Common Sense Media Review
Zany food-as-weather tale full of humor, great drawings.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 12 kid reviews
Kids say that this book is a beloved childhood favorite, appealing to both children and adults with its whimsical storytelling and imaginative premise. However, some readers express disappointment upon comparing it to the movie, finding it short and lacking character development.
- beloved childhood favorite
- imaginative storytelling
- comparison to movie
- lacks character development
- suitable for young kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Hamburgers fall from the sky, as do scrambled eggs (with a side of toast) as do cherry pie and, you guessed it, meatballs. When the weather turns nasty, down rains a deluge of stinky gorgonzola, overcooked broccoli, and thick tomato sauce. Can Grandpa, Kate, and Henry find a way to deal with it?
Is It Any Good?
This story is a gratifying, if lightweight, dish of foolishness. It aims for laughs and gets them -- through sight gags for both kids and adults, the deadpan tones of an old-style weather forecast ("Dinner one night consisted of lamb chops, becoming heavy at times, with occasional ketchup"), and the sheer preposterousness of events. Don't look for hidden depths here; the story lives on the surface, and as slapstick it works just fine. It also has a bit of science fiction, too: Those giant T-bones could easily have come from a spaceship.
The lengthy text rambles at times, which can be a problem for some younger listeners, but the funny story and detailed illustrations will hold most kids' interest. The illustrations look like old-fashioned comic-strip drawings or something found in a turn-of-the-century magazine, with hectic line work and wealth of details.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about weird weather. What's the strangest weather you've ever experienced?
If weather really was food, what foods would you want to have fall from the sky?
How do you think the first movie adapation compares with the book?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Ron Barrett
- Genre : Humor
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : January 1, 1978
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 7
- Number of pages : 32
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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