How Do You Feed a Hungry Giant?

PreS-Gr 2—Young Oscar opens the back door to find himself staring at an enormous ankle. Frightened but curious, he investigates the creature standing out on the lawn. The sad, silent giant holds up a sign that reads, "Food Please." Eager to help, Oscar repeatedly raids the kitchen, counting up delectable treats. Among them are 3 bunches of green grapes, 15 bottles of chocolate milk, 33 jars of peanut butter, and 50 strawberry yogurts. These numbers will leave readers pondering the size of the household, the capacity of the refrigerator, and the monthly food budget. Two hundred chocolate chip cookies are consumed and some wonky math appears in the text, but who's counting? Kids will enjoy watching the pull-tab action as the giant slurps milk through a pipe, though they will wonder about the strength of his digestive juices as the next illustration shows him eating a plastic marshmallow bag, paper muffin cups, and the peanut-butter jars. In the end Oscar's mom jumps in to help, and the giant is satiated at last. The blocky, colorful illustrations carry the text along, and the stylized trees add depth and interest to the backyard. A small pamphlet of recipe cards is included. Fun fare, but not a favorite.—Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN