My husband brought this book home from the library. I picked it up to read it to my 2-year-old, and could not stop laughing at the picture of the hen. If you have seen the book, you know what I mean. My son didn't think it was funny because he's too young, but I just know that someday he will love this book!

My 3rd grade class can't get enough of this book. Easy text to read and the illustrations make the book. It covers several different animals wearing clothing that would never suit them. For example...sheep wearing a wool sweater, a giraffe wearing neck ties, a chicken wearing pants (Where does the egg go?), just to name a few. Maybe animals shouldn't wear clothing, but your child will definitely LOVE this book. You'll probably enjoy it too!

As a pre-school teacher I am always searching for bright, motivating books to start my little ones down the path of learning. Animals should definetely not...fits the bill perfectly. With colorful, humorous, illustrations and predictable text, it is a popular choice in the library center. The picture of the chicken still gets laughs 20 readings later...you will have to look to understand. I highly recommnend this book for any household with children under 5. Written with kids in mind it is original, funny and never boring.

...I bought it a few years ago when I found out that I had high cholesterol and needed to change my eating habits. Being rather passionate about my Italian cooking, I was determined to eat traditional Italian meals. This book allowed me to do that. The recipes are *very* simple and delectable. For example, the white onions in balsamic vinegar takes nearly 0 preparation time but the taste is just incredible. The more rigorous recipes such as veggie broth and the *reason* to make it - risotto, will take some time to prepare, but the steps are clearly laid out, and open to a little interpretation so you can make some of your own choices. Every time I make the wild mushroom risotto (actually, many mushroom risotto) my guests fall in love with it and come back for more. It contains very descriptive methods and the reasoning behind some of the choices of ingredients as well as some anecdotal information on how she discovered some of the recipes. I have truly enjoyed this book, and now I'm worried about what I'm going to do when the book wears out!

I have recommended this book to many friends. The recipes are a wonderful introduction to Italian vegetable cooking. Sometimes she calls for authentic ingredients (like fresh artichoke hearts), but these can readily be substituted for with available ones (such as canned artichoke hearts).

Tied with Moosewood Cooks at Home on my list of most used cookbooks.

Take Old MacDonald off the farm and put him in the big city and what've you got?? Why, just take a look inside and see!!

Old MacDonald is the super of an apartment building in our story. At the beginning we find that Mrs. MacDonald's tomato plant just isn't doing well by the basement window because of the big bush outside that blocks the light. When old MacDonald cuts the bush down and plants the tomato plant there instead, inspiration strikes. Why not plant the whole front YARD with food plants? When the tenants on the 4th floor move out, inspiration strikes again. Why not bring in some dirt and farm INDOORS?? Seems like a good idea, doesn't it??

Well, soon farm animals like cows and chickens move in, and the carrots are growing through the 3rd floor ceiling! "Either that garden goes, or I go!" bellows the 3rd floor tenant. Hmmm... Thinks Old MacD. Carrots don't smudge up the glass, lettuce doesn't track mud on the floor.... Pretty soon, the WHOLE APARTMENT is filled with produce plants and barnyard animals. This works pretty well UNTIL... Mr. Wrental shows up, the building's owner!! Are the MacDonald's doomed to be thrown out, cow and tomato plant and all??

The Barrett team of Judi and Ron has given us past treasures like "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and "Animals Should Definitely NOT Wear Clothing." They have done it again with "Old MacDonald..." The fine pen & ink drawings practically tell the stories themselves, with all the characters except the veggies in black & white. The text by Ms. Barrett is easy to read and a lot of fun. Definitely a must-read, must-have!!

I loved reading this book when I was little! It made my imagination soar. I can still remember every page with its beautiful drawings and colors. I cannot wait to buy it for my kids so they, too, can have great memories of this book!

this book was one of our favorite wedding gifts - absolutely great recipes - try the merlot one w/ tenderloin!

I received this book as a gift and am quite pleased. An excellent choice for those who enjoy, but might be bored with plain risotto. Creative, easy to follow recipes with great results. Well organized book. Includes easy cooking tips, broth recipes and risotto by chapter (vegetable, seafood, low-fat, etc.), no photos. Again, an excellent choice.

Despite the bias that might come with having Judi Barrett as a childhood art teacher, I can say honestly, that this is my favorite book. Even as an adult, I often refer this book to all my friends. The simplicity of how to regain that feeling of anticipation, surprise, happiness and every joyous feeling associated with birthdays, is refreshing to the adult mind. This book gave me the innitiative to leave money in my pockets, and hide letters in old books, for it rediscovers the idea of rediscovery.

I was introduced to this book on a group ski trip. Coming in from a long day on the slopes, the house was full of the smell of roasting vegetables, baking bread and, yes, garlic. Heaven. I spent a good bit of time that weekend just reading Ms. Barrett's book. Unlike Krikus, I found the book to be easy and entertaining reading. You can learn a lot about a people and their culture by spending a little time in their kitchens. "From an Italian Garden" allowed me that opportunity. The food is simple and appealing and the recipes are well-described and easy to follow. The cooks that weekend sent my wife and I a copy of the book as a gift several weeks later and it remains a treasure of our kitchen library.

Some of these recipes were old favorites and some were very new, but what they all have in common the low fat content which we all appreciate. The author does not sacrifice taste when she trades in the higher fat foods for lower fat ones!

Some of the recipes are ones I enjoyed reading but would never try because of the loooong list of ingredients. I find myself just skipping over recipes that have 20+ ingredients. It's just too much.

Looking out at 2 feet of snow, I am planning on making the Chick Pea and Tomato Soup this afternoon. Sounds yummy.

