Mmm, Cookies!

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is the
author of several books, including The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese
Women’s Lives, Kurlek and Margaret Laurence: T

The back-cover summary of this Munsch tale is difficult to beat for
concision and accuracy: “When Christopher finds a bunch of playclay in
the basement, he makes a playclay cookie and goes looking for someone to
eat it—‘YUCK!’” Yuck indeed. Mummy, Daddy, and Christopher’s
teacher are not amused. Neither is Christopher when the teacher returns
the favor.

Munsch’s words—some newly invented—add to the fun. The process of
making the clay cookies involves sounds like “whap,” “swish,”
“chik,” “glick,” and “plunk.” Innocent tasters are reduced
to “Yuck! Pwah! Splicht! Gla-Gla-Gla-Gla!” Bathroom mouthwashes are
rendered as “Burble, splat, splicht, BWAHH.” Kids will love the
anticipated repetitions.

Michael Martchenko’s hilarious illustrations perfectly partner the
text: larger than life (this includes a nine-foot-high clay cookie) in
strong colors, with inflated reactions of joy, horror, and enthusiasm.
Martchenko has illustrated earlier works by Munsch, including Alligator
Baby (1997), Andrew’s Loose Tooth (1998), We Share Everything (1999),
and The Paper Bag Princess (1981). Mmm, Cookies! is highly recommended.