Award-winning, nationally syndicated cartoonist Steve Breen has created a clever story of longing, disappointment and pluck in his lively new picture book, Woodpecker Wants a Waffle.
One day a woodpecker named Benny awakes to the best “tummy-rumbling smell” he had ever encountered. Curious as woodpeckers are, he follows the aroma to Moe’s, a brand-spanking new cafe and home of the “hot waffle breakfast.” The seeds of desire are planted, and Benny insists he must have a waffle.
His polite efforts to acquire a waffle from Moe’s are met with a sharp kick from a no-nonsense waitress, followed by a strong “fwap” from her broom when Benny later tries to sneak in disguised as the print on a lady’s purple dress.
His attempts at clever disguises—including a mustached health inspector—are met with his swift relocation to the trashcan. His failure is worsened by the ridicule from the other animals. After all, bears don’t nibble bagels, and raccoons never eat ravioli, so why should a woodpecker crave a waffle? When Benny simply says, “Why not?” the other animals’ logic falls short, so impatient Benny devises a grand plan and asks the animal pals to attend. Will all these shenanigans land a waffle on Benny’s plate? You’ll have to wait and see.
The lively characters in Breen’s illustrations are infused with enough personality to carry the story, and with easy, alliteration-studded language, the book will prove endearing to children and adult readers alike.
Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
