rebus's review against another edition
3.25
I have always despised the work of China and have recently discovered and come to love the work of Zak, so it's a mixed bag for me. It's kind of an adult version of a really dumb kids' book.
And who doesn't like pulp in their orange juice?
And who doesn't like pulp in their orange juice?
decaying's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
teenytinylibrary's review against another edition
4.0
Two sisters rehash the worst breakfast they ever have. Their descriptions start tamely - burnt toast, soggy tomatoes, and then spiral into the most fantastical and disgusting foods. Mieville's writing is tweely rhyming (and meta - making fun of a few slant rhymes) and Smith's watercolor illustrations pile putrid food upon putrid food. This would be a great storytime book for two voices and a fun read to share with the whole family. Two thumbs up!
lertsek's review against another edition
Hey I liked the art, a lot. The writing? Well.
jenny_d's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was really sweet! Not sure how well a child would connect with the illustrations, but I thought they were good at conveying the Horror of a Bad Breakfast.
amdame1's review against another edition
2.0
I love China Miéville, but was disappointed with this picture book. Maybe I just like his novels.
This is the tale of two sisters recounting the worst breakfast they ever had. Things start out mundane, like burnt toast but quickly devolve into lists of things like vegemite, barm cakes, forcemeat, and muktuk - things that many students/young readers will not even be able to identify.
Illustrations are kind of cubist-modern, colors felt a bit drab. They did not enhance the text for me. However, the sisters are not white!! They are super cute brown girls. <3
This is the tale of two sisters recounting the worst breakfast they ever had. Things start out mundane, like burnt toast but quickly devolve into lists of things like vegemite, barm cakes, forcemeat, and muktuk - things that many students/young readers will not even be able to identify.
Illustrations are kind of cubist-modern, colors felt a bit drab. They did not enhance the text for me. However, the sisters are not white!! They are super cute brown girls. <3
kesterbird's review against another edition
4.0
So: The illustrations are marvelous. The text... is not bad. It's just a bit lazy? I dunno. I was more than a little delighted to find that China Mieville had written a kids book, but it turns out he's just not the star of this book.
My theory: Mieville had a new nibling and thought he should write a book for them. (I have chosen nibling, without looking anything up, because I just feel like one makes more effort for one's own progeny). He mentioned this to his publisher. His publisher found an illustrator who was THRILLED that he was gonna get to work with Mieville. Then, the illustrator got the text and it was... disapppointing, so he just pretended it wasn't and illustrated the story he was sure Mieville would've written, if Mieville hadn't been phoning it in so thoroughly.
But don't read this and think "euh, too bad, not picking that book up" because the illustrations make this book. There's pteradactls in the toastsmoke, there's octopus in the porridge, there's little blue astronauts in the baked beans, there's tiny dragons in the undercooked eggs, and it's -wonderful-.
My theory: Mieville had a new nibling and thought he should write a book for them. (I have chosen nibling, without looking anything up, because I just feel like one makes more effort for one's own progeny). He mentioned this to his publisher. His publisher found an illustrator who was THRILLED that he was gonna get to work with Mieville. Then, the illustrator got the text and it was... disapppointing, so he just pretended it wasn't and illustrated the story he was sure Mieville would've written, if Mieville hadn't been phoning it in so thoroughly.
But don't read this and think "euh, too bad, not picking that book up" because the illustrations make this book. There's pteradactls in the toastsmoke, there's octopus in the porridge, there's little blue astronauts in the baked beans, there's tiny dragons in the undercooked eggs, and it's -wonderful-.
darwin8u's review
3.0
"Oh, cross my heart and shake my bones, burn my clothes and hear my moans, close my eyes and count to ten..."
- China Miéville, The Worst Breakfast
A nice collaboration between China Miéville (words) and [a:Zak Smith|15247|Zak Smith|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1240090584p2/15247.jpg] (pictures). I bought this basically for two reasons:
1. I'm now buying each Miéville as they are published. He is one of those authors who I intend to collect, read, complete.
2. I've been a fan of Zak Smith since he published [b:Pictures Showing What Happens on Each Page of Thomas Pynchon's Novel Gravity's Rainbow|27194|Pictures Showing What Happens on Each Page of Thomas Pynchon's Novel Gravity's Rainbow|Zak Smith|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1390089959s/27194.jpg|27845] (another book I own).
I figured putting these two guys together for a children's book is worth the price of admission for sure. The art was funky and seemed to pull not only from the story but from Miéville's past works. Not revolutionary, but fun and fascinating still.
- China Miéville, The Worst Breakfast
A nice collaboration between China Miéville (words) and [a:Zak Smith|15247|Zak Smith|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1240090584p2/15247.jpg] (pictures). I bought this basically for two reasons:
1. I'm now buying each Miéville as they are published. He is one of those authors who I intend to collect, read, complete.
2. I've been a fan of Zak Smith since he published [b:Pictures Showing What Happens on Each Page of Thomas Pynchon's Novel Gravity's Rainbow|27194|Pictures Showing What Happens on Each Page of Thomas Pynchon's Novel Gravity's Rainbow|Zak Smith|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1390089959s/27194.jpg|27845] (another book I own).
I figured putting these two guys together for a children's book is worth the price of admission for sure. The art was funky and seemed to pull not only from the story but from Miéville's past works. Not revolutionary, but fun and fascinating still.
andizor's review
4.0
Two sisters rehash the worst breakfast they ever have. Their descriptions start tamely - burnt toast, soggy tomatoes, and then spiral into the most fantastical and disgusting foods. Mieville's writing is tweely rhyming (and meta - making fun of a few slant rhymes) and Smith's watercolor illustrations pile putrid food upon putrid food. This would be a great storytime book for two voices and a fun read to share with the whole family. Two thumbs up!