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From Anne Boles Levy's BOOK BUDS:
Suspense builds quickly and we move at a brisk pace, thanks to Piernas-Davenport's taut rhyming couplets. It was almost over too quickly, but end notes describe some other customs around the world.
Eldridge's acrylics are cheery and upbeat, in pleasing pastel shades, adding all the right ingredients for some lighthearted fare.
Rating: *\*\*\
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From the November 15, 2007 BOOKLIST:
In rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, this upbeat story celebrates family, community, and multiculturalism, highlighting an African American family’s New Year’s food traditions, including “lucky” black-eyed peas. Grandma has prepared a delicious meal, but something is missing: “‘Mercy!’ cries Grandma. ‘I’m weak in the knees. I cooked lots of food, but forgot black-eyed peas!’” Young Shanté is sent to check with the neighbors: Miss Lee, who is Chinese; grocer MacGhee, from Scotland; Shanté’s friend Hari, who is Hindu. None of them have peas, but on her visits, Shanté learns about their celebratory food traditions—from dumplings to haggis and cheese. Finally, she finds peas, which Grandma prepares, and the neighbors happily share at the festive dinner. The story, with abundant dialogue, is written in couplets, with all lines ending in a long “e” sound, and the expressive art warmly portrays characters’ interactions in bright, rich hues and lively detail. Notes on a few other culture’s special New Year foods and a recipe for Grandma’s hoppin’ John are appended.
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From Susan Thomsen's CHICKEN SPAGHETTI:
Their joyful picture book celebrates family, community, and diversity. It imparts a few facts about New Year's customs in different cultures as Shanté goes from neighbor to neighbor looking for a missing ingredient for her family's feast.
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From PAPERTIGER.ORG, a Pacific Rim Project:
Shanté Keys, the first book from author Gail Piernas-Davenport, will join Norah Dooley’s Everybody Cooks Rice series and Marjorie Priceman’s How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World as a fun and informative story about what and how people eat all over the world. And when you’ve finished reading, take your kids to the kitchen and cook up some of Grandma Louise’s delicious Hoppin’ John, recipe included.
Abigail SawyerNovember 2007
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Shanté Keys is also a Book Vine Top Pick 2008!