This is a must for your kitchen cookbook library. "Saved by Soup" should not be confused as a seasonal cookbook. I love cooking soup during the blustery winter days, and from fall to spring this compact cookbook seldom goes back into the rack. The summer section in this book is also very good. You must try Judith Barrett's 'Best Gazpacho' and 'Chilled Corn Vichyssoise' summer recipes.

My girlfriend is delighted over this cookbook, and she does not often cook. She jumped in and made some very good soups -- try 'Real Gumbo with Okra and Chicken' . Together, we have yet to find a recipe that is not very pleasing. Many, like the 'Ligurian Minestrone', are excellent (this is the best Minestrone we have eaten).

Now, even though these recipes are easy to follow, and the great color photographs make them more enticing, they are not the "20 minute" type. Many of them call for fresh herbs and fresh ingredients, but don't despair, Barrett will reward you with outstanding taste almost every time and I guarantee that your guests will clamor for more. OK, with that having been said, don't forget that most of her recipes are low fat -- less than 3 grams of fat per serving. Wow, health and great flavor too! Highly Recommended

This is a lovely little book. Full of recipes that are easy to make and taste fabulous. We try a new soup from this book at least once a month, and we make Pasta e Fagioli almost every week. The only down side, for those on specialized diets, is that the nutritional information is limited to calories and grams of fat only.

Risotto has been a dish that I have loved ever since I was a child, and this book not only includes a truckload of recipes, ranging from the traditional to the truly creative, but it's also prefaced with an interesting account to the origins of this fabulous Italian creation. Not being a cook, I enjoy this book for its straightforwardness and lack of pretension. Risotto is also a versatile dish that can be easily prepared with various vegetables, cheeses, fish, beef, etc. As such, the chapters are broken down according to the kind of risotto one would like to prepare. This also makes the book easy to understand and thoroughly enjoyable. It takes a lot for me to invest in any kind of cook book, so if I say this one is worth it, I mean it.

This cookbook is a complete reference for cooking risotto, the classic dish of northern Italy. With 120 authentic recipes, covering everything from risottos with cheese, vegetables, meat, seafood, and fruit, there is definitely a recipe for everyone. You might try a tasty Risotto con Porcini e Rucola (mushrooms and arugula) which is one of my favorite recipes from the book, or perhaps a nice Risotto Rosso alle Vongole (clams in red sauce). The recipes are easy to follow, contain ingredients that are readily obtained, and most offer variations as well. As the Italian Food Host @ BellaOnline, I am always looking for books that share recipes containing ingredients that everyone can find.

Also included in this book,are also chapters that contain important information on risotto ingredients and traditional preparation methods. Although I found it disappointing that this book contained no photographs or illustrations, which would only have enhanced my opinion of this book, I feel that if you love risotto, you'll enjoy this book. When it comes to risotto, this book has everything you could ever need!

I love this cookbook. I have found that its variety and ease of use make it indispensable in the kitchen. We have made over 50 of the recipes and have found our favorites. I highly recommed this book for anyone who likes to eat well. I have bought my second copy for myself and numerous copies for friends and family. I am sure you'll enjoy it as much as I have. Happy risotto

This book will definetily bring a smile to your face. The author and illustrator both did an exceptional job at creating a fantasy world. The book begins with a grandpa telling his grandchildren a usual bedtime story. However, the story takes a wild turn as the book begins to unfold. The grandpa describes a very unusual town with very unusual weather. See in this town, the sky supplied all the food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all came from the sky. As I began to read, I couldn't wait to flip the pages and find out what kind of food the weather would bring that day. Your imagination goes wild as you try to envision yourself running about trying to catch your lunch as it falls from the sky. The illustrations are great. Now, you would think that this whole food falling from the sky thing would be a pretty good idea. But, is it? Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is definetily a book that is worth while to read. It will always remain one of my all time favorite children's books.

This is one book that bridges the generation gap. There are many books in my son's library that elicit a groan in me when he chooses them during our nightly story reading, but "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" certainly isn't one of them. From the absurd tall-tale to the fabulously detailed drawings, each time we read this book we find something new to discuss. Due to the fact that my son is only three and a half, and not able to understand much of the subtle humor of the illustrations, I know this book will have a very long shelf-life at our house as he starts "getting" more and more of the punchlines throughout the years. In the meantime, he is fascinated by the pancake that Grandpa flips onto Henry's head and the giant jello setting in the sky after dinner one night in the delicious land of Chewandswallow.

When I first read this book I was about seven years old.... and I haven't stopped loving it in the 13 years since. The book is so imaginative and beautifully illustrated. The story holds a child's attention.. a feat that a book rarely accomplishes in the age of television and computer games. It starts on saturday morning... pancake morning. And it ends with a bedtime story that stretches across oceans, desserts, mountains, and into the realm of Chewandswallow, a most extraordinary town. As I child I was fascinated with rain, snow, and thunderstorms. I aboslutely loved them! In Chewandswallow, the weather brings breakfast lunch and dinner. The illustrations are so well drawn and full of detail, there is always something new to see. My favorite drawing is the two page spread in the middle of the book, which depicts the town under destruction of monstrous food... gargantuan pizza, two-story pickles, and doughnuts the size of cars. Everytime I read the story to my cousins, they laugh over the man with the noodle on his head. It is fun for us to think up our own weather-menus for Ralph's Roofless Restaurant, and draw pictures of the food falling from the sky. Kid's love it, it's good clean fun, and the adults don't get bored reading it over and over. In fact, I have it memorized! And I just found out that there is a sequal to this book, Pickles to Pittsburgh, so I am going to have to get it to read... after all these years, I finally get to see what happened back in the town of Chewandswallow... the town everyone was afraid to go back to because of the giant food that fell from the sky.....