Family Feast!

PreS-Gr 2–Weatherford narrates her book with all the love she can muster. Listeners will experience the warmth that Pops and Big Ma feel as they prepare for the family ­gathering at their house tonight. Also palpable is the kids’ anticipation as they impatiently ride in the car and the family’s joy of being together, sharing food, and swapping stories. Inserted at just the right moment is the sound of the puppy getting his treat. Generally, the author’s pacing and word inflection are spot-on. She very carefully pronounces each word, though occasionally at such a slow pace and sharp precision that it sounds a bit mechanical. For example, she uses a harsh “t” sound in “plat-ter” and “clat-ter” instead of the softer “t” of casual speech. She recites the many lists with appropriate pauses between items, but sometimes inserts an unnecessary pause in the middle of a phrase, making it sing-song. So, “Food for thought, for body and soul. / Little ones beg to lick the bowl” becomes, “Food for thought,/ for body and soul./ Little ones beg/ to lick the bowl.”