ALA Booklist (Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

This picture book, a part of the Tales of the World series, will seem exotic to American readers for a number of reasons. For starters, we're in the bucolic countryside of France, where a boy longs to cook in his parents' restaurant. While Pierre is out riding his bike and daydreaming about splendid little morilles and deliciousescargots, he encounters an undercover food critic on the way to the restaurant. His moral dilemma is whether to tell his parents and help their chances of landing a coveted star rating or to stay mum and respect the unwritten rule that food critics remain secret. But a third option presents itself when Papa lets Pierre tend the boeuf à la mode, and the boy adds an unconventional twist to the meal that earns the restaurant a rave review. Adams' pleasant oil paintings add a pinch of vim to the story, and an afterword talks about the lofty spot food occupies in French culture. Parents looking to push foodie-ism with a Eurocentric flair will be well served by this tale.

Horn Book

Cook focuses on a boy in the south of France who dreams of following in his chef father's footsteps. Year is about an Irish girl whose family members are nomadic Travelers. Whelan aptly describes the children's attitudes toward their unusual lives. Both books' illustrations are eye-pleasing and highlight unique aspects of each culture. Glos.

Kirkus Reviews

A riveting tale of French life? Au contraire. A fictional companion to the publisher's E Is for Eiffel Tower: A France Alphabet (2010), this entry in the Tales of the World series weaves French phrases into a blasé story about 10-year-old Pierre, whose father is owner and chef of a quaint restaurant near the Tarn River in the south of France. Although he sees the world as "one big beautiful meal," his father (depicted as the quintessential portly chef with bulging, expressive eyes, a thin handlebar moustache and a white toque) thinks Pierre is too young to cook. After a restaurant critic asks the boy for directions to his family's restaurant, Pierre decides that honor demands that he refrain from telling them the critic's identity. Instead, he announces that a stranger from a long distance will be dining with them and scurries to pick local delicacies, including the first morilles (wild mushrooms) of the season. When his father refuses to use them in his signature beef dish, Pierre secretly adds them and not only wins the restaurant a star but his father's pride for his cooking skills and honor. While Adams' acrylic paintings on board lend a charming, folksy feel, the narration focuses more on French phrases rather than the culture. Only Francophiles will overlook the didactic messages at the conclusion. Needs more spice. (glossary) (Picture book. 6-9)

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Gr 3-4 Pierre's parents own a small restaurant in the south of France. Although the boy longs to be a chef, his father says he is too young to cook. While he is out riding his bike, a stranger stops him and asks directions to his family's restaurant. Pierre notices that the man has an "inspection form" with him and that he is going to rate the restaurant, but he simply tells his parents that a new guest is coming to dine. As they prepare for the visitor, Pierre must go to the village for special ingredients. He spots some fresh wild mushrooms in the field and gathers them. Although his father's recipe for boeuf &4; la mode does not include morilles , Pierre slips them into the pot when his parents aren't looking. The reviewer loves the dish and awards the restaurant a star. The illustrations are beautiful and have a charming, folksy flair. In France, chefs are held in high regard and meal preparation is done painstakingly, with the finest ingredients. This book is a reflection of those values and provides a glimpse into rural life. French words are sprinkled throughout, many of them defined within the text, and a glossary and pronunciation guide are appended. This book does many things well; however, the slight story may not hold much interest for American children. Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren &; Waldoboro, ME