Module 2 - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Barrett, J. (1978). Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. New York: Atheneum Macmillan Publishing Company.

Summary

This is a delightful and delicious folktale about a tiny town named Chewandswallow. It did not rain rain or snow snow; it rained soup and it snowed mashed potatoes. The people of Chewandswallow got everything they ate from the sky. Problem arise and the people have to make serious decision to flee from this wonderous place before the weather swallows them up.

Impressions

I really am fond of this book. I love reading it to my students in the library and asking them what they would like to see fall from the sky. Most of them say they would like Cheetos or ice cream cones; I laugh at their ideas. They love the idea that the story portrays but near the end they did not like the idea of the Pea Soup Fog. They really liked the pancake falling on the school. This book is a great book to curl up with on a rainy day!

Suggestions for use in the Library

This is a great book to teach problem/resolution. The children can clearly state the problem and see that the town will eventually be ruined by falling food. They can see the resolution in leaving the town eventhough most of my boys would say they would go back to see what happened to the town.

I would also use this book for a lesson on imagery and illustrations. This book is so wonderfully illustrated; the food jumps right the page to you. I also use a couple of other books to teach illustrators such as Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpiller and William Steig's Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.

Reviews

Reviews -

Product Description
The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast lunch and dinner.

But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers.

Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. the town was a mess and the people feared for their lives.

Something had to be done, and in a hurry.


From the Publisher
The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagues by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the pople feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry. END