School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 2-Young Tyler and his family eat at an Italian restaurant and are greeted by Chef Lorenzo: "Buon giorno. Welcome back!" He mentions that he could use some help the next day with making spaghetti and meatballs, Tyler's favorite dish. The boy and his dog, Tofu, get a lesson in making pasta from scratch and go with Chef to a farm to pick tomatoes and basil. They pick onions and garlic as well, and even olives from a tree. The cheese is picked off a shelf. Back in the kitchen they prepare meatballs, and the pup manages to get a bowlful for himself. Tyler heads for home with instructions and supplies in hand, and he and his father make dinner. When the family sits down to eat, there's a surprise guest: Chef Lorenzo. The cartoon illustrations are drawn in pen-and-ink and colored digitally. The pictures are simple and have very little background, and Tyler has an oversize head. Back matter includes a recipe and a little more explanation about the ingredients. The celebrity name on the cover will carry this one.-Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.