The Seven Silly Eaters

by Mary Ann Hoberman

Paperback, 2000

Status

Available

Call number

791.43

Collection

Publication

HMH Books for Young Readers (2000), Edition: First, 40 pages

Description

Seven fussy eaters find a way to surprise their mother.

User reviews

LibraryThing member suzyglad
A favorite bedtime story of all the Glad kids!!
LibraryThing member jasongiles
We love this book at our house. It is a consistent pick at bedtime.
The story of a family with 7 children who will only eat one special thing each. The mother wears herself ragged serving the daily portions. The children want to do something nice for her birthday. Each of them try to fix their
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favorite foods for their mother. It doesn't go exactly according to plan. In a giant kitchen accident the kids combine all their special foods into one pan. They decide to hide it in the oven (forgetting that it is hot). The result is Mrs. Peter's birthday cake. A meal the entire family can enjoy.
This hits close to the bone. I practically jump for joy when we hit on a meal all five of us like.
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LibraryThing member rainyday2003
Summary:
This is a story about a family with seven children who would only eat one different food for each child. The mother had to make each child their favorite food every day. On her birthday the children decided to mix all of their favorite foods together to make a cake for their mom.

Personal
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Reaction:
I enjoyed this book while reading it for a service learning assignment. I had read this story slowly to myself before hand. When I was trying to hurry I figured out that is was written to be poetry.

Extension Ideas:
1. I would read this book then have the kids decorate a cupcake. I would use it as a part of measuring or cooking.
2. I would use this book to help the children understand poetry. I would have them find the rhyming words.
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LibraryThing member kristine.rouska
A great book, about love between siblings, a mother and family. Intricate illustrations.
LibraryThing member atlomas
This book is about a mother and her many children and how they get together to show their appreciation for her on her birthday. I think kindergartners will find this book so funny and it would be great for mother’s day as well.
LibraryThing member JennaScott
This book is about seven children who all like to eat one thing and one thing only. The mother is going crazy making all of their foods everyday. The children try to do something special for their mothers birthday, it turns out so badly they put all of their food into on pan and hide it in the
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oven. The mother comes down to find their surprise.
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LibraryThing member laurenwhite92
The illustrations were beautiful and the story had a fun and unpredictable ending that was silly, but at the same time wrapped everything up.
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Overworked Mrs. Peters must contend with her seven silly eaters in this engaging picture-book, which boasts a rhyming, read-aloud narrative from author Mary Ann Hoberman - whose earlier A House Is a House for Me features a similarly rhyming text - and delightful ink illustrations from talented
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artist Marla Frazee, who was awarded a Caldecott Honor for her work on All the World. The result is a story that, while not exactly nutritionally sound (something the front dust-jacket humorously acknowledges), does address the reality of children who just refuse to eat anything but their particular food, fixed their way.

I enjoyed the story here, and liked the fact that the seven Peters children eventually realize just how hard their mother is working, trying to humor their preferences, and keep them happy and fed. I also appreciated the fact that this family of picky eaters isn't reformed at the end: they go on eating just one food, albeit a new food. Paradoxically, I think that this less didactic ending makes for a more thought-provoking story, as most children will know that it isn't possible to survive on cake alone, and will therefore be gently led (while also being entertained) to the conclusion that eating just one things isn't a good idea. I did have a few qualms about the fact that the division of labor here is so very gender specific - dad looks to be the handy-man type, while mom slaves continuously in the kitchen - and can't understand why, with seven children in the house, Mrs. Peters didn't put the older ones to work helping out, especially in picking up around the house. I recall having chores from an early age! Has that become an outdated idea?

