Reviewing without waffling

Suzie Harrison

Fostering imagination and introducing children to the world of books

is the focus of the children’s book club at the Laguna Beach library.

Eight children ages 8 to 12 meet once a month to discuss a book and

plan activities that coincide with the theme.

Book club president Rachel Young, 8, likes her role and

participating in the process.

“We have to pick a book usually that has won an award,” Rachel

said. “We talk about the book and usually have food that relates to

the book.”

Children’s librarian Rebecca Porter initiated the program in

September. She said book clubs are common in libraries, but Laguna

was going without.

Enjoying waffles, pouring on gobs of syrup, adding strawberries,

chocolate chips, peaches and other delectables, club members also had

a choice of using cheese, olives, sardines and some other bizarre

toppings.

The reason behind this waffle adventure was that they’d just

finished reading “Everything on a Waffle,” a Newbery Medal winner by

author Polly Horvath.

In the book, the main character, 11-year-old Primrose Squarp,

would frequent a restaurant and converse with the cook, who puts

foods like asparagus, chow mein, cookies, glazed carrots and

shepherd’s pie atop the waffles.

“She talked with the person who made the food,” Eliana

Alcouloumre, 8, said.

Eliana tested the gross-out factor with her own waffle by putting

cheese on it in response to a dare -- and she found it quite tasty.

Eliana was the most adventurous of the bunch.

Alison Romano, 9, was said to be the harshest critic in the group.

“I read a lot, and there’s a lot of different books, and if it’s

good, it’s enough,” Alison said.

The group devised a rating system, a scale of one to five cookies,

five being the best.

The book contemplated the question, “Have you ever known something

deep in your heart without a reason?”

It is the quest of the young protagonist, Primrose, whose parents

are lost at sea. She never gives up hope of their return.

Primrose lives with her uncle Jack, whom the group thought was not

a very good caregiver.

“He was so-so, she really didn’t belong with him,” Sydney Jones,

11, said.

Natasha Gibbons, 9, said the ending with the character’s parents’

return was convincing because it wrapped up the story well.

Josie Goson, 8, gave the book a four-cookie rating.

“It was interesting, and it had all these recipes, and if it

sounds good, I could write it down,” Josie said.

The group appeared to be learning the ingredients to enjoying

books, reading and having fun. If interested in joining or finding

out more about the book club, call the library at (949) 497-1733.