LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST: SHORT & SWEET by Josh Funk

Have you met Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast? Your weekend breakfast treats have three picture books so far, and they've been delighting readers with food-themed rhymes since the first book:  Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast (Sterling, 2015).  

Now, a bit of background and a tip:

When you pick up one of these books, prepare yourself! Wet your whistle  with a drink of water, hold the book open proudly, sit or stand comfortably, and then dig in to  the pages and read this book out loud -- even if it's just to yourself!-- because if you haven't read one of these books before, you need to know that reading one aloud will be fun and invigorating and will require your energy-- and will give you so much joy in return! 

Today, I am happy to share that Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast have another story to tell in book #4 published yesterday (9/1/2020) -- AND they've stopped by my blog for a virtual tour! 

In this latest story, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are in their home, about to host a tea party -- and they begin to notice how they don't exactly look their best. Their guest Waffle comments on their appearance (much to their surprise), and then recommends a remedy: a visit to Professor Biscotti's Laboratory. (He has an interesting new gadget called a "de-spoiling ray", and it promises to do the trick! 

But as it sometimes goes with gimmicky gadgets, the "de-spoiling ray" doesn't exactly work as planned, setting the couple on a raucous adventure -- filled with the movement and poetic word play we enjoyed from Books 1-3.  (Read the book to find out exactly how the "de-spoiling ray" goes awry -- and notice the word play with the title of the book.)

Funk and illustrator Brendan Kearney take us on another journey through delightful places like Pasta Playground and Limes Square. Not only are the words a feast for your mind, but the illustrations are a feast in themselves. Do you ever sit with a picture book for hours? I do! 

Yes, readers will become so wrapped up in the rhyme and art, they may not want Sir Pancake and Lady French Toast to ever find the solution to the dilemma. 

After I read the book a few times, I saw so many ways to connect this book with topics -- to make it come alive even more for young readers: food, poetry, alliteration, and of course--friendship (WAS the waffle a friend? Do friends tell us hard things sometimes?) This book also 

But when you first pick up the book, simply enjoy it -- turn the pages, and for a little while, delve into a world of color and food and simple joy -- and forget about everything else. For me, this book is yet another piece of proof that books indeed help you escape.

Enjoy your visit to Chard Boulevard and check out the other stops on the Short & Sweet Long & Savor Virtual Tour! (And make sure your fridge is stocked before you read the book because it will make you hungry!)

bre