Leaving these issues aside, I did enjoy Seven Silly Eaters, both for the story and for the artwork. Since reading All the World, I have become a real fan of Frazee's work, which always feels fresh and fun!
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LibraryThing member Micaela.Craig
This book repeated some of the rhymes in the beginning, but overall was a really good book about taking care of one another and giving back. It starts with a mother tending to the needs of her very picky eaters, until she is overwhelmed. Then it is her birthday and the children surprise her with a
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party including all of their favorite things. This ended up being a nice surprise since she thought that they had all forgotten her birthday.
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LibraryThing member bmmander
This is a story about an exhausted mother of seven, whom must prep seven different dishes each night for her picky eaters. Until her birthday comes around and the children mistakingly make a magnificent pink cake everyone enjoys. This book is representative of a typical american family with a
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mother who would do anything for them.
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LibraryThing member matthewbloome
I don't know what it is about Marla Frazee's illustrations, but I love them. The writing is verse wasn't so bad either. I know I wouldn't want seven kids to contend with like she had, but I liked the story all the same.
LibraryThing member TriciaETaylor
The story is about one poor, very busy mother whose children are so picky they each only eat one food. With her first child she chuckles indulgently over his eating habits, but as her family grows to seven children she gets more and more frustrated with their pickiness and the extra work it causes
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her - until her children themselves find a solution!
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LibraryThing member vharsh1
I enjoyed “The Seven Silly Eaters”. The first reason I enjoyed this book was the language used within the book. The author’s style of writing with rhyme and rhythm held my focus the entire time reading this book. For example, “But Mrs. Peters did not mind. She squeezed each lemon to its
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rind while mopping milk up from the floor and patiently preparing more”. This book also had a predictable pattern within the pages. For example, after each child was satisfied with their own special food or drink, Mrs. Peters would say, “What a silly bunch of eaters”. The second reason why I liked this book was the illustrations. Each picture has fine lines and detail, matched with wonderful water-colored pages. The main idea of the book is to show when everyone works together, they can create something really special. The specific language that was used paired with the illustrations made this book an excellent choice to read.
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LibraryThing member akern3
I really enjoyed the book The Seven Silly Eaters. The book is about a mom and dad and their children. Every time the parents have a new addition to the family, their lives get a little crazier. Each child has their own preference when it comes to what they want to eat. One child would only drink
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his milk warm, another would only want pink lemonade, while a third only liked homemade bread. Any one that belongs to a larger family could easily sympathize with the mother. It is not uncommon for young children to have their own preferences and for the parents to have to figure out the best way to juggle it all. The writing of this book is poetic and very easy to read. There is a flow to the writing so that you know what is most likely going to come next. Due to this writing style, the book can be an easy read for those who are struggling a little bit with reading. The illustrations in this book help the reader understand how much the mother does for her children. You can see her making all of their different meals and see how tired she really is for doing such. Young readers will find this book funny, while adults will find the book relatable and humorous due to that.
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LibraryThing member Emma_Manolis
This book has everything you could want in a picture book. A great story,perfect cadence and interesting pictures. Sure to be a classic!
LibraryThing member PattyHoward
There was a time when I could recite the entire poem of the Seven Silly Eaters by heart, without even looking at the book. The cadence is perfect, the story is hysterical, and the pictures are beautiful. I picked up this book to read to my son's 2nd grade class (they loved it) and left it sitting
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on the car seat. When I picked my high-schooler up from track, she saw the book, squealed in delight, and carried it off to her room for the night. It is probably best for young children-- but it is so cute that anyone will love it!
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LibraryThing member SabraR
The Seven Silly Eaters is about the seven Peters kids and their picky eating habits. One child with only drink warm milk while another one will on eat applesauce. And the twins both eat eggs but the not the same of course, one likes them poached and the other liked them fried. Poor Mrs. Peters was
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so worn out from making 7 individual meals everyday and the kids started to feel bad because they were always being so demanding. It was Mrs. Peters birthday and the kids tried to make her a special birthday breakfast but they could not agree on recipe. Through out the arguing they ended up combining all their favorite foods together by accident and afraid that someone has heard them they quickly stuck it into the over forgetting it was on. When Mrs. Peters woke to the smell of something cooking she couldn't believe her eyes, there was a birthday cake in the oven. The kids had made a birthday cake without even realizing it. And to Mrs. Peters surprise everyone liked. This is a good realistic fiction book because everyone has a favorite food and some people are picky eaters and when we are hungry we can get a little demanding.
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Awards

Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Nominee — 1999)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Children's Picture — 1999)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades K-3 — 1998)
Treasure State Award (Nominee — 1999)

Lexile

L

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1997

Physical description

9.8 x 0.2 inches

ISBN

0152024409 / 9780152024406

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