Review — The Hidden Feast

By Barbara L. Talcroft
Children's Literature — August 7, 2006

The barnyard really swings in this Southern folktale first retold in print by Joel Chandler Harris, later by Julius Lester (The Last Tales of Uncle Remus, Dial 1994). Hamilton and Weiss add their own twists to the story of a farm full of animals invited to a party by their neighbors.

Donning their Sunday best — Cow in her red polka-dot dress, Pig with his purple cap and striped umbrella — they prance off for an afternoon of games and dancing, including old favorites like "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" and the Hokey Pokey, happily "shaking it all about." When it is time for food, though, they cannot help being disappointed to see bowls of cornbread set before them; only Rooster is rude enough to complain, stalking off to home in a huff.

Young listeners will be delighted to discover what Rooster missed and why he has always scratched so diligently for his food ever since. Painted in sharp-toned acrylics, the expressive faces of Tate's large, energetic animals project strong feelings from blissed-out to sulky. Southern idioms and Southern food provide local color . . . browsers can enjoy identifying the hearty Southern dishes temptingly pictured on the endpapers.

Title Details: The Hidden Feast
Author: Martha Hamilton
Author: Mitch Weiss
Illustrator: Don Tate
Interest Level: GR K-3

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