Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Snyder
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Friendship tale is full of suspense and surprises.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In CORNBREAD & POPPY, readers are introduced to two mice -- Cornbread, who loves to plan, and Poppy, who loves to play. The two are best friends, though they have different approaches to life. Winter is quickly approaching, and while Cornbread is stocked and ready, Poppy is not. A good friend, Cornbread sticks by Poppy to help her find food for winter. The adventure leads them up Holler Mountain -- a journey not recommended for mice -- and uncovers surprises that they never would have imagined.
Is It Any Good?
Time flies when you're having fun, and Mathew Cordell's 80-page chapter book for early readers definitely moves quickly! Cornbread & Poppy is an entertaining read, full of suspense and surprises. It is a great introduction to chapter books: The chapters will make an early reader feel advanced, and the illustrations and amount of text on each page make the reading experience feel not so overwhelming. The title characters are effectively developed to be likable, despite their varying styles and Poppy's questionable decision making.
Cordell's recognizable artistic style complements the story and illustrates the beauty of friendship. Parents will appreciate the broader lessons about seeking adventure, accepting differences, facing fears, and being a loyal friend that their young readers will gain while reading. Kids will look forward to more Cornbread & Poppy adventures in future installments of the series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about friendship in Cornbread & Poppy. Who's your best friend? How are you similar? How are you different?
Why is it important to plan ahead? Why is it important to have fun? Are you more like Cornbread, who likes to plan, or more like Poppy, who likes to play?
Cornbread and Poppy are surprised by both Bernard and Ms. Ruthie. What's surprising about Bernard? What's surprising about Ms. Ruthie? Were you surprised to find out the truth about them?
Book Details
- Author: Matthew Cordell
- Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
- Genre: Friendship
- Topics: Adventures , Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
- Publication date: January 4, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 80
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 29, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
What to Read Next
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate