Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

This book was bought to use as decoration for my niece's Library themed baby shower. Several books were bought and used on the food table as a cute way to describe the food. This book was near the meatballs!

I purchased 3 of these books as they are one of my favorites to give for the start of a library for babies to come...in other words to be given as gifts at 3 upcoming baby showers. The books arrived quickly BUT the covers look as though they had been dragged along the floor..one cover was torn and all are dirty. I have to give them as gifts as I have no time to return them. I am very disappointed in their appearance considering what I paid and they are supposed to be NEW...I probably should have gone to the local Barnes & Noble to purchase them.

This version of this book is TOO small...and the print is CRAZY small!! This is a very visual book. In such a small version it is impossible to see the detail of the interesting drawings. I have NO trouble reading regular book font and my Kindle! This book has print so tiny I can barely see it. There is no way I can read it while having the book close enough for my grandchild to see the drawings. Don't waste your money. Buy the larger soft cover version.

On my Kindle the book only displays as open to two pages. Even when I tap on the text boxes and they chose to "enlarge," the font goes from about 3-point to 6-point. About mid-way through the system quits altogether. It looks like a cute story but if you're going to spend money on this, get the hard copy.

I bought this hoping to read it to my class at school. We are hard on our classroom books, lots of little hands...I had a unit to use this book and a study on weather...science and literature. Anyway, in the KINDLE form, this book is too hard to navigate for school. I am really sorry, I bought this book in this form. It is the form, not the book. Great story for kids.

i "searched inside" the book, and liked what i saw. then, when i saw the first reader's comment about how she read the book to a 3.5-year-old, i sampled other reviews, then bought the book for my 5-year-old grandson.

i would *never* read it to him now lest it give him bad dreams. but i learned my lesson: always check the age recommendations, for this book 9 - 12 years old.

for that age and above, it's a terrific book--clever drawings, well-paced story, and full engagement of the imagination of children and adults.

I purchased this book on my Kindle to read to my almost 2 year old. Unfortunately, the layout is so small I can barely read the text, and can't see the detail of any of the drawings. It won't zoom, and I can't change the text size. I wish I had just purchased it in regular book form. It looks like such a great book, I just wish we could use it. Poor job in user-friendly transfer to digital, the store.

I love the original, but this one is not optimized to fit on the ipad correctly. Valuable real estate space is not used since the physical book had a different ratio than the ipad has, I am a young man and you need to squint to see the artwork.

We got this since we loved the animated movie made based on it. What a disappointment. Not at all like the movie, and pretty boring with pen and ink drawings. Now I'm even more impressed with the movie and what they created from this sorry story.

I had never read this book so I checked it out of the library only to discover both of my girls were already very familiar with it. I guess this is a popular book to read to children at school! My girls were happy though to hear it and see it again. I looked up to see if the book was autobiographical. I wondered if the little girl featured in the story with the imaginative and fun Grandpa was Judi Barrett, but I guess not. Still it is a very clever story.

The illustrations really make this book special. They are very detailed pen and ink drawings that invite the reader to study every page. I love those types of illustrations. We read all the business names and billboards in the town of Chewandswallow including the movie theater whose marquee announces they are currently showing “Dinner at Eight,” Duck Soup’” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and “Picnic.” Fun! The illustrations start out in black and white but when Grandpa starts spinning his tale, soft watercolor is added. The book ends again in black and white as the children go to sleep and then wake up the next day to play outside in the snow with Grandpa. A tiny bit of color is added to the last page as the yellow sun is seen peeking over the snow-covered mountain and the children think they see, “a giant pat of butter at the top, and we could almost smell mashed potatoes.”

As an aside, I feel convinced that the make-up and costume designers for “Mrs. Doubtfire,” which came out 15 years after this book, were definitely influenced by Barrett’s art. I attached a picture below. What do you think??!

My 4 year old son really enjoyed this book. He requested this book along with others for 10 straight days. I thought the title was catchy and the story line pleasantly different. The story starts out fine but then it goes over the top and approaches being simply gross. As I stated in the beginning, my son enjoyed it. It made me uncomfortable.

This book has been sitting on the kids' shelf at our home for some time, but I just got a new look at it thanks to grandsons "J" and "T". At six and eight years old they both got a lot of the clever and sly humor. They also got a lot more of the visual humor and little jokes and funny bits that are incorporated into the drawings.

I never really appreciated how well this book travels as kids age. It's inviting and jolly looking for even the littlest readers. They get the silliness of the premise. But as the kids get older they get the puns and the funny and fantastic parts of the story. Later, they begin to appreciate the humor in the townspeoples' deadpan acceptance of the whole fabulous premise.

We had a long and goofy discussion about how thick fog is called "pea soup", and how silly it was to have fog that was actually and literally, ("T"'s new favorite word), pea soup. "J", on the other hand, went off at length about how yucky it would be to have "pee soup", which just goes to show that little kids can work fart-style humor into just about anything. I guess my point is that there's a lot going on in this book, and it's sort of the thinking kid's silly book.

So, if you want a read-to/read-with that's actually interesting to all the kids and to the parent/grandparent who's doing the reading, this is an entertaining and rewarding find, and an opportunity to have some authentic, silly laughs. Fairly, a "classic".

This is a weird book. It doesn't really go anywhere, and I'm not crazy about the framing device. A brother and sister live with their mom and their grandfather (it doesn't say where their father is). Their grandfather tells them a bedtime story about a place where food falls from the sky instead of regular weather. The people living in the place are fine with this, and there's an agency called the Sanitation Department which scoops up all the stuff that nobody eats and puts it in the ocean, feeds the dogs and cats for some bizarre reason, and puts some of it in the earth so that the soil can be richer for the people's flower gardens. One of the weird weather descriptions is the jello that sets in the west one night. How are they even supposed to reach that? But eventually the weather gets worse and dangerous things start falling from the sky, like a giant pancake, and more food than everybody can eat, and they can't get rid of it. So they just abandon the town on giant rafts made out of peanut butter sandwiches (which of course would get soggy in the water and melt and crumble and fall apart and all the people would drown, but hey, you know, whatever) and after sailing for a week they land in a coastal town and build themselves temporary houses out of the bread in a big open area that the town apparently had set aside for this sort of thing. They're surprised that they have to buy food now. But nobody ever went back to their old place because they were too afraid to figure out what happened. After this story, the kids go to sleep, and wake up the next morning and play in the snow. The end.

It's kind of surreal and doesn't make a lot of sense. Apart from the physics-defying part of it, the logistics are ridiculous. The Sanitation Department has an impossible job, and what do you do for the people who don't eat at a specified time, like people who are on the night shift? It says they save the leftovers for between-meal snacking, but one would think there might be a use for someone with access to large-scale refrigeration saving the food and reheating it if necessary for people. Even people who don't happen to like whatever's on the celestial menu for the day. And that would involve selling and buying food. It's almost like people being surprised that, despite there being rain and rivers, we pay for water. Sure, you could go drink out of the gutter, but you'll get sick. And speaking of "sanitation", I'm not sure how sanitary it is to eat food that's been falling from the sky. It just keeps showing people holding out plates or other random objects to catch the food, and that's gotta be hard to clean. Not to mention the food that lands on people's roofs. If the density of skyborne food is large enough for people to just haphazardly hold out a hand and grab something falling from the sky, that means there's a massive amount of waste. And people are shown driving in the street when pancakes are raining from the sky. That seems like a visibility hazard. And despite knowing the schedule the food will fall on, people always seem surprised when it happens. A high-school football game is "called on account of pie." What did they expect, scheduling it during dessert? Something was going to cover the field. Maybe pie wasn't in the weather report, but they would have been ankle-deep in dinner food before the pie even got there. And does this mysterious land not have microorganisms? I don't want to imagine the smell after it rains chicken broth. Ugh.

And there's one particularly weird image-- a roofless "restaurant" has a family entering, and for some unknown reason, the little boy in the family has a pair of Groucho Marx glasses on and big funny ears, like he's supposed to be in disguise. I don't get that. Is it a reference to something that I'm unfamiliar with?

And do the wild animals eat the food that falls from the sky? There's a picture of a deer drinking from a lake, surrounded by baked potatoes on the ground. Do the deer eat the potatoes? Exactly what ecological niche do they fill in this bizarre world? And the reason for the weather suddenly becoming worse is not explained, or even wondered at. The people just seem to think, "Oh well, this is how it's always been, so we'd better eat as much of these disgusting and/or enormous foods as possible so there's room for everyone to keep walking around." The inhabitants of the place also seem to have fairly modern conveniences as well, which you would think require trade with the outside world. Unless cars, gasoline, and television sets (with apparently extremely limited reception so they don't know about other places) also fall from the sky. This is almost like the Truman Show with its insane lack of knowledge of the outside world, like someone is keeping them in the dark about the rest of humanity. If they have news broadcasts, chances are they've got telephones that can contact other countries, and ask for foreign aid about the weather problem. Do they make their own films for their movie theater? Or do they selectively import movies that never once mention grocery shopping? Or if they're completely isolated from the rest of humanity and coincidentally managed to have parallel development of practically all modern technology, why in the world do they have what is apparently a Christian church? (Are they, in fact, disciples of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?)

