Friends don’t have to agree in order to get along; they just have to empathize with each other. Being friends with someone different from you can make your world feel bigger. This is the idea behind Cornbread & Poppy at the Carnival (Little, Brown and Company) by Matthew Cordell, the second installment of this early reader series about the adventures of two mice.
AN ODD-COUPLE PAIRING
Cornbread is scared of many things — the dark, spooky movies and fast rides. His curious friend, Poppy, is always inviting him to try something new. When the carnival comes to town, Poppy begs Cornbread to go with her. She guarantees fun, games and food, but that isn’t enough to calm Cornbread’s anxiety as he recounts the times that Poppy’s “adventures” left him feeling afraid.
With the promise that Poppy will protect Cornbread if things get scary, the two mice head off to the carnival. “Thank you for doing new things with me,” Poppy says, happy that Cornbread is giving the carnival a chance.
At the top of the Ferris wheel, the friends learn that it is okay to change your mind. This time, it is Poppy who is overcome by her fear of heights, and Cornbread is feeling brave. Cornbread echoes his friend’s earlier remarks, promising, “I’ll protect you, Poppy.”
The story reaches a point of tension with an argument over a peanut. Should Cornbread eat it because he found it first, or should Poppy have it because it was next to her bike? Cornbread and Poppy learn that their friendship is more important than winning an argument.
THE VALUE OF INDIVIDUALITY
What delighted me the most was Cordell’s clever illustrations of the characters’ feelings — Poppy’s scared wide eyes on the Ferris wheel, Cornbread drifting into the air with a blissful bite of his fritter, and the mice throwing tantrums over a peanut. The first illustration of the carnival rides is a stunning mix of cross-hatched ink and watercolor, visualizing the beauty Poppy sees in the carnival and the chaos Cornbread fears.
Cornbread & Poppy at the Carnival is perfect for young readers ready to move beyond picture books. It captures the importance of individuality and of stepping out of your comfort zone, with a friend who understands that it can be scary sometimes. Readers will learn to empathize with their friends and to say no when something is too terrifying. Even adults will enjoy reading along as Cornbread and Poppy play carnival games, try new foods and take care of one another.
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About Matthew Cordell:
Matthew Cordell has illustrated many books for children including works of poetry, novels and picture books including The Only Fish in the Sea and Follow That Frog by Philip Stead. He has written and illustrated numerous picture books himself including Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers, Bear Island and Wish. His work has been published around the globe in many different languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, French and Italian. Matthew’s books have been recognized as Best of the Year selections by the New York Times, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe, and his first wordless picture book, Wolf in the Snow, was awarded a 2017 Boston Globe-Horn Book honor award and the 2018 Caldecott Medal. Matthew lives in suburban Chicago with his wife, author, Julie Halpern, and their two children.
