I didn't think I would like this at first, but then I realized what it was about. It's a picture book about the origin of the bagel! it even has a bagel recipe in the back and I'm considering walking to the store right now to get milk so I can make them. Mmm bagels.

Keep in mind (and the back of the book states this) that there are conflicting stories regarding the bagel's origin, so it's not quite a non-fiction picture book. It's more of a "it could have happened" story. In any case, Ziggy is an inventive little boy who is always trying to solve problems and make life better for people in his community. The thing that I didn't really like about this book was the artwork by Rasa Joni. It's all right, and kids reading this book might like it anyway--it's colorful and gets the point across. But my eyes keep going to the odd combos of flat line art and photographed textures, and there's just something wrong with the execution that to me is visually unpleasant and a bit creepy. Eek!

Literacy cafe food: Real bagels--none of that cheapo grocery store dreck! With butter and maybe some jam.
Literacy cafe crafts/writing: Drawing and found-paper collage to illustrate and then write about the following prompt: Can you think of a problem that you could solve with an invention? What would you make, and how would it solve the problem?