{"id":31316,"date":"2018-12-04T22:38:02","date_gmt":"2018-12-05T02:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=31316"},"modified":"2018-12-04T22:38:02","modified_gmt":"2018-12-05T02:38:02","slug":"review-of-the-cookie-fiasco-by-dan-santat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=31316","title":{"rendered":"Review of The Cookie Fiasco, by Dan Santat"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Cookie Fiasco<\/em><\/p>\n

by Dan Santat<\/p>\n

Hyperion Books for Children, 2016. 60 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

First, let me talk about the new series this book introduces: Mo Willems\u2019 Elephant & Piggie Like Reading<\/em>. There are four pages at the front and four pages at the back where our beloved Gerald and Piggie talk about reading the book. The title page has a picture of Gerald holding the very book, ready to open it up and read it.<\/p>\n

Now I\u2019m not crazy about this frame \u2013 Just a little bit of Elephant and Piggie is not enough! Fortunately, they did choose excellent authors for the books-within-a-book, so this wasn\u2019t a way to pass off any old thing and sell it with the Mo Willems brand. The Pigeon is even hiding on the back end papers, just as he does in the regular Elephant and Piggie books.<\/p>\n

But what I love about The Cookie Fiasco<\/em> are the mathematical implications! This book reminds me of the classic The Doorbell Rang,<\/em> by Pat Hutchens. Like that book, it\u2019s a simple story that small children can enjoy \u2013 but you can pull it out later when they\u2019re learning about fractions and make multiple applications and elucidations.<\/p>\n

The story is simple: Hippo, Croc, and two Squirrels have three cookies. Four animals, three cookies.<\/p>\n

They discuss how to share the cookies, but nothing seems fair. While they are discussing the options, Hippo nervously starts breaking the cookies in half.<\/p>\n

Then they have six cookie pieces, but still four friends. It\u2019s still not fair. While they continue to discuss, Hippo continues to break the pieces. After a while they have twelve pieces, and realize that each one can have three pieces. Problem solved! Equal cookies for all!<\/p>\n

There is a grand page of munching cookies \u2013 and then a cow shows up with three glasses of milk. Uh-oh!<\/p>\n

The only thing wrong with this book is the one Gerald points out in the frame at the end \u2013 It may make you hungry for cookies.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a simple, silly story. You don\u2019t need to talk about the math behind it at all. But someday, when a child is learning to divide three by four, you can use this as a lovely illustration. And similar fractions. There\u2019s even room for talking about common denominators. I’d love for this book to get a mention in the next set of Mathical Awards, I liked it so much.<\/p>\n

dantat.com<\/a>
\npigeonpresents.com<\/a>
\nwww.hyperionbooksforchildren.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/cookie_fiasco.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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