In the Night Kitchen (1970)

Pages: 36
Reading Level: 2.8

This controversial book is a breather odd account of a naked young boy helping cooks bake bread for the morning. The interest level and reading level of this book tell me that it is not likely a book that I would use in a grade level classroom. I did not like the book and the meaning was hard to find.

I typically LOVE Maurice Sendak books, and Where the Wild Things Are is one of my all-time favorites. While the illustrations in this one were pretty neat, the story was just so-so to me. I expect Sendak books to charm the socks off of me, but it just didn't happen this time. Oh well. ( )

Surreal dreamtime book by the creator of Where the Wild Things Are. At bedtime, Mickey falls into the Night Kitchen where the bakers (who look a lot like Oliver Hardy, IMO) are baking the morning cake. This may sound scary, but it's not; Mickey escapes the bakers in a plane made of dough, swipes their measuring cup and flies to the Milky Way to gather some milk. Full of fun fantasy, this story will make little sense to adult minds, but I bet your children will love it! Challenged/banned for: depicting nudity and offensive language (I guess they mean the naked boy crowing "Cock-a-doodle-doo" at the end?! I can't find any offensive language in the book!). ( )

In The Night Kitchen is an odd story about a boy named Mickey who dreams that he falls up into a kitchen and helps bakers knead the dough and make the cakes and bread for the morning. He is seen swimming through milk and flying an airplane made of dough in comic book-like illustrations.

Children might be able to relate to this story because of the odd things that happen in dreams, however, I found it to be very strange. Mickey is seen naked in several pictures which may be considered controversial by some parents and teachers. I am not in love with the story and would perhaps pick a different story about dreams and the fantastical events that occur in them.

In the Night Kitchen is about a boy named Mickey, who falls up (while laying in bed) into the Night Kitchen. I found this book to be a little odd. Mickey is naked throughout most of the book, except when he is covered in batter. He falls "up" is strange alone. When reading this, be sure to point out the illustrations and mention that people fall down, not up. A younger kid would walk around saying that he fell up after reading this. The whole story doesn't much much sense, but after all Mickey is dreaming and anything is possible when we dream. After reading this, you could also have your class tell, or illustrate one of their dreams. ( )