Blog Tour: The Great Caper Caper (Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast Book #5) by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney

 

The Great Caper Caper:

Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast #5

written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney

Union Square & Co., 2022, 40 pages

I'm always up for a fun blog tour and books by Josh Funk are always a lot of fun to read to kids, and, true to form, the latest story about the adventures of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast does not disappoint. Their newest caper all begins one night when Lady Pancake is suddenly awakened from a deep sleep in the refrigerator by a loud scream. Sir Pancake has just discovered that the refrigerator light is missing. But who would have taken their light? 

Everything was dark, except for a glowing light in the distance, just past Pita Plateau. Following the glow, Lady French Toast and Sir Pancake find themselves at the entrance to Fabulous Las Veggies, but barred from entering by security and taken to the office of Count Caper, the richest, more powerful food (or so he says). Denying that she stole the light, Lady French Toast and Sir Pancake are told to leave and never come back. They may be sure that Count Caper is the culprit, but how can they get their light back?

Ummm...how to get back their light now that they can't go back to Fabulous Las Veggies? Perhaps Lady Pancake can come up with a solution with the help of Sir French Toast and a few good friends like Barron von Waffle, Miss Brie, and Tofu, Professor Biscotti, the Fruitcake, the Beets, and Inspector Croissant, and maybe even a few Animal Crackers. 

Told in rhyming couplets that never falter together with colorfully amusing illustrations, The Great Caper Caper is sure to please fans of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast, and to win over anyone meeting this delightful couple for the first time. The story focuses on problem solving, the importance of friends helping each other, and a clear message that crime does not pay, even when it looks like it does. 

I can't wait to share this book with my young readers. We have read all the other Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast books and they always enjoy them. They're funny, the characters are so appealing, and the situations they find themselves in are always relatable. Plus my young readers all tell me they love pancakes and french toast.  

One thing I did notice - when did Lady Pancake find time to take the curlers out of her hair and style it before running off to fight the missing refrigerator light? She was totally coiffed. Needless to say, your kiddos will find lots to explore and talk about in this book its endearing characters and detailed illustrations. This is definitely a book that will be revisited over and over again in my reading class.

Be sure to visit these other stops on The Great Caper Caper Blog Tour:

National Geographic Kids' Ultimate Food Atlas Blog Tour and Giveaway

Welcome to the Ultimate Food Atlas Blog Tour!

This week, join us for a fantastic food journey around the globe as we celebrate the release of the Ultimate Food Atlas (National Geographic Kids Books, ages 8-12).  Five blogs across the web are featuring posts from the book as we "travel" from continent to continent to discover a rich diversity of foods and food celebrations from many different countries. Ready for a captivating around-the-world culinary adventure? Read on!
 

AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA - FEASTING OFF THE LAND AND SEA

Australia, the smallest continent, is also a country. Because it’s in the Southern Hemisphere, its northern coast—closer to the Equator—is tropical. Sugarcane and tropical fruits such as bananas and mangoes are produced in the northeast. The south of Australia has a mild climate, good for producing wheat and other grains. The interior, or outback, is largely desert. About 1,300 miles (2,092 km) east of Australia is New Zealand, a lush green country known for its many sheep. Thousands of other islands of Oceania are scattered to the north and east across the Pacific. On these islands, coconuts, papayas, and many other tropical fruits thrive, and fresh seafood is plentiful.

Traditional Australia and Oceania Seafood Delights

Australians along the coasts take full advantage of the fresh seafood available to them. On the islands of Oceania, men and women continue traditional fishing practices. Across the continent, freshwater lakes and streams offer other tasty local options. Batter-fried fish, grilled crustaceans, and succulent seaweed are just some of the dishes made from this region’s seafood.

BUGS (Australia) In Australia, local species of lobsters are the Moreton Bay Bug and Balmain Bug. Unlike other types of lobsters, these flat-shaped crustaceans do not have big claws, and only their tail meat is edible. Grilled with herb and garlic butter, you’ll find these seafood bugs served at picnics and in fine restaurants.

KOKODA (Fiji) Any fresh, locally caught fish, such as mahi mahi, can be turned into kokoda. Just marinate it in citrus juices and mix it with some coconut cream, onions, tomatoes, and chilies. This favorite festive dish is often served in a large clam shell of coconut shell. 

SEA GRAPE SALAD (Fiji)  The seaweed called nama in Fiji is known as sea grapes, or even green caviar, elsewhere in the world. The little bubbles of green on this algae are soft but pleasantly crunchy when eaten. Nama is usually eaten topped with lemon juice or a little coconut cream as part of a fresh salad.

