Cornbread and Poppy by Matthew Cordell

Cornbread and Poppy by Matthew Cordell
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre: Children’s (6-8 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Cornbread LOVES planning. Poppy does not. Cornbread ADORES preparing. Poppy does not. Cornbread IS ready for winter. Poppy…is not. But Cornbread and Poppy are the best of friends, so when Poppy is left without any food for the long winter, Cornbread volunteers to help her out. Their search leads them up, up, up Holler Mountain, where these mice might find a new friend…and an old one. Celebrating both partnership and the value of what makes us individuals, young readers will find this classic odd-couple irresistible as they encounter relatable issues with humor and heart.

I am a nanny of a six-year-old girl who is going into first grade and we chose this book from the state reading list. We unknowingly saved the best for last. Cornbread and Poppy is a must read.

I’m not sure who loved this story more, me or the little girl that I read it to. This book is about procrastination. Something we all do at one point or another in our life. My son’s procrastination is the bane of my existence. We have a new saying in the house now thanks to this story. “Be a Cornbread not a Poppy!”.

Cornbread likes to be organized and prepared aka a “prepper”. In this situation it’s about having enough food to survive the winter. Poppy is a major procrastinator. She’ll do it “later”. Well, of course winter comes and Poppy isn’t prepared. What will she do? I’m all about natural consequences. It was her responsibility to prepare. I’m not sure I’d help her. Fortunately for Poppy, Cornbread is a good friend. He helps her to find food so she doesn’t starve. Where they found the food was the entertaining part of the story.

This story is a wonderful example of friendship, bravery, and humor. The ending had me groaning out loud and the little girl with me laughing out loud. She was quick to say, “Read it again!”. Oh, I read it several times before we returned it to the library. I think the little girl mostly enjoyed my reaction over Poppy. Of all the irresponsible things to do in life, procrastinating is the worst. I’m proud to be a cornbread.