Sunday, February 5, 2023

Review - The Smart Cookie

The Smart Cookie
(The Food Group #5)
by Jory John
illustrated by Pete Oswald
Date: 2021
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Be a smart cookie—and don’t miss the fifth picture book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Food Group series from creators Jory John and Pete Oswald!

This cookie has never felt like a smart cookie no matter how hard she tries, especially in comparison to all the clever cupcakes and brilliant rolls in the bakery. Will a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of confidence be enough to help her learn that perfect scores and having all the answers aren’t the only ingredients for intelligence?

Jory John and Pete Oswald serve up another heaping plate of laughs and lessons with this empowering, witty, and charming addition to their #1 New York Times bestselling series!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I finally got my hands on The Smart Cookie, the fifth book in Jory John and Pete Oswald's series about sentient foodstuffs. It's just as cute as the others.

In this case, we're introduced to a cookie with a problem. She appears to have some sort of learning disability; even though she tries hard, she just can't keep up sometimes. So she thinks she's not that smart. But when her teacher, Ms. Biscotti, assigns some creative homework, the cookie gains confidence as she realizes that there are many different ways to be smart.

This is another fun book in The Food Group series. Check out my reviews for the other books:


Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Monday, January 2, 2023

Review - The Sour Grape

The Sour Grape
(The Food Group #6)
by Jory John
illustrated by Pete Oswald
Date: 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

The Sour Grape holds grudges for every reason under the sun. Lime never returned a scarf they borrowed? Grudge! Orange never called back? Grudge! But when a friend holds a grudge against the Sour Grape without listening to an explanation, the Sour Grape realizes how unfair grudges can be. Could a bunch of forgiveness and compassion be enough to turn a sour grape sweet?

Jory John and Pete Oswald serve up another heaping plate of laughs and lessons with this empowering, witty, and charming addition to their #1 New York Times bestselling series!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

In the newest instalment of Jory John and Pete Oswald's series about emotional foodstuffs, a sour grape comes to the realization that, by holding grudges and being negative, they're cheating themselves out of the good things in life: friendship, gratitude, and inner peace.

The illustrations are cute, as they always are in these books. The text is simple, while also utilizing some challenging vocabulary (a feature I always appreciate in picture books when it's done well).

All in all, this is a nice addition to The Food Group series. Check out my reviews for some of the other books:


Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5