Book Review:Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith

Here's a review of another classic!

Some people say that Henry Green wasn't actually born, but hatched, like a chick, from a cocoa bean. Can you believe that? Henry absolutely LOVES chocolate more than most people do(he even gives John Midas a run for his money!), and even adds some to everything he eats(Chocolate syrup on pancakes, chocolate sprinkles sprinkled on top of pasta, chocolate bar sandwiches, chocolate syrup mixed into mashed potatoes, etc.). As Henry soon discovers, however, too much of a good thing may not necessarily be a good thing! One day, he discovers several little brown spots on his arm, which soon start popping out all over his body(with an audible popping sound, even)!

When Henry's condition is checked out by the school nurse, and eventually the doctor, it's revealed that the spots are made out of pure chocolate. The doctor thus dubs the condition "Chocolate Fever", which he assumes is sure to make medical history. Henry, not caring for this kind of fame, quickly runs away from the hospital, with the doctors in hot pursuit. Things look bleak for Henry, until he meets a kindly trucker named Mac.




My Thoughts:A very interesting, funny, well-written, and very nicely illustrated book. The characters are very likeable and have lots of personality(Mac's my fav character!); Henry himself is a very likeable and sympathetic character. The implicit moral of the story is that all things are best in moderation, which is, in fact, a pretty good idea.

An animated version of this book was made for the CBS Storybreak TV series in the '80s(hosted by Bob Keeshan, who was best known for playing Captain Kangaroo). This version was very book-faithful, save for a few minor differences, e.g. Henry's brother Mark doesn't appear in the film, and Henry sneaks into Mac's truck and hides, rather than Mac simply offering him a lift, as in the book. The film, IMHO, was very well made; the artwork was absolutely great, and the voices were very well-cast. Both the book and the film are good companion pieces to The Chocolate Touch.

Buy the book on Amazon!

Buy the film on Amazon!

Book Review:The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

Here's a review of another classic.

This modernized version of the tale of King Midas concerns a little boy named John Midas who likes to eat chocolate-and only chocolate. These eating habits are ruining his appetite, but his parents are unable to convince him otherwise. One day, John comes across a mysterious candy store and buys a piece of their best chocolate. Upon eating it, he gains the ability to turn whatever he puts in his mouth into chocolate. John really enjoys this at first, but his sweet dreams soon turn sour. (Apparently, the song was wrong...too much of a good thing isn't a good thing!)

My thoughts:This is a good and very interesting, albeit slightly dated book. The story is well-written and the characters' goofy names(Dr. Cranium, Ms. Plimsole, Susan Buttercup et al.) add to the overall appeal. The story does, of course, also have the same implicit moral of the original story:people shouldn't be greedy, and being greedy will get them in trouble. Overall, an enjoyable book that's worth a re-read or two.

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