D.W., the picky eater - Softcover

Marc Brown, who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1946, received great encouragement and support from his grandmother and uncle. Inspired by the books of Maurice Sendak, Brown decided to pursue his ambition of becoming an illustrator. After receiving a B.F.A. in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art, he worked as a TV art director, a professor of mechanical drawing, and a freelance illustrator, before becoming a writer. In his books, he addresses the fears and problems which children face and events like friendship, family, school and pets. For his illustrations, Brown uses pencil with watercolor on a variety of papers to achieve different visual effects. The "Arthur" series, about the everyday adventures of a lovable aardvark, began in 1976 and continues to this day with 25 titles published. Brown has also created other series such as the "Rhymes" series, and the nonfiction "Dinosaur" series, which conveys messages of do's and don'ts. These series, like the stories of Arthur, hold the attention of young children while transporting their imaginations on magical journeys.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-There's a whole slew of edibles that D.W. finds disgusting, but spinach is at the top of her list. Dining out with her family, she causes a scene when her parents suggest that she give her salad greens a try-no more restaurants for the picky little aardvark after that. Staying home with a sitter is boring, though, so when she hears about her grandmother's birthday dinner at a fancy restaurant, she wants to come, too. She orders the Little Bo Peep Pot Pie, devours it with relish, amazing everybody, including herself, and learns a lesson. The text is spare and funny, and while all the colored-pencil illustrations reflect Brown's sense of humor and familiarity with the little details of childhood, some are downright hilarious. Charming endpapers feature some of the foods D.W. loves to hate. Although she wears an expression of pure horror when she discovers the main ingredient of her pie, readers will suspect that she'll keep that delicious spinach down and her mind and mouth open to new eating possibilities in the future. Youngsters are sure to relate to the young heroine, laugh at her, and maybe even laugh at themselves. Brown knows what appeals to children, and he serves up a generous portion.
Vanessa Elder, School Library Journal
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.