Happy Book Birthday & Blog Tour to Lady Pancake and French Toast: Short & Sweet by Josh Funk Illustrated by Brendan Kearney

About the Book:
Title: SHORT & SWEET (Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast Volume 4)
Author: Josh Funk
Illustrator: Brendan Kearney
Pub. Date:  September 1, 2020

Review:

Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are back in Short and Sweet, the fourth book in this hilariously engaging series.  On the very first page spread, Funk’s playful and rhyming text and Kearney’s expressive and detailed illustrations show that the couple has a problem.  With mold growing on their bodies, pale complexions, and muscle aches, Pancake and Toast clearly need help.  Former nemesis turned friend Baron von Waffle to the rescue!  Well, don’t be too sure.  After calling them gruesome and hideous, Waffle suggests the pair pay a visit to Professor Biscotti’s laboratory and try out her despoiling ray.  But a mishap occurs shrinking Pancake and Toast into young children and due to their small stature, they think Waffle is a monster and run away.  Stricken with guilt, Waffle is worried he has lost his new friends.  How will he ever make things right?  

Reading Funk’s lively text is just sheer fun.  I am always amazed at how well he can play with words to tell a story.  I especially appreciate all the rich vocabulary he uses while maintaining the rhyme scheme. Like the other books in the series, Short & Sweet begs to be read aloud and would be fun to perform as a reader’s theater.  Kearney’s illustrations bring the text to life with so many details.  Take a look at this page spread to see firsthand the magic of their collaboration. 

What I especially love about the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series is amid the laughter, there are lessons kids learn such as acceptance, initiative problem solving, and forgiveness.  Waffle knows that he is responsible for Pancake and Toast’s shrinking; therefore, he must devise a plan to not only lure the pair to return to the lab but also help Biscotti turn Pancake and Toast back to adults.  And remember when Waffle called the couple gruesome and hideous?  At the time, he didn’t think much of it but after Pancake and Toast called him a monster, Waffles realizes that words can indeed hurt.  

My school year will be beginning virtually next week, but I know my first read alouds for #classroombookaday will include all four of the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series.  Glad Short & Sweet is out in the world today and hope there are more adventures to come!

Praise for Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast: SHORT & SWEET

• Top 10 Indie Kids Next List (#9): “Josh Funk pours on the adorable once again … well worth the carbs for all readers.”

• “A series that just keeps improving, with an adorable couple taking center stage. A must purchase.” – *Starred Review* from School Library Journal

• “The quality remains consistently high for this series, linking edibles and emotions with excitement and ease.” – Kirkus Reviews

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Check out the musical book trailer!

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Follow along with the Short & Sweet “Long & Savory” Virtual Tour through September 18th!

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About Josh:
Josh Funk writes silly stories such as the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, the How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series, the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series, the A Story of Patience & Fortitude series in conjunction with the New York Public Library, Dear Dragon, Albie Newton, Pirasaurs!, A Night at the Bookstore: A Barnsie & Noble Adventure, and more coming soon! Since the fall of 2015, Josh has visited (or virtually visited) over 400 schools, classrooms, and libraries and he is a board member of The Writers’ Loft in Sherborn, MA. Josh grew up in New England and studied Computer Science in school. Today, he still lives in New England and when not writing Java code or Python scripts, he drinks Java coffee and writes manuscripts. Josh is terrible at writing bios, so please help fill in the blanks. Josh enjoys _______ during ________ and has always loved __________. He has played ____________ since age __ and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a __________. For more information about Josh Funk, visit him at www.joshfunkbooks.com and on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @joshfunkbooks.