Scan barcode
misspippireads's review against another edition
3.0
A compost books that combines fiction and nonfiction. It's also an A to Z alphabet book. Worked well for storytime. There is a "Chef's Note" in the back about readers who are serious about composting. The note evens rhymes!
2016 storytime theme: Earth Day
Reviewed from a library copy.
2016 storytime theme: Earth Day
Reviewed from a library copy.
carolineinthelibrary's review
2.0
This is a fun book to talk about some of the ways we can make compost, but it doesn't really tell kids what compost is. There's also some things mentioned that definitely shouldn't go in compost, and I'm sure that's just a result of learning more about what we can and can't compost, but it would be misleading to read this with a group of kids and give them bad information.
beths0103's review
3.0
Great read-aloud for Earth Day. My only beef with the book is that it doesn't explain to kids what compost is and why its important to do it.
dereadergal's review
4.0
Great book for children to learn environmentally friendly activities like composting all wrapped up in an easy to remember A-Z "recipe" - very cute, it even made me want to get outside and make my own stew! The only thing is that the author left out a critical part in the book. No where does it explain exactly what "compost/composting" is in a kid friendly version, it just starts out with the recipe assuming that a child already knows what compost means. Sure parents can explain it to their children, but it would have made sense to have a quick definition, and maybe reasons why it's good to compost too, in the beginning to start the book off.
pwbalto's review
5.0
So engaging and interesting, I didn't realize it was also an ABC book until I reached W! Ashley Wolff's collage and gouache illustrations incorporate so many subject-appropriate scraps - food wrappers, newspaper, pictures of food and flowers - that each page is a treasure hunt. A multicultural cast of children load up the composter with garden waste, kitchen scraps, and all kinds of things that would otherwise go in the garbage. Fun to read and informative to boot.
beecheralyson's review
3.0
An interesting concept to create a recipe for compost out of the letters of the alphabet. The mixed media illustrations are cool.
muddypuddle's review
4.0
A "rhyming recipe" on what to add into a stew of goodies to make rich compost:
"Environmental chefs,
here's a recipe for you
to fix from scratch
to mix a batch
of Compost Stew."
From A (apple cores) to Z (zinnia heads) it's an unforced alphabet of all sorts of things you can put into compost.There's an AUTHOR'S NOTE at the beginning and CHEF'S NOTE at the end are full of info - and some is very cleverly funny.
"Environmental chefs,
here's a recipe for you
to fix from scratch
to mix a batch
of Compost Stew."
From A (apple cores) to Z (zinnia heads) it's an unforced alphabet of all sorts of things you can put into compost.There's an AUTHOR'S NOTE at the beginning and CHEF'S NOTE at the end are full of info - and some is very cleverly funny.
mldavisreads's review
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Picture book. This is a cute book told in an alphabetical recipe form showing what can be added to compost stew. It has a good rhythm to it, with a loose sing-song rhyme. I like that it includes both things that are more common in compost such as bananas and grass clippings, but also includes things such as hair snippings and dryer lint. The recycled paper illustrations seem particularly apt for the subject matter. Illustrations feature an assortment of skin tones and both boys and girls (and a dog and goose!) It is true that the book doesn't necessarily tell what compost is or how to use it, but that can be explained before or after reading with no problem if needed. This book would work well for read-alouds or for home use when starting a new compost system.