I know, I know, I'm reading far too much into this. But all of this crossed my mind literally within 10 minutes of reading the book. It makes no sense, and it's unclear if it's supposed to. What is the point of this book? Where is it going with this meandering story? What is it trying to say? I have no idea. It basically just says, "Once upon a time, there was this place where food fell from the sky, and then all the people left." Why did you even bother telling the story? Is it just an exercise in storytelling? It's got some creative descriptions, but the world-building here is decidedly sub-par. And some of the text is just extraneous. The little girl, who is the narrator of the external framing device, says, "Henry and I were awake until the very end of grandpa's story. I remember his goodnight kiss." Why is that important? Is it implying that she wasn't telling the truth and it's actually a weird dream she had? Because it makes about as much sense as one. Otherwise, it's just saying, "I heard every part of the story I just related to you." Well, obviously. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to relate it.

Message: It's a good thing food doesn't fall from the sky.

For more children's book reviews, see the drttmk website.

I don't really like this book because of its ugly colors and style of artwork, it's too wordy, and it's just kind of too weird for my taste, but my 2 1/2 year old seems to like it enough to ask me to read it to him every now and then, and he's the reason I bought it.

Condition of book was called Used Good. Two corners had been chewed up and cover was torn. It was a Used library book that should have been trashed. I had planned to use this for a baby shower on the table with a bowl of meatballs, along with other books and food. It would be disgusting to have this near food!

I am not at all sure how many readings I have given this work over the years; perhaps dozens upon dozens would suffice, but I can tell you that it never gets told.

This is a story; well actually, it is a tall tale told by a grandfather. It is the story of a town from "across an ocean, over lots of huge bumpy mountains, across three hot deserts, and one small ocean," it is the town of Chewandswallow. This is a very, very strange town due to the weather conditions there. It rains and storms food. Everything from hamburgers to spaghetti and broccoli...all overcooked. They have meatball storms and tomato tornados...well, you get the picture.

The author has let her imagination go wild with this one and Ron Barrett, the illustrator, has followed her lead.

This is one of those books that know no age boundaries. Small children as young as four can enjoy it right along with their grand parents. The story is actually funny and the detailed illustrations are some of my favorite. It is one of those illustrated children's books that you can see something new in each picture each time you read the thing. Kids love this book.

Now the book I am reviewing here is a hard copy...a board book which I check out from our public library or at the school library. I have not seen this book on any reading machine so I cannot comment on the quality in that area. I do see that many have been dissatisfied with the results of the Kindle version...I simply do not know but I do feel that it would be difficult to put this book on a small screen without absolutely perfect graphics and very close attention for formatting.

Anyway, I do love this little story and I have yet to find a kid that did not like it.

This was a library find.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Food has been a very important part of our lives since the beginning of time. We have grown it, harvest it, picked it, prepared it, baked it and eaten it. There are also many kinds of different foods around the world that are truly delicious and scrumptious. However, we've mostly always have gotten our food from the supermarket. But we have definitely never gotten our food from the sky. That's what happens in a little town heading for disaster in this thrilling book.

Set in the winter, we meet a family who is making breakfast with their hands and the grandfather is making pancakes and one ends up on one of the children's head. The grandfather then decides to tell them a story about people getting food another way. The story is about a little town called Chewandswallow and there was only one the people got their food: the sky. Instead of rain or snow, the townspeople get their food for breakfast, lunch and dinner from the falling sky. Any food comes into their town from eggs, juice and toast to hamburgers, pie and hot dogs. But as time goes by, things take a turn for the worst. The food becomes bigger and more dangerous and it bring the townspeople to danger and must find a way to save themselves.

Adventure, humor and food flies high in this very exciting book for kids and adults. There are no educational values in the book, but it's one entertaining book that has great stuff and illustrations that will keep you reading till the end. I think the story teaches readers not to be dependent on others and to be careful what you wish for. So after reading "CWACOM", you'll end up with a hankering for more reading fun.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is about a town called Chewandswallow. In this town food comes out of the sky. A few months later terrible food comes like gorgonzola. The next day a spaghetti tornado comes. The food gets worse and it gets bigger and bigger. If you want to find out the rest you have to get the book.

My favorite part is when the spaghetti tornado comes because there was a person in the bathtub. He does not know that he is in a spaghetti tornado. There was a kid trying to brush his teeth but the toothpaste kept flying off. Now if you want to see the rest you have to get the book from the library and you have to find it. It is my favorite because I like spaghetti, and that is way I like this book.

I recommend people that like food would like this book because there is a grandpa that tells the story about Chewandswallow. Every day there they have food falling out of the sky for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Uh, oh! Here come some maple syrup raindrops. I need to go, but you need to go get this book!

In this story, Grandpa tells a bedtime story about a town where food rains down three times a day. No one shops for food. Unfortunately things begin to go wrong. Food storms happen, food becomes larger, and strange food combinations come down. In order to survive, the people make boats out of stale food and sail to a new land where they have to learn to buy their own food.

This is a unique and timeless story. The illustrations are drawn by the author's husband. They are complex so there is a lot to look at on each page.

What child wouldn't enjoy a story about food falling from the sky? The story is longer and more complex than a typical picture book so I would recommend it especially for ages 4-9. The upper age range would enjoy this as a book they can read for themselves.

After a funny accident at breakfast, Grandpa weaves a tale of the land of Chewandswallow. In this magical land, clouds don't bring rain or snow. They bring dinner (and lunch and breakfast). People just take their plates and bowls outside and catch the meal of the day. But what happens when storms brew? How do you handle pea soup fog? Will the residence survive the food weather catastrophe?

Somehow, I missed this book as a kid, but the upcoming movie version inspired me to find out what I had missed. Quite a good book, as it turns out. The writing is simple and straightforward. But the imagination behind it is impressive. This is a well thought out world about what would happen if food fell from the sky. At first it seems fine, but the consequences when things get out of hand are quite realistic.

The pictures make the book even better. In fact, some of the best jokes are in the pictures, so take the time to look at all of them closely. The pictures of the real world setting are very realistic line drawings. But once we get to the fantasy tale, red, yellow, and a yellow-green are introduced as well. It's amazing how just those two additional colors make the drawings come alive even more.

This book is perfect for older pre-school and early elementary students. They'll appreciate the creativity and silly humor.

My son (now 5) and daughter (7) and I have always loved this book. The book is very different from the movie of the same name, though we love the movie as well. The book is the charming story as told by Grandpa of the tiny town of Chewandswalla (I may not be spelling that right) where all the food people eat comes from the sky. The story is inspired by Grandpa's accidental flipping of a pancake on the head of one of his grandchildren (Henry) and is introduced as "the best tall tale bedtime story" he ever told. Things are wonderful, err, delicious until the food starts getting too big with somewhat predictable consequences. I think our favorite is either the giant pancake that closed the school or perhaps the "tomato tornado" with an illustration that looks like it was lifted from The Wizard of Oz.

The illustrations are excellent with an amazing amount of detail which is clearly intended to amuse the adults reading this book. The prose is somewhat lyrical and fun to read. Other reviewers have pointed out that kids won't get the weather jokes in this book and that is certainly true - but with the almost rhyming quality of the text and fun illustrations it really doesn't matter in that the kids love it anyway.

This is definitely one of our favorites, along with others such as The Relatives Came and The Hello Goodbye Window.

Would you like to live in a land where you never had to go to the grocery store to buy food? Welcome to the land of Chew and Swallow, where the food comes from the sky. The author of this book- Judi Barrett- has an extremely creative imagination. I think that is why the story is so good. I also think the story gets some of the reader's interest by the amazing pictures by Ron Barrett, which are extremely detailed. This story is told by a grandfather who is telling it to his grandchildren as a bed time story. In this story there is a town far away that has clouds made of mashed potatoes and the rain is orange juice. There are not many restaurants, but when you do come across one it will be roofless, so the food can come through. And "sometimes the wind would blow in storms of hamburgers."

There are also some down sides of living in Chew and Swallow. You can't always choose your meals and what if the weather gets extremely sever. The food that would come down could be harmful to the town too. And "Lunch one day brought fifteen drifts of cream cheese and jelly sandwiches.

Many people all ages would have great interest in this book. This book is loved by many children and their parents. There are even kids my age who love this book also; I know this because, I am one of them. The story of this book is amusing to anyone. I love this book, I have since I was little. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a great story and I've never read one like it. Maybe that is why this book is so great.

This is another book I remember reading as a child and now read to my own children. I remember really enjoying this book as a kid and now my own kids really like it. My favorite thing about this book was always the illustrations. I think they are just great. Now, as a parent, I like how long it is. It’s not one of those children’s books that takes like two seconds to read and then you’re done. It’s actually pretty long, which I feel is good for young readers. They get a sense that reading is not something you want to speed through. You should take your time with books and enjoy them. I know there are movies out there now based on this book, even so, your kids should check out the book.

T.S. Charles
Author of young adult book, "Consumed." Available on the store.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

By Judi Barrett

Reviewed by Nicholle

What would you do if food falls from the sky? This is the theme of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett. The grandfather of two kids tells the story, but it is from the view of his granddaughter. I believe that the story is funny and age appropriate for young kids.

The story starts off with the grandfather flipping pancakes. One pancake slips away and lands on his grandson. This leads to the story of the town, Chewandswallow. Chewandswallow is not like any town around. There are no supermarkets around because the food falls from the sky. But, when the weather takes a nasty turn, what are the people of Chewandswallow supposed to do?

The best part of the story is the pictures. The illustrator, Ron Barrett, draws funny pictures with food falling from the sky. There are many interesting and funny pictures. I also like that the illustrator changed from to black and white to color. Ron Barrett is a very good drawer.

I also like that the illustrator drew a picture about the wacky turn of events. The picture show a newspaper with the headline, "Spaghetti Ties Up Town!" It is a good book to read and look at the pictures. It also shows people trying to drive their cars in the spaghetti. It is very funny!

On the other hand, I don't like how the grandfather doesn't say how he knows about Chewandswallow. I like how the illustrator painted funny and interesting pictures. Overall, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, is a very funny and age appropriate book for young children. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is an amazing book to read!

Judi Barrett, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Atheneum, 1978)

A classic of kidlit that I never actually got round to reading (I was ten when it was released, and feeling too old for stuff like this; I first read 'Salem's Lot two years previous) until now, a year and change after seeing the film version (which both I and my daughter adored, though it seemed few others did). It is, of course, an almost entirely different story; the setting from the book, the small island town of Chewandswallow, was preserved, but everything else in the movie is different. (What does that mean? Why, that you should read the book, of course!) What we have here is a lovely, and quite funny, tall tale presented to a couple of inquisitive kids by a much-beloved grandfather who is a veteran spinner of tall tales, and simply describes the place and its weather. The bulk of the book's hook comes from the illustrations by Barrett's (former? So says wikipedia, though no cite is given) husband Ron, which are just as amusing as you'd expect. Very cute book for the I-can-read-it-myself crowd (think 4-6 here). *** 1/2

As the little ones are going to bed for the night, Grandpa tells them a story about a magnificent land called "Chewandswallow". The Residents there got all of their food from the sky...literally. it would rain donuts and soup, and mashed potatoes and juice. All manner of foods came with the weather in Chewandswallow and the residents packed it away in their refrigerators and were always prepared to eat. Three times a day food fell...toast and bagels and orange juice for breakfast, or maybe steaks and spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. The residents always paid attention to the weather reports!

But then crazy things started to happen. The food became bigger and bigger. Giant pancakes covered the school, causing it to have to close. And crazy things like Burned brussel sprouts and Gorgonzola cheese rained down causing chaos in Chewandswallow and eventually forcing the residents to flee the town on a slice of giant bread that they use as a raft and finally come to a town with normal weather, but now they have to learn how to buy and cook their own food.

Just a fun and funny story that kids (and adults) really get a kick out of. Who wouldn't love to live in a town that rained donuts!!! The cleverly written tale is accompanied by lively and wacky illustrations by Ron Barrett, husband of Judi Barrett who wrote the story. A wonderful kids tale and suitable for a wide age range.

This is one of the most celebrated and beloved children's books of all-time. It has sold over three million copies and a movie version will soon be released-- which I can hardly wait to see.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs begins with Grandpa making pancakes for the family breakfast, and accidently flips a pancake onto his grandson's head. That evening, while still thinking about the pancake episode, Grandpa tells the children a tall tale about a town that has very unusual weather conditions. It's called the town of Chewandswallow.

In the town of Chewandswallow it rains soup and juice and snows mashed potatoes. The people of the town get their food from whatever the weather brings forth that day. Sometimes it even produces hamburgers and meatballs and all kinds of other good food.

This is an imaginative children's book that delights children of all ages with its creative narrative and expressive illustrations. No wonder it's being made into a movie! Absolutely delightful!

i love this book! the first time i read this book i was abt 9 years old. my mom used to take us to the library and as soon as my brother, sister, and i hit the doors, we bolted for the childrens room. we all went to our respective corners with our favorite books, and this one was mine. i've read it hundreds of times and mostly on the floor of that library. it's abt this brother and sister who's grandfather tells them the story of chewandswallow, the town that rains food. it goes abt the business of telling how when it was that time of the day it would rain breakfast, lunch, and dinner and how they would just go outside and pick up what they wanted to eat. it also tells of how when there was something hot coming down, such as pizza or spaghetti and meatballs the people would hide inside till it stopped raining and go out with forks and plates. by the end of the book a big storm comes and forces some of the people out of their homes but it ends and everything is ok. the book leaves you wanting to go to chewandswallow just so you could eat all day. the pictures are great as well. they are barely more than pen sketches but the the illustrator makes the food look so appetizing it's impossible to resist getting hungry just looking at them. the one that always got me was the picture of the pancakes with syrup and butter. mmmm... if you want a great kids book with far out imagination, get this one! it's great!

I think that the reviews here say a lot for the book and the writing within it. Even the 1 ratings are a strength I feel - that the Barrett goes on and on describing things - for young readers (and logically also young writers) I think it is good for them to see such descriptive language. I also think, like the book or not (and I love it), that it is great to see various styles of literature and this book here is quite far from the norm. The illustrations are a must see! The details still come off the page after many viewings - what skills Ron Barrett!

The actual story is the tale a grandpa is telling his grandchildren, it's a fantasy, its fiction - even in the story. It is attempting to have fun, and does, hence; the great majority of 5's as ratings here. If you enjoy a fun story and like to laugh at nonsense from time to time with your children this book is for you - if you are more serious with your reads yahh, you may want to look elsewhere.

I recommend enjoying time, having a laugh, and doing it with this book in hand.

The story begins at breakfastime with a regular family in a regular home. Grandpa is making his famous pancakes and as he is flipping them over one flies into the air and

lands on one of the kids. That night Grandpa told the kids the best bedtime story ever!

Grandpa's story takes place in the town of Chewandswallow. It's like any other town except that it gets its weather 3 times a day at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The townspeople carry around their knives, forks, and plates. That's because it never rains rain or snows snow - it rains orange juice and snows mashed potatoes!

Then one day the weather takes a turn for the worse and the people of Chewandswallow are not safe anymore!

This story is absolutely delightful but the illustrations just bring this book to life. Ron Barrett illustrates the book and his work is so detailed and eye-catching.

I love the tomato tornado and the jello mold sunset pictures. Just everything about this book is imaginative, creative, and unique.

Some of us may be lucky enough never to have to worry about the next meal, but our genes must always be anxious, realizing, as our frivolous brains may not, that food is a need, and its source is a concern. *Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,* a funny, engaging, sophisticated little tale, plays with that hard-wired anxiety.
In the town of Chewandswallow, food comes with the weather. "Everything that everyone ate came from the sky." It rains soup and juice and thunderstorms hamburgers. People are always ready for the next inundation of pie or chicken with plates and cutlery, and the town has a clever and ecologically sound way of dealing with leftovers. Then, alas, the weather turns bad. To my children's glee, a giant flapjack closes down the school. And one day there are "fifteen-inch drifts of cream cheese and jelly sandwiches." The people must move and learn about stores. Such is life.
*Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs* is a delight. The illustrations radiate humor and add to the story immeasurably (I can't forget the deer standing in the sunset with lamb-chops and potatoes skewered on their antlers). Illustrations and text will fill parents and children with a marvellous fantasy of food -- and quell, for a moment, the anxieties of those food-oriented genes.

One of my favorite books is Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs written by Judi Barrett .I think other kids should read this awesome book and I give it 5 stars. In my opinion I recommend this book to kids.

I like when the grandpa used his wild imagination to create an interesting goofy story to tell Henry and his sister.It’s obvious that is not real because it’s not possible to rain juice,soup,pancakes and to have a tornado of tomato sauce.This book couldn’t be interesting without grandpa’s wild imagination.

I liked the way the story went because,in the beginning the weather was controllable. Then the weather changed and went crazy and it turned into a big storm that turned the town into junk. But then,at the end of the story grandpa decided to add a happy ending.

I enjoyed this book because it’s funny. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs is a great book because the illustrations look awesome and the pictures make kids laugh.The pictures look awesome because in the end of the story Ron Barrett drew houses out of bread and the snow made with mash potatoes. the story Ron Barrett drew houses out of bread and the snow made with mash potatoes.

In conclusion ,now you know why I recommend this book to children and i give it 5 stars.

Oh, I remember this one when I was a little kid. I always enjoyed reading this whenever I had the chance. Now that I came back to this, it's still just as great as it was in my childhood. It had such a powerful message about greed and substance abuse, but everyone always remembers this one because of the artwork. Ron Barrett did an incredible job with the illustrations. They were creative and even very delicious to look at. Where else can you find a children's book where there are donuts chasing you on the street or a tomato tornado bringing chaos into your neighborhood? But anyway, this is a classic children's book; it was published back in 1978, but it still has never aged. It has a creative premise, beautiful artwork, clever writing, and a good lesson for the kids. And you don't have to be a child in order to enjoy this; people of all ages can read this one. Congratulations to Judi & Ron Barrett for this wonderful piece of work.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs tells the story of the town of Chewandswallow. The weather in Chewandswallow came at breakfast, lunch, and dinnertime and the people in the town ate what the weather served. It would rain beverages and snow foods to eat. Life in the town was wonderful until the weather suddenly changed and large portions of unappealing foods started taking over the town. The people are forced to abandon Chewandswallow and find a town where they can buy food at the supermarket instead.

This book would be appropriate for children ages 6 and 7. Children in this age group are developing a sense of humor and would enjoy the silliness of this story. I would recommend using this book for a storytime program. The book begins with simple black-and-white illustrations, some with color added. The images of food falling from the sky, a giant Jell-o off in the distance, and a tomato tornado are perfect for the text because they demonstrate the ideas in the story for children.

What struck me first about this story is that there is no "point." It's not a morality tale, there's no lesson -- it's just a fun story that a kid and a grandpa would share. I could totally imagine my late grandfather telling this story to me along with the dozens of other stories and jokes he shared with us when we were little.

I'm not going to get into the plot, because that's well covered elsewhere on this page. But the illustrations are detailed and funny, and the story just gets bigger and more unbelievable and goofy. That exactly what holds a child's attention. Which made me realize, this is a PERFECT book to be reading a child who only sits still for short books. You know... a 2 or 3 year old who can understand the words, but it only interested for short periods. The story moves so quickly and is so giggly and quirky, they will learn to sit for longer with this book for sure.

Highly recommended!

Do you enjoy a good, funny, story? If you do, then Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is the book for you. In this story, two young kid's grandfather, tells them a bed time story. This story is about a city called Chewandswallow. Chewandswallow is a town far, far away across many seas and oceans. In this town many interesting things happen. It rains and storms all of the city food and drinks! Nobody has to go to a store because it rains what they all need. Even if they feel like it, they can save some food for snacks in between meals! But, something goes terribly wrong in the city of Chewandswallow! To find out the rest of what happens, read the ending of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It is a great story, and I think that even if you are 100 you will still enjoy this book. I encourage everyone to read this story. It has an excellent story line and is fun for everyone to read!

This is a funny book with an imaginative concept--the people of the town CHEWANDSWALLOW eats what drops from the sky--orange juice rain, pancakes floating down, hamburgers on a stormy day. The climate goes awry and the people set sail on stale bread boats to move to a world where food is bought in the supermarket. The illustrations are very funny, moving from line drawings in black and white to lovely colored illustrations as the fantasy story begins. This story appeals to a wide range of ages, from 3 to 7 or 8. The text would be challenging for a first grade reader but the concept appeals to pre-schoolers as well as older kids.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a book with very great ideas and some amazingly imaginative thinking that makes the readers fall into the world of chewandswallow. It makes you feel like you want to be a part of this new world where you don't have a choice of what to eat but are forced to eat what the weather brings you. The plot quickens when the weather turns bad and drops massive proportions of food all over the town. This book is great for not just little kids, but can be enjoyed by people of all ages because of its setting in this town of fantasy. I liked this book very much because it is a pretty funny story that sounds like a ton of fun to be in if you could. My favorite part of the book was when the giant pancake and shower of syrup close down the school.

I really liked this story and i think that it is a funny book and i think that a lot of kids will like this story and i think theres a lot of good parts in this story but i think it should be a longer story and i think that the children need to ask questions about the school and it needs to have more action in it because people need to say like all this is a good story i want to read it again but when children read this book there like this don't have a lot of action i don't want to read this book again it don't have much action and not wanting to be mean but just make it have more action and it needs to be a little bit longer.i think its a good story but i think JUDI BARRET & RON BARRET could domuch better than they did. thats all i wanted to say. BYE

Can you imagine a place where food falls from the sky as naturally as rain and snow? Where ballgames are cancelled because of pie and people watch the weather to find out what their meals will be for the next few days? In the village of Chewandswallow life is just that. Food falls from the skies, the people are fed and life is just ducky. :) But then something goes terribly wrong, it seems that the weather has gone crazy. Giant meatballs and enomorous spaghetti noodles clutter the highways, schools are trapped beneath huge pancakes. Can the people of Chewandswallow grow used to this craziness that has captured the normalcy of their home or will they be forced to leave? All I can tell you is that this book is delicious and totally charming. :)

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. the town was a mess and the people feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry.

I remember buying a copy of this book when I was 11 years old. We had a book fair at my school and I spent all of my allowance on it, a coloring book, and an Irish folklore hardback.

I recently bought this book again for myself as I lost my first copy years ago. As the book is centered around food, I usually read it while enjoying a grilled cheese sandwich. It's the perfect "snack book".

Even though I'm almost 30, I still find the story to be hilarious and entertaining. I love the idea of hot dogs dropping from the clouds and donuts rolling over cars in the street. Classic!

I look forward to reading this book to my future children and enjoying it for years.

This is such a great story. Why? Because it is creative. I bet that the author probably came up with this story as she was making a meal and wondered what happened if she never had to cook, but had someone else do it for her. She then created the tiny town of Chewandswallow, which is supplied its meals by the weather. At first, the town is happy and well supplied. But, ironically, mother nature shows who is boss and turns against the town, forcing the people to have to leave. One page after another is full of inspired creativity (The open roof restaurants, the sanitation department, the way people evacuate the city and so forth). Perfect for all ages. Just don't get crushed by a hamburger!

This is undoubtedly the funniest book I've read in a long while. I had a blast reading it ... and I'm an adult! I can just imagine how it will tickle my grandchildren's funny-bones! Johnny will most likely be taunting Ashley with lines from this book forever.

I've been told I have a great imagination, but Judi Barrett takes the prize. A wonderful author who knows how to write with children in mind. Not to mention how much we adults love her characters and her wit. ...

Food falling from the sky! A town with an outrageously funny name! Vivid descriptions! Great art!

I am left with one over-used but appropriate word: WOW!

CLOUDY... is, bar none, my favorite of all my daughter's books, including the classic WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE and the beautiful STELLALUNA. We read this book over and over and over, and will soon need to upgrade to the library-bound edition.
CLOUDY... is wonderfully illustrated, with a sparsely colored engravure style that draws the eye to its wonderful detail. The story of the little town that gets its food from the sky is certain to draw in the most jaded or adult reader. It is silly and entertaining and never, ever tiresome or simple.
Simply put, this book is a must-buy and sure to be a classic on your bookshelf; as another reviewer said: it's delicious!

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a great book for anyone craving imagination. It is a fantastic book for kids to think of things outside the box. It is way fun and makes you feel like you have jumped right back into your childhood. If you love food this book is a perfect one, It's filled with tons of my favorite foods. This book has become one of my favorite books because of how creative it is. I love this book, I would highly recommend it.

I think this is a very great book. It may be wacky, but I still think that it is good. The author did a very good job of creating a world that was totally different from where they were. He did a good job of setting up for it by what happened at breakfast. It is a very "delicious" book. It has many whimsical events that take place. It is an adventurous book that will keep the reader's interest. It certainly kept mine. I liked how after the tall tale ended, they thought that the hill smelled like mashed potatoes. That made for a very good ending. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a wacky, but yet good, book to read.

We wanted to give this to our nephew, since it was one my favorite childhood books. I couldn't find it at the bookstore and so it was the store to the rescue! Good price, fast shipping, classic story-what more could you want?

I first read the book ten years ago, when I was in first grade. I have loved the book ever since. The story allows children to really use their imagination and see the people of the town of Chewandswallow living an everyday life filled with high-calorie weather, even without looking at the marvelously drawn illustrations.
I just saw the book reviewed today on "Reading Rainbow," and I decided I must get this book, because it is a timeless classic. I was unaware, also, that a sequel, "Pickles to Pittsburgh," was published, so now I have double the fun to read!

This is one of my few favorite books that my mother used to read to me when I was very young. The book is easily appreciated by all ages -- by adults, because of the tongue-in-cheek humor that you have to be older to understand; by reading-age children, because it is a nice mid-difficulty reading level, not too tough but still causing the child to pause, think, and sound out some of the words; and even small children, because of the busy, detailed, colorful pictures laden with familiar objects. After reading each page, you can spend a long time with your child just looking at the picture and pointing out the different elements -- how the garbage truck looks just like a big Tupperware container, how the tomato tornado blew the numbers right off the clock, how the shark is taking a bite out of the giant bread raft. I still enjoy reading this book, my version of which is now much-loved & coming apart, as perhaps any favorite book should be after 20 years of frequent reading.

I stumbled across this book while on a trip to the public library with my two sons. They loved it! It's one of those books that is really good when you have a solid chunk of time, because the illustrations are so wonderful. There is something really significant in the picture on each page, and you have so much fun finding the funny, peculiar, weird, yucky things together. I've also read this book to a class of second-graders. It was one of their favorites! It stimulates the imagination of everyone who opens it. I consider it a classic!

I just read The Humongous Fungus (an imaginative story that's fun and quirky about a larger-than-life fungus that takes over a town), and it reminded me of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I love books that are creative and imaginative. As a kid, I dreamed of gumdrops and candy falling from the sky--or castles made of chocolate. This book is a classic and fun to read over and over again.

This was on the the store Good Reads 100 books in a lifetime you should read, so I checked it out and read it to my 3 year old granddaughter. She quickly lost interest although I ask her to pay attention and finish and she did. I didn't blame her about half way through I lost interest as well abut tried to make it fun for the both of us. The story itself no wonder the film makers changed it up for the movie based off the book, it was gross to think about what we were reading. And people never knowing what a grocery store or being able to decide on what they want to eat was a strange concept as well. Others may like this storybook but I, personally didn't

I remember the day well. It was a Friday, Library Day, and I was in the first grade. For reasons unknown to me, the librarian came to us, with about 50 books in tow.
Each week she had a different book du'jour, and "Chance of Meatballs" was this week's. I remember her reading the book and my realizing how odd books like this are my life blood.
That book, I'm sure, added to my creative mind, and if it wasn't written, the world would be a considerably dull place, would'nt you agree?

This book is my proclaimed favorite book of all my childhood. I read this book so much that I had to buy a replacement for it when I was 18 because the original was falling apart. I cannot wait for the birth of my daughter so I can read to her about the silly story of a town that receives its food from the sky until the weather makes a turn for the worse. The pictures still crack me up, and the detail is quite nice. As I grew older I searched for different foods and hidden details in the illustrations. I always liked the length of this book, because most bedtime stories seemed too short for me. I grew up an avid reader from a family with little time or money to keep me occupied, getting my amusement from books.

This book is fun and entertaining not only for the children that read it, or are having it read to them, but it is for the adults as well. I read this a Children's Librarian and this book not only provides wonderful illustrations but laughs as well. I would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys fun books. Just thinking about it the book, I think I know what I'll be getting it for my oldest niece! Enjoyable, fun, and beautiful! Must have, I believe it would make a Great Bedtime Story!

When I first read this book I was about seven years old.... and I haven't stopped loving it in the 13 years since. The book is so imaginative and beautifully illustrated. The story holds a child's attention.. a feat that a book rarely accomplishes in the age of television and computer games. It starts on saturday morning... pancake morning. And it ends with a bedtime story that stretches across oceans, desserts, mountains, and into the realm of Chewandswallow, a most extraordinary town. As I child I was fascinated with rain, snow, and thunderstorms. I aboslutely loved them! In Chewandswallow, the weather brings breakfast lunch and dinner. The illustrations are so well drawn and full of detail, there is always something new to see. My favorite drawing is the two page spread in the middle of the book, which depicts the town under destruction of monstrous food... gargantuan pizza, two-story pickles, and doughnuts the size of cars. Everytime I read the story to my cousins, they laugh over the man with the noodle on his head. It is fun for us to think up our own weather-menus for Ralph's Roofless Restaurant, and draw pictures of the food falling from the sky. Kid's love it, it's good clean fun, and the adults don't get bored reading it over and over. In fact, I have it memorized! And I just found out that there is a sequal to this book, Pickles to Pittsburgh, so I am going to have to get it to read... after all these years, I finally get to see what happened back in the town of Chewandswallow... the town everyone was afraid to go back to because of the giant food that fell from the sky.....

I really, really liked this book and I do give it 5 entire stars [no halves] . I thought it was awesome because it was not real and fiction. I also thought it was funny. The town of Chewandswallow was kind of weird for the author to write. It doesn`t really rain food and snow mashed potatoes. Also: wind isn`t hamburgers. Restaraunts aren`t roofless and the world rains rain and snows snow. The town of Chewandswallow makes me hungry.

THE END

The town of Chewandswallow is a wonderful place to live. No one has to cook because the food, like manna to the children of Israel, falls from the sky. The weather report is the daily menu.
I read this book to my oldest two children 10 years ago. It is one that left a mark on them and further fueled their love of reading. I couldn't wait for my younger two to be old enough to hear it. We read it for the first time last night and they loved it. I can tell this is going to be a favorite of theirs as well.
The copy I checked out at the library was published in 1978. I hope that one day soon, they republish the book and make the illustrations more vivid.

I read this book to my 4 year old daughter and she could not stop LAUGHING! The illustrations are not traditional yet captivating and the overall content is HILARIOUS. The content provides opportunity to extend the story and laughs. I have read other "funny" quality children's books but the laughter that came out of my child was like no other after reading this book! Definitly a part of our personal library!

This book is full of food-lots of food. Flying pancakes, hot dogs and mashed potatoes, even maple syrup.

Read all about the town of ChewandSwallow and how what seems like a good thing becomes too much of a good thing...and get this, when the weather gets rough and unpredictable, the whole town has to escape on rafts made of stale bread. What if all food came from the sky? Read this book and find out!

This was one of my absolute favorite books when I was a child. It was silly enough to keep my attention, but not too silly as to be unbelievable. I WANTED to believe the town of Chewandswallow was real, and I wanted to live there! I still do! I still have my copy, which is now almost 30 years old- and I will be reading it to my children. I recommend this to all children, it's a super fun read!

This book will definetily bring a smile to your face. The author and illustrator both did an exceptional job at creating a fantasy world. The book begins with a grandpa telling his grandchildren a usual bedtime story. However, the story takes a wild turn as the book begins to unfold. The grandpa describes a very unusual town with very unusual weather. See in this town, the sky supplied all the food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all came from the sky. As I began to read, I couldn't wait to flip the pages and find out what kind of food the weather would bring that day. Your imagination goes wild as you try to envision yourself running about trying to catch your lunch as it falls from the sky. The illustrations are great. Now, you would think that this whole food falling from the sky thing would be a pretty good idea. But, is it? Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is definetily a book that is worth while to read. It will always remain one of my all time favorite children's books.

In the land of Chewandswallow, you never have to make dinner. Just wait for a change in the weather and dessert will fall from the sky. When weather patterns change, this town is in for some nasty messes. When we can't think of anything for dinner at our house, my children will suggest that maybe we should drive over to Chewandswallow and pick up something there. A truely funny book for adults and children.

My four kids loved this book to the point that we wore out our copy and had to buy a new one. Now my grandchildren are enjoying it too. I did not always enjoy every story I was asked to read over and over again, but this one was different. I enjoyed reading this as much as they enjoyed listening to it. They would even have fun pretending what foods they would love to rain down on them. What more can you ask of a story.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is one of my all time favorite books. I don't remember how old I was when I first read this book, but at 28 years of age, I STILL love this story. It is full of whimsy and impracticality. It is a complete flight of fancy, something that I think kids need more of. It is also a timeless story. Every kid should read this book.

I told a friend that my husband loves Curious George and she suggested that we read this book. I took the book home yesterday and read it to my children, and they loved it. I enjoyed it so much that I am going to purchase the book this weekend. I would recommend this book to everyone. It is not just for children. The children were saying that they wished they lived in Chewandswallow, and so do I.

This was my favorite book when I was a kid. I've bought several copies as an adult for various people. I love this book. I want the whole wide world to love this book. They made this into a movie, didn't they? Idiots. They should not have done that. I hate Hollywood. I should write a book called I Hate Hollywood. I think it would sell.

As many other people, I read this book when I was younger (well, my mother read it to me). My family is very food oriented so me and my brother LOVED this interesting story about one of our favorite things. The pictures are beautifully done, none of that big bubbly neon drawings found in many childrens' books. The story kept me interested for 2 reasons: 1. It was about food. Any story about food can do no wrong. and 2. It keeps you guessing just how the people of Chewandswallow will survive. It is a great read, for just about anyone. Even if your child is too young to understand the story, they will love looking at the pictures of huge pieces of food falling from the sky. A must read for anyone looking for a unique and creative story.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a delightfully funny book for children of all ages. I have used it in my second grade classroom for several years. The children love reading the book and always enjoy selecting their favorite weather in Chewandswallow. A creative teacher or parent can come up with many activities to go along with the book to aide in the children's learning

It is about a wacked up town it rains food every day then one day something went terriblly wrong... there is a ketchup torrnado giant pickles start to knock over buildings there is mayhem everywere and some wacked up people even build a monument out of geliten brand geliten! But in the end there is a surprise that I shall not tell you so read the book and enjoy!

Man! There are some really good children's books out there!! This one is a perfect example! I love the bit of fantasy that this book offers. As I read this book I could imagine it all in my head (which was really fun). Most children love to use there imaginations and reading this book would ignite there imagination. I would love to use this book in my classroom one day! Not only is the story line creative and full of fantasy, but the pictures offer things that I would have never thought of before. The details in the illustrations are amazing. For example, on the post of the street light in Chewandshallow town, there is a campaign sign that reads, "Vote for Anne Chovie". I love these little details. They add so much. I think that this is what makes this book fun for adults to read as well. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am sure my future students will one day as well!

This book is nothing but the silliest tall tale ever, about a town where food "falls from the sky", but it works.

My nieces really sit still for this one, which is sometimes a bit of an accomplishment :)

I will say that it goes on a bit long in parts, describing the way food falls from the sky, but it's not that big a deal to me.

It truly is a wonderful book. One that I enjoyed, and one that I will share with my kids. Have shared it with the littly tyke family members already, and never fails to get giggles and a sense of wonder that only children can convey. It's priceless just to watch their faces as it's read. Definitely get this, and get the "GIANT JAM SANDWICH" book as well.

This was one of my Top-10 favorite books as a child. I cant tell you how many times I read it. The illustrations are great; very similar in many ways to Tony Millionaire's work (Maakies and Sock Monkey).
If you're looking for a childrens' book as a gift, buy Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. In fact, next time I go to my parents house, I'm digging it out of the attic.

I love the concept of the book - it is silly, fun, and entertaining. The story makes you look at normal everyday weather and life in general in a new way. The pen and ink drawings are well done, but the format is more like a comic book than an illustration with text. The text comes in boxes overlayed on the illustrations, which make it seem unplanned and can seem visually "busy." The book is long - not for under age 6.

I gave this book 5 stars because this book was funny,interesting and messy!!! What made this book funny is that the weather was food.Also what made this book interesting is what they do about there problems.Finally,what made this book messy is the enormous pancake that fell on the school with maple syrup.I realy ejoyed this book!!!

This book is such a fun adventure! The pictures will have any child laughing and enjoying this book. This is such a clever book in having a child wanting to read. They will remember having a great time of fun with very happy funny moments in this book.

Cynthia Marie Rizzo, author of "Julie and the Unicorn" and "Angela and the Princess"

This was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. I read it over and over until it fell apart. Twenty years later and just the memory of the story still fills me with warm fuzzies and even though I don't have any kids, I still have a copy on my bookshelf. I've given it as a gift to every one of my friends' kids too.

I gave this book 5 stars because this book was funny,interesting and messy!!! What made this book funny is that the weather was food.Also what made this book interesting is what they do about there problems.Finally,what made this book messy is the enormous pancake that fell on the school with maple syrup.I realy ejoyed this book!!!

i GENRALLY GIVE RATINGS OF 666 STARS TO MY FAVORITE ALBUMS (MOST OF THEM BEING METAL I FIND IT APPROPRIATE) BUT FOR THIS BOOK I MUST MAKE IT PAINFULLY APPARENT THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST WORKS OF FICTION AND ILLUSTRAION EVER PLACED BETWEEN A FRONT AND BACK COVER.
A GRANDFATHER TELLS HIS GRANDCHILDREN THE STORY OF THE ILLFATED TOWN OF CHEWANDSWALLOW, LOCATED IN A REIGION WITH SOME BIZZARRE WEATHER. HALF THE BOOK SHOWS THE TOWN THRIVING, WITH IT'S RROFLESS RESTAURANTS AND PIE IN THE SKY COMING DOWN. THE LATTER HALF IS THE DOWNFALL OF CHEWANDSWALLOW, WHERE PANDEMONIUM IS THE FORECAST AND A RAIN OF TERROR AND PEASOUP FOG, DRIVES IT'S RESIDENTS FAR AWAY ON BOATS OF BREAD.
THE STORY ITSELF IS PURE GENIUS AND THE ILLUSTRAIONS ARE LIKE NO OTHER BOOK I CAN RECALL. IM GOING TO GO TO MY PARENTS HOUSE TONIGHT AND FIND IT.

a favorite of mine for over ten years. now i get to share it with my neice and nephew. the story is adorable. it has the whit and imagination of a child. the best part is the pictures. look closely to find the silly unexpected things. this book will take a while to finish, only because you don't want to put it down!!

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a very amazing book. This book is a very fictional way to look at how the weather can occur if you just add a little bit of food into it. In the town of "CHEWANDSWALLOW", the people eat or drink what ever they see fall out of the sky. This is a book that I recommend others to read.

Don't get me wrong, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is a cute book with wonderful drawings. However, for kids that read a lot, it isn't going to seem all that innovative.

The story is charming and I love that grandpa is portrayed in such a sweet fashion, but much of the 'weather' humor is going to go over very young children's heads. Though they will, however, be charmed by Ron Barrett's illustrations.

Overall, I would say that this is a book that all kids should get an opportunity to read and enjoy. I just don't think it's a book that ought to be put on the home shelves in the place of some other book. (There are just tons of great books out there.) My own children, who are boy and girl, 7 and 9 currently, couldn't be interested in a second read-thru.

Pam T~

Like some of the other reviewers I had read this book as a child. I think of now and again and just recently I was inspired to have my own copy again. My original is long gone and hopefully someone else is enjoying the wonderful story and illustrations as much as I did and still do. I can't wait to receive my new copy in the mail! I recommend this book to any child or adult. This book spurs the imagination and stays with you for years. Please recommend to anybody who will cherish it. I found out that a close friend also read the book growing up, a friend that I have known for 3 years. I will definitely read this book to my children and to my classroom. I am anxiously awaiting to read the sequel: Pickles to Pittsburgh.

I can remember my sisters reading Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs to me when I was a small child. It was one of my favorite books then, and it still is now, even though I'm seventeen years old. It is a very cute book, with the kind of humor that kids like best! Don't pass up an opportunity to get this book!

I first read this book a long time ago, when I was 7 or 8. I loved the unique idea, the descriptive, detailed and often funny pictures, and the flow of the story. Now, 8 years later, I still love this book and read it often. I reccomend it for everybody, whether you're still a "young reader" or not.

The title of the story is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. The author is Judi Barnett. The story is illustrated by Ron Barnett. The story is about a Grandpa who tells his grandchildren (Henry and his sister) a tall tale about a make-believe town called Chewandswallow. In Chewandswallow it rains food three times a day. A problem occurs when the town has to evacuate because the food is getting too big and heavy. The people leave and never return to the town. They go to an island across the ocean. We think that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a good book to read because it makes you hungry for food and it makes you laugh. If you like this book, you should read Pickles to Pittsburgh.

The story comically portrays the lifestyles of the residents, showing their anticipation of the weather forecast, and their reluctance of leaving the house without plates or silverware! The meals are consistent, the restaurants are roofless, and the Sanitation Department must clear the roads after every meal. Perhaps the most charming aspect of the book is the forecast descriptions of the meals, stating, "For dinner one night there were lamb chops, becoming heavy at times, with occasional ketchup."

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I grew up with this story. It is great for young children. But if the child is over the Sesame Street age then it's too late.
The illustrations are cute and fun.
The only downside is that young children might like it too much and want it read all the time contributing to possible eating disorders.

I remember my mom reading this book to me as a small child. My children love this story and it is full of classic detailed illustrations. It is fun and creative. Your child's imagination is sure to run wild when they read this story. Great book.

This is a wonderful and fun children's book. In the town of Chewandswallow no one has to go to the grocery store, because food falls from the sky. The entire town is fed from the rain. It gets overwhelming and the townspeople begin to worry, but everything turns out for the best in the end.
Note to Teachers: I used this book when student teaching kindergarten. It is perfect to introduce the four food groups, and the food pyramid. We drew our favorite food, and put them in the right place on the food pyramid. We had a blast.

I always have trouble getting my son to read but he throughly enjoyed this book over and over again. Even my two year old enjoyed hearing the story and my seven and nine years old enjoyed reading it to him. They even enjoyed the illustrations which were very detailed and added to the enjoy ment of the story. A great buy. I just didn't give 5 stars because I think there must be others that are better .....but not many!

