ABOUT THE BOOK
How to Make a Sandwich
Written and Illustrated by Lorena M. Proia
Ages 4+ | 32 Pages
Publisher: PnM Publishing | ISBN-13: 979-8-9885730-0-5
Publisher’s Book Summary: Making a sandwich is fun and easy! And Rae knows just how to do it. The bread is like the parents, it keeps the sandwich safe and happy. The turkey is the love, the lettuce is the fun. But every time Rae adds an ingredient, it disappears, and she soon realizes there is a sandwich-stealing thief intent on eating her creation! Will Rae ever get to eat her lunch? Suddenly making a sandwich isn’t so easy after all!
PURCHASE LINK
https://www.lorenaproiabooks.
MY REVIEW
Rae is an artist, and a scientist, and a doctor, and today she’s a chef. “I like making sandwiches because they remind me of families,” Rae tells her cat Nero. “No matter how many different kinds you have, or how you mix them up, they’re all still sandwiches!” Besides being a multi-talented child, she is also very insightful. She explains the role of each sandwich ingredient as she prepares to add it to her creation. Bread is the parents, turkey is the love, lettuce is the fun, pickles are the kindness, and cheese is the kids. Sounds pretty tasty, right? The problem in this story is that some of the ingredients seem to be disappearing from the kitchen island where Rae is working. First, the turkey keeps vanishing. Then Dad takes the pickles and Mom says there is no tomato. Finally, Rae realizes that her dog Phebe has been pilfering ingredients. She even “ate all of the kids!” (Remember, that was the cheese - no children were harmed in the making of this sandwich.) Rae yells at Phebe and then sits down to eat her sandwich “without any kindness, just a little bit of love, and no kids.”
The illustrations capture the fun of Rae’s many energetic pursuits, Nero’s fascination with the whole sandwich-building process, and Phebe’s flight from the kitchen after being scolded. Rae’s scowling face when she is left with a rather plain sandwich is an understandable reaction. And her crossed arms and drooping head as she looks down at the plate capture her disappointment very well. When readers see “Phebe staring up at her with very sad puppy dog eyes,” we all know it is a good thing Rae made the sandwich with some forgiveness, i.e. mayo. The final image of Rae hugging Phebe and Nero leaning in to make a group hug shows how families can forgive and make up - even when someone steals half your sandwich fixings. This is a funny, loving story of family. It shows how the best plans can go wrong and there can still be room for laughter and hugs and…mayo! Okay, forgiveness. But remember - "Love really is the most important part of a sandwich."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR
You can find out more about her, Phebe, and her books at www.lorenaproiabooks.com.
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