Carla's Sandwich
Debbie Herman
(Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
2004 Flashlight Press
ISBN: 0972922520

Carla brings weird sandwiches to school.

Her classmates have plenty to say about her combinations like Olive-Pickle-&-Green-Beans or Sardine-Mustard-&-Sunflower Seeds, & the unforgettable Chopped-Liver-Potato-Chips-&-Cucumber Combo, & none of it nice!

Carla, however, has dollops of self-esteem & simply shrugs her shoulders & says her choices are just “different ... creative ...unique” ... & she made them herself.

Cool idea, right? Not to Carla's friends & they desert her lunch table to get on with their usual, predictable meals.

On the day of a class picnic, Buster, the meanest kid in the class, declares before everyone that Carla's latest creation is the pits. Today, however, Buster discovers he's forgotten his lunch. Carla offers to share hers. It takes a while of watching everyone else eating for him to surrender to his hunger & accept Carla's spare sandwich ... which he actually enjoys ... a lot!

Soon everyone wants to taste Carla's unique combinations. Out of this step beyond the usual, the children decide to venture out & create their own lunches.

& what does Carla do then? Ah, you've got to read Debbie Herman's story to find out.

For ages 4-8 Carla's Sandwich is delightfully illustrated by Sheila Bailey: her way with food is scrumptious!

I could not put Carla's Sandwich down, nibbling my way through a very funny story, with a lesson to teach about being your own person.

More from Debbie Herman: Eight Lights for Eight Nights (Let's Celebrate Series)

More illustrated by Sheila Bailey:
Special People, Special Ways
Spaghetti & Peas
(10/24/04)

Rebecca