Who will win the chef’s crown?
Chef Romi Rabbit jumped at the opportunity to compete in the upcoming cooking competition. As the well-known chef in town, Romi is confident she will win the grand prize and the bragging rights that come with it. When Chef Romi and sous chef Sam arrive at the contest, Romi makes it clear that she is the star, while Sam is merely her assistant.
As the contest is about to begin, Chef Romi prefers greeting her adoring fans while Sam frantically steps in to handle the necessary cooking against the ticking clock.
When chaos erupts in the kitchen in a race against time, it is quick thinking that becomes the winning ingredient!
Who will win the chef’s crown?
Chef Romi Rabbit jumped at the opportunity to compete in the upcoming cooking competition. As the well-known chef in town, Romi is confident she will win the grand prize and the bragging rights that come with it. When Chef Romi and sous chef Sam arrive at the contest, Romi makes it clear that she is the star, while Sam is merely her assistant.
As the contest is about to begin, Chef Romi prefers greeting her adoring fans while Sam frantically steps in to handle the necessary cooking against the ticking clock.
When chaos erupts in the kitchen in a race against time, it is quick thinking that becomes the winning ingredient!
Celebrated, Chef Romi Rabbit is the best chef in town and loves to boast about it. Upon learning of a cooking show competition, she leaps at the chance to enter, confident she’ll win the crown.
Romi makes certain her sous chef, Sam, knows that she’s the star chef, and he is just her assistant. She chooses to entertain her fans rather than cook, leaving Sam to rush and prepare spaghetti and meatballs before time is up.
Finally Romi arrives in the kitchen, joining Sam and taking charge. Amidst the commotion, a sugar mishap threatens the meal. Thanks to Sam’s quick thinking the dish is saved and it serves up an award-winning surprise.
Using playful rhymes, Best Chef In Town emphasizes the value of teamwork and acknowledging a job well done. Romi’s journey from self-centeredness to selfless appreciation was refreshing. Sometimes stepping from the spotlight out of appreciation for another’s contribution is the best choice.
Vaughn’s illustrations are colorful, exciting, and hilarious—perfect for children!
Educational Influence:
I review books through an educational lens. Things I consider: Would I read this to my Pre-K/Kindergarten class? Is there value in the story that will teach my kiddos something new or reinforce a concept or skill?
I analyze the story by focusing on some of the key elements I taught my students during a read aloud: characters, plot, language, setting and illustrations. Other characteristics I look for are text quality and theme.
Characters:
When analyzing a story with students, the characters should be genuine, relatable and elicit emotion. Romi is a dynamic character. She bcomes an admirable role model for children once she stops bossing Sam around and recognizes his valubale contributions.
Plot:
In a Pre-K/Kindergarten classroom, we describe the plot as the Beginning-Middle-End. Some stories present better examples of this concept, but many offer rich opportunities to explore various story elements.
There is a definite break down of Romi’s personal growth shown through the plot. In the beginning, she’s prideful and shows little regard for others. Throughout the middle her vanity peaks as she perfomrs for her fans ignoring the rules of the contest, and dismisses Sam so she can take credit for the dish he cooked. By the end, she humbles herself and acknowledges Sam’s shrewd performance deserves the award.
Setting:
The story takes place in two locations pertinent to the story: Cafe Romi and the TV studio where the cooking competition occurs.
Language:
Vocabulary is key in children’s books. It’s one of the critical elements I taught my kiddos before each reading. I’d focus on five key words and develop an understanding of the words through the read aloud and related activities.
Fun, character driven dialogue pushes the story forward and encapsulates their personalities.
Text:
This story’s punchy rhyme is fun and easy to follow.
Theme:
Illustrations and text combine to show the value of teamwork, fair play and a big plate of humble pie!
In short, this story encapsulates the moral lesson that everyone has value.