WHITEBAIT FRITTER (New Zealand)  This fish dish specialty of New Zealand is made using tiny freshwater fish such as inanga or other fresh catch from local rivers. The fish are cooked with eggs and butter and served with lemon. There’s a friendly competition between North Island and South Island folks as to who has the better recipe. 

POISON CRU (French Polynesia) This island specialty is freshly caught raw fish, usually tuna, diced and marinated in lime. For a Tahitian version of fish-and-chips, try it with a side of taro chips.

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Buy | Add on Goodreads

Exploring the world has never been more yummy and fun! Discover how unique foods are grown, eaten, and celebrated by people all over the planet, get recipes for delicious dishes, and so much more!

Pull up a chair and dig into this bold and vibrant world atlas full of fun food facts, fascinating information about crops and farming, easy-to-read maps, recipes, and games from around the world. On the menu: vegetables, grains, meats, dairy products, and foods harvested from the water. Highlights include appetizing attractions, cool places to eat, and food festivals, and sustainable eating is promoted throughout. It's a treat for kids who are interested in food and a valuable reference about geography, agriculture, and culture across the continents. Absolutely stuffed with mouthwatering tidbits for every reader! Kids are sure to come back to the table hungry for more!

About the Authors

Nancy Castaldo has written award-winning books about our planet for over 20 years from New York’s Hudson Valley. Her love of reading and writing outdoors began in her childhood, when she wasn’t searching for frogs, turtles, and salamanders, and climbing trees. Her curiosity led her to study science. As an environmental educator, Nancy combined all of those interests. She still enjoys spending her time exploring in the wild as she did while researching over two dozen books and many articles. Nancy writes to inform, inspire, and empower her readers about the world around them. Visit her online at nancycastaldo.com.

Christy Milhaly's book Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought (co-written with Sue Heavenrich) explores this issue and offers pointers on preparing environmentally friendly―and tasty―meals using invasive plants,animals and insects.  She has published other nonfiction books on topics including nature, history, politics, and crafts. Milhaly earned degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of California, Berkeley. Visit her online at christymihaly.com,

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GIVEAWAY

• One (1) winner will receive a hardcover of Ultimate Food Atlas
• US/Can only
• Ends 7/17 at 11:59pm ET
• Enter via the Rafflecopter below
• Visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Blog Tour Schedule:

July 4th — From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors
July 5th — YA Books Central
July 6th — Pragmatic Mom
July 7th — Mrs. Book Dragon
July 8th — Randomly Reading

Virtual Blog Tour: Short & Sweet (Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast Book 4) by Josh Funk

Short & Sweet (Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast Book #4)

by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendon Kearney

 Sterling Children's Books, 2020, 40 pages

Hi and welcome to my stop on the Short & Sweet Virtual Blog Tour. Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are back with a brand new adventure and my young readers couldn't be happier. After All, they are all fans of the first three books about this sweet duo. Their latest adventure begins as they are preparing for a tea party with Baron von Waffle. As they finish though, Lady Pancake feels achy and Sir French Toast looks pale. Are they going stale?

Luckily, Baron von Waffle has just what they need - a visit to Professor Biscotti's lab for a little despoiling. The three friends go off down Artichoke Road to Professor Biscotti's lab, where they are strapped into her despoiling machine:  

But when things don't go as planned, and Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are turned into children, the two of them take one look at Baron von Waffle, whom they now think is a giant scary monster Waffle wanting to eat them and take off, running for their lives. 

Can Baron von Waffle and Professor Biscotti figure out how to get Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast back to the lab so they can be changed back into themselves?

This book is, exactly as the title says, short and sweet. And told in a rhyme scheme that works all the way to the end, paired with a fun vocabulary and some very clever puns. I read this to my young readers, who are, as I've said, big fans of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast. And Short & Sweet has already become an instant new favorite. One of my kiddos did comment on Baron von Waffle telling his friends they looked gruesome and hideous and what a mean thing that was to say to them. So it's no wonder Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast thought he was a big scary monster after they had been turned into children. Another kiddo thought it was cool that they ended up in the library reading books at one point and enraptured by stories (but what does enraptured mean? they asked). And that is one of the things I liked about this book. There were vocabulary words to learn that were not usual to children's picture books.

Brendan Kearney's humorous illustrations are the perfect compliment to the story, done in a palette of warm colors, often slightly reminiscent of maple syrup. In fact, I was sure I smelled maple syrup each time I read this story. Which, by the way, is a perfect read aloud.

All in all, Short & Sweet is another successful addition to the Lady Pancake/Sir French Toast body of work and is sure to be a hit with all young readers.

Don't forget to read and reread the earlier adventures of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast and all their friends:

Be sure to visit all the other stops on the Long & Savory 5-week Virtual Tour for Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast's latest adventures:

This book is recommended for readers age 4+

This book was gratefully received from the author, Josh Funk