Review of Tomie dePaola’s “The Popcorn Book”
Isabel Gilbert
I think that “The Popcorn Book” by Tomie dePaola, who is a great children’s author in my opinion, is a good book if you like history, fun illustrations and funny endings. It is short and informative at the same time.
The book is about two brothers; one of them is cooking popcorn while the other is reading aloud facts all about popcorn, with excellent illustrations to go with the story. The information is shown in drawings, unlike other nonfiction books with photographs. The illustrations really help explain what is going on in the facts, so be sure to pay attention to the pictures when you read it.
I liked that it was teaching you about the history of popcorn and had a funny story when Tony was making the popcorn, especially when it went everywhere. So it’s nonfiction but with fun illustrations if you wanted to read a nonfiction book and a picture book at the same time.
I learned about how popcorn came to be such a popular food, and how its evolution goes back a long time. Like where Tomie said that “1,000-year-old popcorn kernels were found in Peru and they could still be popped.” I also learned popcorn was introduced to English colonists by the Indigenous people.
I can’t believe that there was such a thing as popcorn soup; I think I would be willing to try it.
I think that younger kids, like my 3-year-old sister, would enjoy the book because it has fun pictures, a funny story and interesting facts for those who would like to learn about popcorn. For kids my age, I think that they might like another book but would probably like this one – just not if they were looking for a very in-depth, informative text. But this is still a good book if you would like to learn about popcorn in general.
Overall, I really enjoyed “The Popcorn Book” and recommend it if you like learning new things or are just looking for something to learn, this would be a great choice.
Isabel Gilbert is 10 years old and lives with her family on a farm near Iowa Falls, Iowa. She enjoys reading; playing outside; learning about reptiles, as she wants to work with reptiles when she grows up; and playing the piano. Her favorite part about living on a farm is having space to play outside and be with the animals.
More about “The Popcorn Book”
Author and illustrator: Tomie dePaola
Published: 1978
Length: 28 pages
Synopsis: Everyone loves popcorn! Newly updated with the latest research, a delicious 40th anniversary edition of a POP-ular classic.
Tony likes to cook. Tiny likes to read. And both twins like to eat . . . POPCORN! So while Tiny cooks it, Tony reads about it: what popcorn is, how it’s stored and prepared, legends and stories about it, and its history in Europe and North America.
A favorite since its original release in 1978, The Popcorn Book has sold nearly a million copies. This fresh new edition features refreshed interiors with bolder colors, and revised text— updated with new information and vetted for accuracy by a Native American expert.
Colorful, funny, and informative, this nonfiction classic from the best-selling author-illustrator of Quiet, Strega Nona, and many more will teach you everything you need to know about this favorite snack food— and leave you hungry for more. And because the best thing about popcorn is eating it, two great recipes for popping corn are included!