I bought this book, like so many others, for my nephews, who are almost 2 and 4. The pictures in the book were great but not quite as vibrant and colorful as those in some of their other books. I found the story to be quite good, but it was pretty wordy (which can be good if you're reading it to try to make somebody sleepy). So, overall, as an adult, I really liked this book, but I feel like the younger kids prefer books more like the ones they're used to--few words and colorful pictures. I'm hoping, though, that even if they don't fully appreciate it now, maybe they'll grow into it. I would definitely buy it again.

This particular book brings back fond memories of storytime in the public library when I was younger, listening avidly to the librarian as she read from this book. =) I highly recommend this book for other children. Although the storyline is quite simple and certainly not a book with "hidden agendas"/"philosophical meaning", it's a fun little book to read from during a rainy day. Also, the artwork is detailed, and complements the book, especially near the end of the story, when the citizens are fleeing from the hunks of food. This is DEFINITELY a book I'd read to my children; in fact, it's one of the few childhood books that I have left in my library.

I teach four year olds, and have usually read this to them towards the end of the school year when they are just beginning to get a glimmer of understanding about hyperbole, tall-tales and such. It is very funny and clever. Children older than four will appreciate it even better. However, the store has it on their 0-3 booklist, and it is definitely NOT appropriate for that age-group. Take care to gear your reading to the age of the child!

As a young girl I read this book over and over, picturing myself as a citizen of Chew-and-Swallow, a town where it rains tomato soup and hot dogs, pancakes and eggs over easy, orange juice and spaghetti with meatballs.
I loved the detailed illustrations and the humor. And now-I won't say how many years later-as I read it to my children, the enjoy it as much as I ever did.
It's a true gem of a read, one that I will keep long after my children become adults. I'll be able to read it and picture myself as the little girl I was-so in awe of the creativity, the concept itself- and the young mother I was, enjoying it with her children.

I used to read this book to my children back in the 80's, I even loved it! This books helps children to use their imagination and helps the adult remember what is was like to be a child again.

I can't wait for the 3D movie to come to the big screen in September!

When I started looking for a new hard back I went to the store. It was very easy to find what I was looking for,

easy to purchase

the my book is in excellent condition -NEW just like I was promised!

The delivery was very fast.

This was my first time to use the store, but not my last.

Pam

I was read this book when I was in 2nd grade by my Social Studies teacher. I was engulfed! I'd never heard of such a peculiar title and story! A pancake falling on a school? Hotdogs and orange juice coming from the sky? That couldn't really happen...could it?

Very few books can touch an area of are selfs that this book can. It turns the hearts and minds of the old back into little kids. you see this book takes your mind and fills it with the wonding thoughts that we all had when we were children. Back when we all were wonding why the sky was blue and the grass was green. This story takes one part of life and totally chances it around and upsidedown. The idea of eating food from a Burger King or Applebee's is no more. instead are meals fall from the sky, the weather is no more filled with rain or snow but instead hamburgers and icecream. This book is a classic that will stay with the hearts of millions.

One of the best children's books ever. The concept of weather providing food is so fun and clever and silly it just captures the imagination! The illustrations are just perfect for the story as well. My kids love this one and so do I!

I love to browse the children's section and I found this book. I do not have children yet, but want this book to keep for them. It is filled with imagination and creativity and beautiful illustrations. The world is a better place because of this book.

My daughter, Sydney's, review of this book:

I liked "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs." I like it so much because it rained meatballs. I think others would like it because it rained stinky cheese. This book is about food raining. The story takes place in the town of Chewandswallow. You should read this book because it is funny.

I have been given many opportunities to read this book to children and each time I am able to hear the laugh of a child and see a smile on their face. A child's imagination is the most amazing thing. This book allows children's imaginations to be at work as they see the detailed images and hear the words. When doing my student teaching I read this story to my class and asked them to draw a picture of unusual weather they would like to encounter. The images were absolutely outstanding, but what was even more exciting was being able to witness children's imaginations at work.

I recently purchased this book, again, for my grandchildren. My daughters and nephew still remember this book. They loved it and we read it many, many times together. It is the perfect age level for my 7 yr. old grandson, but a little long for the 4 year old. We usually just "talk the book" because he loves the illustrations. I am an artist myself and I just love the artwork. After the first reading of the book, it transferred over to the dinner table. What would happen if we had a flood of green beans? A funny, silly and wonderful book!

I rated this book five stars because it was that good.It was it was pretty cool but,I mean that it was good.I liked it because it's cool that you don't have to go to a store and buy and pay for the food.It just comes down three times a day.

What a fun book with such great illustrations. This is a children's book, but also fun for adults. Involves the town of Chewandswallow (such a funny name) where the sky provides all the townspeople their food.

Judi Barrett wrote this really funny book called Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. It takes place in a weird town called Chewandswallow. They take their spoons, forks, knives, and plates. I liked it because a tomato tornado and a huge pancake fell on the school and they had to close it down. It is a good book because there is food coming from the sky. It was about people that get their food from the sky.

It wasn't hard to read because there was not any hard words in the book. My sister would like it if I read it to her. At the end they went across the ocean and they moved to a different town.

I so loved this book as a child! I was 3 years old when it came out, and I remember a magical feeling as the book was read to me and then as I read it myself as an older child. It's extremely creative and just plain fun! I can't wait to share this wonderful book with my year-old daughter when she is a bit older.

I love this book. I have loved it since the first time it was read to me. This is by far one of my favorite children's books, matter of fact, it's one of my favorite books period. This is probably one of the books that has inspired me to write myself. I've been writing now since I was 6 years old and I owe much of my creative mind to books like this. Children of all ages love this book. Food falling from the sky, that's pretty frickin' COOL. You will be a better person once you read this book, it will expand your mind and your love for creativity.

I purchased a newer version of my childhood favorite book and found that it is not the same book. Alas, someone decided it needed to be edited to make it more PC and to add some other changes that really make no sense at all. If you're a die-hard fan of the book from your childhood, be sure to get an older used copy!

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

This book has been one of my favorite children's book since I was young. Today i find it as an inspiration that a book can stay with a child throughout their entire life.

I thought this story was funny.So,I gave it 5 & a half stars.I thought the town of Chewandswallow was cool because it did not rain rain,it did not snow snow.The town of Chewandswallow makes me drool.

I remember being a kid and flipping through the pages of this book over and over imagining what it would be like to live in a world that rains jelly donuts. I read the book a few months ago and it was still as fun as 20 years ago. Kids these days need to use their imaginations through reading more than they do through mind warping video games. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to enjoy a fun imaginative book.

I ordered this book for my 4 year old son. They were reading it in his daycare and when he mentioned it to me, I remembered how much I loved it as a child. The story is fun and enjoyable, but it is the illustrations that absolutely make the book. I loved it as a child and I still love it as an adult. An excellent book.

I first read this book when I was 9 & remember thinking that Chewandswallow was a real place. I still have my copy of it. I loved the silly nature of this story would daydream while looking at all the details of the pictures. This is a great book for young imaginations. Now that I have my own daughter, I look forward to sharing this book with her (even though she's only 7 months old!)

I first heard this story in elementary school and fell in love with it. I bought it for my own child two years ago, and he loves it as well. It's a simple, fantastical story the appeals to all children, and a great way to foster imagination.

however, i shouldn't be suprised. i remember this book as a little girl, reading it with my feet dangling of the sofa. this is a wonderful book that has the ability to be read by generations and generations of kids and kids-at-heart. the art work is terrific and the imagination can take you floating to this city on a slice of bread. a must read.

I still enjoy reading this book. It brings back so many childhood memories. I picked up a copy recently to read to my children, they loved it.
I also recommend books by Beau Beaudoin. The Url Kingand Boetry

This is one of the most delightful childrens' books I have read in years. While working with a student in elementary school, we read the story in a reading book and we both loved it. I bought the book so the student could have his own copy. A wonderful book for children and no matter how old they are, they will love it. Even adults will love it!

This is one of my favorite children's books. I loved it as a child and now that I have a child of my own, I wanted to share it with her.

What a clever and funny book with great illustrations with subtle details.

This is a must own book for your little ones. It's one book you won't get sick of reading.

This book is a true gem-- there is something in it that will make every child giggle during the course of reading it every time! There is obvious humor and subtle humor, so it appeals to all kids from ages 3 or 4 to about 8-ish easily.

The other upside is that the adult reading it will also have a chuckle!
-Heather Werner

My daughter (2) received this book as a gift for Christmas. We just read it for the first time today. I did not read this book as a child, so I was new to the story just as she was. I have read the other reviews (those who liked it and those who did not). I'm torn between both camps, but as I thought about it, I think there are 2 different perspectives and ways to rate this book:

1. From an adult's perspective: a creative, spur of the moment bedtime story told by grandpa based on a pancake that flew through the air at breakfast and landed on grandson's head; illustrations are nice, if you like pen and ink line art; story is a bit lacking in any plot "twist" but again, it's told as an off-the-cuff bedtime story just like any parent would make up for their own child; novel concept for a story; possibly gross feelings about people getting pelted with food from the sky that is to be eaten (never mind all the dirt/dust/etc. it comes in contact with on the way down).

