The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Buchanan, Sue , Shafer, Dana

Mud Pie Annie: God's Recipe for Doing Your Best

32 pp. | Zonderkidz | February, 2001 | Trade ISBN 0-310-23226-0 $$12.99

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Joy Allen. A rhyming text and lively artwork describe Annie's zeal for creating elaborate mud and dirt concoctions. She invites her parents to sample the goods, but they simply make her take a bath. Annie's positive attitude despite their lack of enthusiasm rings false ("No matter what I do in life, I'll do my very best"), but young readers will admire her gumption. A New Testament verse prefaces the story; recipes for edible treats are appended.

Reviewer: Anne St. John