Minnie's Tea Party

K-Gr 2-Minnie's whimsical tea party comes undone in this rather weak tale. The author has cleverly arranged and photographed yard-sale clothing to represent the characters in this somewhat contrived story with a limited text. Hostess Minnie is depicted as a summery blue floral dress, while her mother is shown as a sleeveless formal gown. Her sister appears as an equally formal, though more youthful gown, and her brother-in-law, Dr. Vermont, as a starched white dress shirt standing behind the couch. Surrounding the photographs are drawings of a crowded room filled with toys, mice, a miniature dragon, and paraphernalia that take on a life of their own as the party progresses. Minnie's very proper mother makes a concentrated effort not to mention the messy living room. Nevertheless, she leaves in a huff when Dr. Vermont has the gall to ask for a root beer at a tea party. The parallel worlds depicted by the photos and illustrations never quite coalesce, leaving one with the sense that this book is much more about a clever concept than good storytelling.-Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|