2. from a child's perspective: how neat to have food falling from the sky, especially mashed potatoes and pancakes! A funny story because the topic is so silly and similar to other stories that might be told by grandparents; illustrations are comic-book like and fun to look at ....

I found myself liking the book from the child's perspective. I found myself not caring for the book much from the adult's perspective. My daughter sat through the story (she's only 2) and she enjoyed it!

So I gave this book a rating of 3 stars to average out my total rating (adult rating: 1 or 2; child rating: 4 or 5).

I read this book in like the 5th grade and I loved it and I haven't been able to remember the title for years. I have a 4 year old a 5 year old and a 6 month old and I know they would LOVE this book. I'm so excited they are making a moview out of it and can't wait to see it.

I have enoyed this book since I was a kid. My grandparents had it and it was always my brother's and my first choice when we were being read to. To this day I enjoy picking it up and reading it, and I'm in my mid-20's! The illustrations are beautiful and detailed and the story is one that every age can enjoy. Such a fun book!

Didn't do much for me, and I'm not hard to please. Same goes for my kid. He'll sit through it, usually, but he'll never ask for it. And he loves most books.

It's an interesting idea, and executed reasonably well, so I'm not sure why it never clicked with us. Ok, the story is weak -- it's just the basic idea stretched out to no purpose -- but this is a children's book, so that isn't uncommon even in really enjoyable books. Maybe it's because I love weird, and this looks like it's going to be weird but is actually pedestrian.

The art is very good but not very fun.

I read this to 7 and 8 year olds in a second grade class. I had to explain some of the words, but the children enjoyed hearing and seeing the book. The illustrations are helpful,. I dont think it would stand up to re-reading to the same class, but it was a funny diversion between more serious and longer books.

My kids (3 and 5) really enjoyed the silly nature of this story. They spend twice as long looking at all the details of the pictures, looking for the outrageous disasters, as they do reading the storyline!

I'm 26 years old now, don't have any children yet (He'll be here in a few months =D) I just happened to see a friend of mine mention this book somewhere and 20 years later, I immediately remembered this being one of my absolute favorites books when I was a child. Anyone with a child of reading age should def get this book!

I found this book in 1978 and my 2nd grade teacher read it to our class one day. I loved the book but for some reason, I quickly forgot the name. It was only by chance that I recognized the book's title today on the store.com. This book sparked my imagination when I was a child and I am ecstatic to have finally found it again. Definitely a fun read for any child!

A fun book with lots of wonderful, imaginative detail that is very captivating. Lots of writing, but even my 4 and 5 year old like this story. Pictures are fair and could be better. Overall enjoyable.

We've had this book since my oldest was 2 and am now buying it for my youngest's classroom. This book has been part of many conversations in our home. We spoke of financial classes, my children's eating habits and the weather, of course! We've been known to quote it on occasion! This book also helps remind adults to use their imaginations!

This is an amusing and fun book for young kids, and can be a funny book to read for those kids who are in the stages of reading on their own.
My 4 year old son loves this story, and laughs every time at the wacky happenings. The illustrations are great and really add to the humor of the story.

This is an all around great book! We have loved reading this book over and over. It brings a smile to your face and lifts you up! As authors ourselves, it is inspirational to see books written by other authors.
Darla, Sydney and Jimmy Batchler

I bought this to read to my five year old son. I had to stop reading at times because he was laughing so much. It is silly and fun to read. I would recommend this to anyone who has little ones. It is very entertaining and lots to see.

I have been looking for this book for years and finally found it. I loved it as a child and it was the greatest. How cool would it be to live in a world like that in this book. I love it with every childhood bone in this body! Love it love it love it!! I recommend you read it and read it to your kids!

This book is wonderful! I love the story line and it's so much fun to read to my younger classes. I was so pleased with this book!!! If you didn't read it as a child, you definately should read it as an adult. Great book!!!

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is one of the most delightful, imaginative books I have read in a long time. From the whimsical story to the vivid illustrations, I savored every page along with my nine-year-old son. It's book that kids will want to read over and over. A classic!

I found this book at my Grandma's, years ago, and I have always loved it ever since. Somehow, I have never been able to get this book out of my head, I look for it everwhere I go, but I can never find it. I'm glad I finally did. It's a wonderful, imaginative story.

Perfect. A great story well told and beautifully illustrated, in an appropriately sized format. Who doesn't fantasize about food? And how about food on a colossal scale? And as the weather itself? Good, good fun.

"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" is a fanciful and entertaining book that I read to my children when they were young. I purchased one for my newest grandchild and my son was thrilled to have a book from his childhood to read to his daughter.

A trip down memory lane. As a child, my siblings and I LOVED this book; mostly because we were fascinated by the strange artwork. It is creative and unique and I look forward to passing it on to my niece for her to enjoy while she grows up.

The story is great, but I am returning the item because the book jacket is awful. I ordered a hardcover, and the book itself has no picture or title on the cover, only the book jacket shows the cover. That alone is odd, but this jacket is as thin as a piece of paper! It won't survive one year in my classroom. I've never seen such cheap, lazy packaging in my life. The pages are also thin and tender, they aren't strong glossy pages like most books. As much as I love this story, it's not worth the money because it won't last.

I remember hearing this book read out loud to the neighboring 4th grade class a few years ago; they didn't like it, neither did I. Maybe this falls in the category of if you liked it when you were little, you like it as an adult due to the memories it brings back. I decided to give the book another chance after reading all the positive reviews on the store and boy was I disappointed with my purchase.

Why? The plot is thin to say the least. Here it is in a nutshell: The weather brings the townspeople their food. One day for no reason the weather stops giving them good things to eat so the people all move away.

For no reason!! That's not my idea of a plot twist. The story ends with all the people living in a new town and adjusting to shopping from the grocery stores. Hmmm. I just don't get what all the fuss is about. Yes, the illustrations are clever but I think that isn't enough to carry the book. When the Sky Is Like Lace is a much better spin on the idea of weird weather and, since it's back in print, I recommend that you buy that one instead if you're looking for a fun quirky book to share with your children.

Growing up with so many different books to choose from, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was my favorite childrens book. It is so imaginative and crazy. It got me imagining so many different things. It is a great book for children.

This is one book that I remember my mother reading to me before bed. I also remember her wanting me to choose something different! This book is a neat way for a child to learn about weather and food and it enables children to use a broad imagination.

I remember having this book read to me in school when I was younger and I LOVED it. Now I have a 4 year old daughter, and I decided to get it for her. She loves it also! We read it almost every night together.

This book is written very creatively and is entertaining for anyone who reads it. I am 15 years old, and I don't remember not reading this book. I don't know of anyone in my family who doesn't like it. I recommend it to anyone and everyone!

No other words than BUY this book are necessary here. I am now a mom of 2 wonderful kids and to this day, this is still my favorite book. It is wonderful for children and also teaches valuable lessons.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I read it in the second grade and I have been searching for it ever since! This is one of the best books ever written. It is absolutely not just a book for kids!!

If you like the word "the" you will really enjoy this book. This book is fille with all sorts of great words like "the" and "and". I find that words really help the story develop. Oh yeah - the pictures are also good. By using lines and stuff - they are able to make the paper resemble something that looks familiar. The book does not contain meatballs - but there are pictures of meatballs.

I downloaded this book for my Kindle Fire. I am a teacher and I wanted to share it with my class. There is no way I will be able to share this because it is way too small. I can barely even read the words because they are so tiny. My kids won't even be able to see the pictures so this was a waste of money. The print version would have been a much better buy.

I am highly annoyed. I ordered this book for my classroom and thought it was a great deal price-wise. However, when I received it, it was the size of 4 fingers. It is obviously a knock-off and was not labled that this was a minature version. I feel ripped-off and taken advantage of. You are rude sellers!

The only thing good I can say about this book, was that the artwork was awesome.
If the author stopped describing food... oh, about 8 pages into it, it might've held my interest. The author goes on and on and on, describing food. I kept thinking, "Alright, already! We get the idea! FOOD IS FALLING FROM THE SKY!!!"
A nice idea ruined by long, boring text and a *horrible* ending.

We got this book from the library and both me and my son could barely finish it. The whole story seemed like very poor taste to me and even decent illustrations could not save it.
Sorry. I know lots of people like this book, but I am not one of them.

I can't believe this book has 5 stars. . I'm so confused. I bought this book for my kids for Christmas after reading the rave reviews...and I can't express how completely disappointed I am. Rather than being "whimsical" the book was more "disturbing" with a touch of "nauseating". After I read this book to my six year old she offered to take it to her school and donate it to the school library. . . that oughta tell you something.