Maya Makes a Mess (Toon Books Level 2)

Eisner winner Modan presents a cute--but messy--tale of table manners. Maya's parents try to encourage her to have good manners, and when Maya is invited to dinner with the queen, she must put them to the test. But fancy food has no appeal for the girl, and her horrendous manners while eating ketchup and pasta start a royal trend. Young readers are sure to be delighted by Maya's triumph over her parents as she wins the favor of the queen, but parents may be frustrated if their children begin to use Maya as an excuse for their own bad manners. Using art more than dialogue to move the story along, Modan makes the tale approachable for struggling readers, and her colorful images will charm even adults horrified by a ketchup and pasta mess. An afterword offers a real-world background of the inspiration for Maya's tale almost as entertaining as the story itself. A fun read with an engaging hero. Ages 4-up. (Aug.)

Gr 1-3--Maya is the epitome of a messy eater. Dinner at her house is full of admonishments and orders to correct her table manners. Her father tries cajoling her by asking what she would do if she were dining with the queen. It's a preposterous idea, except that the doorbell rings, and the child receives a summons from a royal messenger to dine with Her Majesty. Maya is a little nervous, but everyone tells her that as long as she remembers her manners, everything will be fine. She tries, but when confronted with a parade of dishes she doesn't know, she asks for a plate of pasta with ketchup and can't contain herself from digging in with her fingers. This attracts the attention of her hostess, who is flabbergasted. When asked why she eats that way, Maya simply replies with the truth: it makes the food taste better. The queen thinks for a moment and decrees that all of the diners should eat like Maya, who returns home delighted and determined to teach her parents some manners. Children who know what "good" table manners are will enjoy the absurdity of Maya's habits and will understand why all the adults are so appalled. The comic-book-style format lends itself perfectly to this quirky story, melding both the text and the pictures beautifully. Modan's detailed drawings, some in panels and some spreads, capture facial expressions particularly well.--Amy Commers, South St. Paul Public Library, MN