Book 144

Donut Chef, by Bob Staake, Golden Book (Random House), 2008.  Preschool to Elementary.

My four-year-old son received five books for Christmas this year:  A Thomas the Tank Engine book, a Dr. Seuss Book, two Eric Carle books and Donut Chef.  I let him choose one new book to read at his bedtime.  He almost chose the Eric Carle kangaroo book because he also received a plush kangaroo for Christmas, but, in the end, he chose Donut Chef.

Donut Chef is a longer rhyming text picture book, so perhaps it was a mistake to make it the fourth picture book I read tonight -- Christmas night -- after a very long day.  Normally, when I encounter longer picture books, I skim them; that is, just read what I need to in order to make the story work.  With Donut Chef, I had to read every line.  Every rhyming line was needed to tell the story properly.  Every rhyming line is needed.

I first bought a Bob Staake children's book for the artwork.  I love the artwork.  I didn't really expect to like the text.  I was pleasantly surprised, delighted, and mildly annoyed when I did like the writing in the first book.  I'm no longer surprised.  Now I buy the books because my son REALLY loves them.  I know he likes the artwork, but he also really likes the text.  He likes the text so much that when he received a robot today for Christmas, he stared quoting "Hello, Robots". 

I buy Mr. Staake's books for self-preservation:  If I do have to read a Bob Staake book to my son every day, and usually more than once a day -- which I do -- it is good if I have a few choices.