Feeding the Flying Fanellis by Kate Hosford
FEEDING THE FLYING FANELLIS
and Other Poems from a Circus Chef
Written by Kate Hosford
Illustrated by Cosei Kawa
(Carolrhoda Books; $17.99, Ages 5-8)
Today Good Reads With Ronna is delighted to welcome author
Ann Whitford Paul as our guest reviewer
for Feeding the Flying Fanellis.
For those of you who loved Kate Hosford’s imaginative and beautiful Infinity and Me (I count myself as an admirer) her newest book, Feeding the Flying Fanellis, is equally full of pleasant surprises. This rollicking collection of poems isn’t just about circus performers and their acts. It focuses on the chef and what special meals he must cook for them. Opening as any circus does with the ringmaster, the chef must prepare a picnic (because the ringmaster never sits) that he tucks into his hat that the ringmaster tips in order to eat. Feeding the juggler is a struggle for everything must be round so he can easily toss his food in the air and catch it again. The high-strung tightrope walker must never have caffeine and obsessively watches what she eats—only 27 grains of rice! The lion thinks of food all day, driving the poor chef to distraction trying to satisfy his appetite so he won’t be Lion’s dessert. And then there’s the poor human cannonball who has to stuff himself to remain round.
The circus is filled with fire-eaters, trampoline performers, a ballerina dancing on a horse, a strongman and a hoop jumping dog that require special foods. The final poem features a summer circus feast prepared by the chef and the human cannonball who grew tired of being shot out of the cannon, and became the chef’s pastry assistant instead.
The illustrations are utterly charming, full of life and movement. You will sense the tension of tightrope walker, feel the pain of being shot from a cannon and the joy of swinging through the air with the trapeze artists.
Although writing and illustrating is always painstaking work, this must have been a fun project to work on and will be an equally fun book to read.
Click here for a helpful curriculum guide.
- Ann Whitford Paul
Ann Whitford Paul is the author of picture books (fiction and non-fiction, rhymed and prose), early readers and a collection of poetry. Her book for adults is WRITING PICTURE BOOKS, a Hands-on Guide from Story Creation to Publication. Check out her recent publications ‘TWAS THE LATE NIGHT OF CHRISTMAS and the board book IF ANIMALS KISSED GOOD NIGHT and visit her website at www.annwhitfordpaul.net
Good Reads With Ronna is proud to be an IndieBookstores Affiliate. Doing so provides a means for sites like ours to occasionally earn modest fees that help pay for our time, mailing expenses, giveaway costs and other blog related expenses. If you click on an IndieBound link in a post and buy anything, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your purchase supports our efforts and tells us you like the service we’re providing with our reviews, and for that we sincerely thank you.