Help me write a gourmet children's story

[Jaymes]

Jaymes, notice the usually omniviposting FG ignored both of us asking about the age of the children he is after.  What does that tell us?

Perhaps he is not aware that kiddos come in different sizes??? Thinking maybe that "little" is just, well, little?

But I suspect that probably he hadn't considered that, and is not sure exactly which age he should target.

To that end, I would ask:

How did you come to decide to do this project? Were you asked to do it by someone else? In that case, can you inquire from them what age they intended to target? If you are the one who conceptualized the project, what is its purpose? Are you hopeful of commercial gain? Is the final product intended to be used as an educational tool in schools or other formal childcare facilities? Is it intended to be perused by the children on their own or with an adult such as a teacher or parent guiding them and discussing things? Do you envision this as a lengthy "book" or short, cute, funny and sweet?

There's just so much for poor FG to decide. I frankly believe he hadn't even considered the ages.

But I don't want to ask him. You ask him.

[tony h]

don't forget scotland's impotant contribution:

pizza dipped in batter then deep fried accompanied with chips is called a "pizza supper"

On a more serious note - don’t forget the importance of smell on the perception of food. Smell seems to be the one sense that often gets left out of descriptions in general. It could be helpful to build up an aroma vocabulary to allow more precise definitions of what is experienced (and hence remembered, if that’s important). Increasing a child’s vocabulary (always a good thing anyway) in this way could also be fun – sniffing tests could allow them to join in at home from simple things found in most kitchens.

You could take a similar approach to colour & texture. For example, I tried to create a blue coloured meal once – it tasted Ok when your eyes were closed but putting in your mouth while looking at it was very hard. Why do we have an aversion to blue food - beats me.

[Miss J]

Why do we have an aversion to blue food - beats me.

It looks like mold.

[tony h]

but, I can eat blue cheese perfectly well

[Gavin Jones]

But the blue is only in veins.

This is because historically Aristocrats have been the most nutritious class.

Mouldy aristocrat is less delicious - have you ever tried to bite into a rancid Duke? Disgusting. I generally prefer to have the aristocrats I eat presented without a head - luckily the French understood this issue as they began to develop their excellent cuisine.

[Fat Guy]

How did you come to decide to do this project?  Were you asked to do it by someone else?  In that case, can you inquire from them what age they intended to target?  If you are the one who conceptualized the project, what is its purpose?  Are you hopeful of commercial gain?  Is the final product intended to be used as an educational tool in schools or other formal childcare facilities?  Is it intended to be perused by the children on their own or with an adult such as a teacher or parent guiding them and discussing things?  Do you envision this as a lengthy "book" or short, cute, funny and sweet?

Jaybee & Jaymes, re-read the thread more carefully and there's a bonus if you find my answer to your question.

Through my participation on a pet-oriented message board I virtually met up with an illustrator who in her spare time (meaning while she was at the job where she supports herself by doing some boring and repetitive task that she hates, I don't know what) drew a picture of my dog wearing SCUBA gear. There was some back and forth and the idea of a children's story came up. I don't know anything about SCUBA (well, that's not true, I know a lot but I know more about food) so I suggested that whatever story we collaborated on should be about food. Then I came up with the idea expressed in the original query posed on this thread. As I've already said -- look in the blind spot -- I haven't given a moment's thought to all these practical considerations of plot and audience. The first round of this is to get some illustrations in the works based on some fun international food examples. We'll put these on the Web and see if people like them, then maybe we'll refine it into something that has the proper contours of a real book.

As with everything I do, commercial gain is pretty much the last thing on my mind. If this evolves into something people want to pay money for, that's their problem. Now come up with some usable material and suggestions for me and then you'll have earned the right to ask your next round of insightful questions.

[tony h]

As with everything I do, commercial gain is pretty much the last thing on my mind.

you're a traitor to your country

[Gavin Jones]

How about this.

The Dog forces the child to make shoes or cash-crop or work in a sweat shop so that the Dog has enough money to go to the best French restaurant.

The Dog proceeds to order Fillet steak (off-menu).

What further investigation could be needed.

[Jaymes]

Through my participation on a pet-oriented message board I virtually met up with an illustrator .

Ah.... so the dog is the star.

