Monday, March 26, 2018

The Man Who Cooked For Himself

The Man Who Cooked For Himself. Phyllis Krasilovsky. Illustrated by Mamoru Funai. 1981. Parents Magazine Press. 42 pages. [Source: Bought]

 First sentence: There once was a man who lived with his cat in a little house on the edge of a wood. He didn't have a wife or children so he always cooked his own supper, cleaned the house by himself, and made his own bed. The man didn't even have a car or a telephone. But he had a friend who visited him every few days bringing him the things he needed.

Premise/plot: What will happen to 'the man' when his friend goes on a summer vacation for three weeks? The friend brings over one last bunch of groceries before he leaves. But will the man's list be thorough enough? long enough?

My thoughts: It's a strange little book. But a strangely charming little book at that. Is it realistic? Yes and no. When the man is hungry and desperate for food, he happens upon a pond where he can fish, wild blueberries, an apple tree, an oak tree, and some watercress. With just a paperclip and some string he catches four fish. As the story went on, the illustrations became hilarious. Readers see the man bent over picking up apples--apples stuffed into his pockets until they're bulging. The man--in the end--learns a valuable lesson about laziness--DON'T--and on how to live off the land.

Text: 3.5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3.5 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

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