Everybody's Somebody's Lunch

Rating:
Summary: An accessible book for kids about predators and prey
Review: Our family's Scottish terrier recently brought home a partially-eaten rabbit, and the kids freaked. It was hard to explain why he had killed the rabbit, and why it was OK for him to do so. EVERYBODY'S SOMEBODY'S LUNCH was recommended by our local bookstore and it really helped my husband and me out...and the kids, and the dog! We're all predators, and we're all prey, and that's how it works. Mason's lively book gets that point across engagingly and positively, with factual accuracy in a non-saccharine but also non-gory way. Mason is a well-known conservationist and author of THE WILD FOX, which the kids also loved. I've never seen predator-prey relationships addressed in a children's book before. Thanks, Ms. Mason, for helping us out!

Rating:
Summary: Writing that will stir your soul
Review: This is a book that should be in every elementary school library and classroom. Opening children's eyes to new discoveries, and making children aware of life and death cycles in nature are key concepts of the book. The topic of predator vs. prey is approached from an original, creative, and non-threatening manner.The plot of the book involves a young girl coming to terms with the death of her cat, Mouser, whose collar she finds in a wooded area near her home.The layout and design of the book are outstanding. The amount of white space in the wide margins and also found around the print makes the book easy to read. The high quality of paper used for the book, allows the full page illustrations to reflect accurate color schemes selected by the artist at their best advantage.The illustrated book jacket and matching illustrated book cover in library binding makes the book both sturdy and an aesthetic delight. It is the kind of book that develops, in children, an awareness of beauty both in nature and in art. It also exposes children to a style of writing in prose that is poetic and clear.The quality of writing can be compared to the style of E.B.White, whose book, "Charlotte's Web" is a memorable classic. In fact, Everybody's Somebody's Lunch is a contemporary classic because it's plot is timeless, characters believable, theme universal, quality outstanding, and appeals to all generations; both young and old. I recommend it highly for all elementary school teachers without hesitation. Tilbury House Publishers in Gardiner, Maine should be congratulated for a wonderful publication.