Could be many cute plot opportunities here.

On the other hand, also many opportunities to get sucked into the doggie debates... like the feuding "it's-okay-to-feed-your-dog-people-food" vs "people-food-is-bad-for-dogs" factions.

[Jaymes]

Maybe you could provide plot tension by having the human be a food critic who travels the world for his occupation, taking along his trusty dog. While the food critic eats in the restaurant, somehow the dog always winds up in the alleyway out back sampling the garbage from the restaurant.

Then, the two could compare their experiences, including ambiance and dining companions:

"Boy, Rover, the lunch special was sure good today." "Well, Master, yesterday's really stunk up the joint."

"There were three famous celebrities in the restaurant eating at the next table." "Yeah, well I had two homeless guys, some snotty mutt who looked half poodle and barked with a French accent and would only eat the 'best' of the stuff, and the fattest cat you ever saw who hogged all the fish."

Also, this provides ample possibilities for humor as no matter how the food critic attempts to restrain the dog, he outwits the human and makes it to the alley.

And drama if the dog briefly runs away in an effort to sample the "real cuisine" in the neighborhoods instead of just behind fancy restaurants.

And of course, a "lesson" in the end, about values and hunger and money and snobbery, and "fine dining vs. cheap eats."

So in the end, the Dog (gentle, kind, accepting, grateful) teaches the Human (snobbish, judgmental, self-centered, demanding) lessons about life.

[bigbear]

How about sampling the dishes that are typical of the geographical areas from which the host-dog's buddies originated? The Australian Cattle Dog, the Basenji (Africa), Chesapeake Bay Retriver, Finnish Spitz, and so on.

[Jaymes]

How about sampling the dishes that are typical of the geographical areas from which the host-dog's buddies originated? The Australian Cattle Dog, the Basenji (Africa), Chesapeake Bay Retriver, Finnish Spitz, and so on.

BB - That's a wonderful idea... Chihuahua; British Springer Spaniel.... It's a great idea...

[Fat Guy]

Wow, bigbear, that's actually brilliant.

[bigbear]

Wow, bigbear, that's actually brilliant.

Thanks and you are Welcome to it.

[Blue Heron]

If I were doing this children's book, I'd turn it into a mystery or guessing game, to get the little ones thinking about the answer before they find out (they'd have to turn the page to find the answer). On one page, I'd have an illustration of Momo in whatever country or area the dish comes from, with illustrations of the ingredients, and the question posed... what do these ingredients together make? Then when they turn the page, they would see another illustration of Momo holding or eating the completed dish, with the name of the dish listed in Big Letters just below the illustration.

I love Bigbear's idea about a host dog, too. You could combine it with a mystery of which country or area Momo is in (based on Momo's attire, illustration of Bigbears host dog, or other clue) and make that part of the guessing game, along with guessing which dish the ingredients will produce.

[Fat Guy]

I'm not into the game thing. That's probably an age-group issue. Whatever age-group it is that you do guessing-game books for, that's not the one I'm interested in writing for. I guess I need to educate myself on this. I wish my wife would write a book about how to write and publish children's books. Hey, wait a second . . .

[Blue Heron]

I'm not into the game thing. That's probably an age-group issue. Whatever age-group it is that you do guessing-game books for, that's not the one I'm interested in writing for. I guess I need to educate myself on this. I wish my wife would write a book about how to write and publish children's books. Hey, wait a second . . .

however, from your interest in tv shows, you do like a good mystery, no?

You could think of it as a good mystery, on every page. I'm trying to think of the mystery game they played last year at the elementary school I volunteer at....something like "Where is Momo this week? ( if memory serves me correctly it was a dog visiting different places) with various clues...the first person to guess where he is that week gets a prize. Kids love mysteries.

[Jaymes]

How about sampling the dishes that are typical of the geographical areas from which the host-dog's buddies originated? The Australian Cattle Dog, the Basenji (Africa), Chesapeake Bay Retriver, Finnish Spitz, and so on.

Malemute - a heavy, working, long-haul freight sled dog, or the more-famous and lighter-weight Huskies.

The Alaskans feed their dogs chum salmon (among other things), which the Alaskans call "dog salmon."

And of course, I'm back to Eskimo Ice Cream.