Reviews

Bread and Jam for Frances by Lillian Hoban, Russell Hoban

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kellbells's review against another edition

5.0

The next day when the bell rang for lunch, Albert said, "What do you have today?"

"Well," said Frances, laying a paper doily on her desk and setting a tiny vase of violets in the middle of it, "let me see." She arranged her lunch on the doily.

"I have a thermos bottle with cream of tomato soup," she said.
"And a lobster-salad sandwich on thin slices of white bread.
I have celery, carrot sticks, and black olives,
and a little cardboard shaker of salt for the celery.
And two plums and a tiny basket of cherries.
And vanilla pudding with chocolate sprinkles
and a spoon to eat it with."

"That's a good lunch," said Albert. "I think it's nice that there are all different kinds of lunches and breakfasts and dinners and snacks. I think eating is nice."

"So do I," said Frances, and she made the lobster-salad sandwich, the celery, the carrot sticks, and the olives come out even.

natiperleggere's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

tea_tales_tomes's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is so relatable. Kids wanting to eat the same meal everyday (in the Moongazer's case, that's peanut butter sandwiches).

sducharme's review against another edition

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5.0

One of my favorites of all time, this is the story of Frances, a picky eater with creative parents. She refuses to eat what everyone else in the family eats at mealtime, choosing bread and jam instead. After a couple of days of this, her mother employs some reverse psychology and only allows her to eat bread and jam. That certainly takes the fun out of the argument for Frances!

I love the little songs Frances sings to herself that reveal how she's feeling about her food choices, and I love the supporting characters. Her father is such a lovely fellow - so positive and sensible. And the final scene, of Frances unpacking her lunch is one of my favorites in all of literature - it would make a great passage for looking at detail.