Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Kim Peek

The barnyard animals are invited to a neighboring farm for a party. After fun and games, they sit down to dinner and are disappointed to see big bowls of cornbread. Most of the animals are polite, but Rooster leaves without a thank you or a goodbye. The animals are in for a big surprise--and when Rooster hears about it, we discover why chickens scratch the dirt as they eat.

The Hidden Feast, with a surprise ending, is stuffed with Southern hospitality and idioms. Parents, educators and young readers will appreciate this story's African-American roots.

I am a big fan of illustrator Don Tate. I always appreciate Mr. Tate's use of perspective (see Summer Sun Risin' and Black All Around). In The Hidden Feast, he does not disappoint. Whether we're looking Rooster in the eye or viewing the cornbread like a dog beneath the table begging for scraps, the illustrations bring this story to life.