive accoutrements that clutter their workspace, really pop out. For stories about other budding chefs, check out Cari Best's Easy as Pie and Liz Rosenberg's Nobody (both 2010).--Enos, Randall Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When a boy's pretend play as a TV chef collides with a very stubborn little sister (the eponymous Elliebelly, aka Eleanor), it brings new and very funny meaning to the concept of reality television. To begin with, Elliebelly insists that she and her brother wear pirate hats instead of toques (forcing Henry to change the name of the show to "Pirate Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly"), and she adds her doll to the batter for the raspberry-marshmallow-peanut butter waffles. "Mom!!!!" appeals Henry to the offstage parent, then opts for a commercial break, holding up a quickly scrawled "We'll be right back" sign. Yaccarino's (Lawn to Lawn) airbrush-styled illustrations, which largely mimic classic TV framing with a counter running across the bottom of several spreads, have a retro-poster boldness that's perfect for this performance-oriented story. He and Parkhurst, making her children's book debut, invigorate the my-sibling-is-driving-me-crazy genre with fresh, laugh-out-loud comedy, while creating a straight man who's admirable for his nimbleness at shifting gears, accommodating unforeseen problems, and maintaining relative equanimity-important traits for a would-be chef. Ages 2-5. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-The conceit of this picture book is a make-believe episode of a kids' cooking program, and the show for the day is "Pirate Cooking with Henry, Elliebelly, and Baby Anne." The featured recipe is "raspberry-marshmallow-peanut butter waffles with barbecued banana bacon," and the description is so yummy that readers can almost smell it. Henry is clearly in charge, until two-year-old Elliebelly voices her opinions and concerns (over and over and over again). Her contributions clearly frustrate her brother, and their delightful exchanges add some zest to the production. The entire story is written in dialogue and the sibling relationship is presented with skill; the joys and irritations that the two experience are clear. Mom's off-camera additions ("Work it out, you two") ring as true as the minor spats throughout. While the cooking-show concept may be lost on kids unfamiliar with the medium, the pure adventure of creative play and experimentation will be a treat for any reader. As can be expected, Yaccarino has created characters and an environment that grab readers' attention and won't let go. His interpretation of Elliebelly, with her wild curls, peek-a-boo bellybutton, and ever-present pink butterfly wings, is especially perfect. Parkhurst's carefully chosen dialogue and Yaccarino's deceptively simple art create a delicious delicacy.-Heather Acerro, Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this paean to imaginative play and cooperation, Henry learns how to share with his little sister while hosting a pretend cooking show; on the menu, "raspberry-marshmallow-peanut-butter waffles with barbecued banana bacon." In Yaccarino's hip, friendly illustrations, subdued primary and secondary colors depict simpler-times, non-electronic childhood favorites including crayons and rubber duckies. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
he does too. Mom, offstage, reassures, "Sweetie, she's two. You don't have to do what she says"; readers turn the page to see Henry wearing a pirate hat. Yaccarino uses gorgeously rich gouache colors on creamy flat watercolor paper, deftly composing scenes to portray jubilant chaos that's easy to look at. Shading gives visual depth to chins, bodies and Elliebelly's mop of curls, while eyes and mouths are solid black, working as visual anchors. Resplendently warm and lively with a retro feel. (Picture book. 2-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
