Snoodles, Kidoodles, Poodles and Lots and Lots of Noodles by Steven Joseph
Welcome to the nonsensical world of Snoodles, Kidoodles, Poodles and Lots and Lots of Noodles by Steven Joseph. Jump head-first into a zany world full of ingenuity, where a clever invention has made life infinitely easier for everyone. Yet even as all his neighbors celebrate, one man finds himself in a particularly sour mood. After all, how can he be happy when his archenemy just won over all of society?
TOUGH BUSINESS
In this kooky kid’s book, one man has taken the world by storm; Herbie Snoodleman, inventor of the SnoodleMobile. This vehicle can get you from place to place, but it’s far more than just a car. The most notable difference is that while our modern automobiles run on gasoline, SnoodleMobiles run on a very peculiar fuel: noodles! This is a huge improvement from the KrautMobiles, the vehicles that preceded the SnoodleMobiles. These cars ran on stinky sauerkraut and anyone who rode in a KrautMobile reeked of the stuff. Snoodleman’s invention, however, smells pleasantly of marinara, alfredo, or macaroni and cheese (depending on the model).
While this is a major upgrade for society, the inventor of the KrautMobile is feeling far from elated. Mr. Croodleman is furious that this newfangled pasta fad had destroyed his business and the reputation of his beloved KrautMobiles. Croodleman sees SnoodleMobiles everywhere he turns and with every reminder of his business rival, his envy grows deeper. When Herbie Snoodleman unveils a flashy new art installation in the local museum (featuring, of course, his precious noodles) it’s the final straw. Croodleman hatches a devious plan and prepares for his heist.
DEALING WITH DIFFICULT EMOTIONS
The green-eyed monster is something we all deal with at some point, and kids aren’t exempt from this experience. From being jealous of a sibling to envying the birthday kid, childhood is rife with opportunities to feel frustrated at what others have. It can be a real struggle for children to encounter jealousy when they are already learning how to deal with big emotions and they don’t always have the words to rationalize how they’re feeling.
That’s where books like Snoodles, Kidoodles, Poodles and Lots and Lots of Noodles come in. By filling the book with outlandish humor and lively storytelling, author Steven Joseph weaves the lesson into the story without it becoming too preachy. Whether this book is read as a bedtime story to children or a storytime read for the whole class, children will be able to enjoy the characters’ misadventures while also absorbing the important life lesson.
And what is the lesson that Croodleman learns, you may ask? After dousing Herbie Snoodleman’s precious new art piece in sauerkraut, the Kinoodle Lisa now reeks of the KrautMobile’s signature scent. Most people would turn up their noses, but what about their best friends? Enter one Schnoodle the poodle, an art restorer’s dog. He misses the days when everyone drove around in those delicious-smelling KrautMobiles and something about the painting’s new coating reminds him of that smell. He licks to investigate, and then again just to make sure … and by the next morning, the sauerkraut is gone and the Kinoodle Lisa is back to her former glory!
Snoodleman and the rest of town are all thrilled to reinstall the art – but perhaps Croodleman is the happiest of all. He’s found someone who truly appreciates his dedication to sauerkraut and loves it just as much as he does. It turns out that you don’t always need to have your creation sweep the nation in popularity — if you have someone in your life who appreciates you for who you are and what you do, that’s the most meaningful appreciation of all.
