Eating Up Gladys by Margot Zemach

Eating Up Gladys Reviews

• 
  Linda

  No thanks.
  We're so mad We're going to eat you? What the heck? There's also the small matter of the three girls, of course girls, taking care of the house and baby and making spaghetti, in lieu of any boys doing these things.
  It also ends abruptly and doesn't really drive home a message or redemption.
  Not a fan.
• 
  Valerie Doherty

  It's a tale of a "bossy" older sib and a "how to" solve the problem for the younger members of the family. It's an interesting idea for a story.
• 
  Stephanie

  Just fun. No amazing life lessons learned here, just a relatable story about what happens when a big sister is left in charge.
• 
  Ally Copper

  Most younger sisters look up to and sometimes envy their older sisters. Older sisters get to do things first and seem to get privileges younger siblings do not. When the older sister is bossy on top of that, younger sisters really feel they are being treated unfairly. That is what happens in "Eating Up Gladys" by Margot Zemach as the younger sisters, Hilda and Rose, have to spend an evening with their older sister Gladys in charge. They decide they do not like Gladys's attitude and that they should eat her for dinner. A little clumsiness on Gladys's part makes her end up stuck in a large cooking pot for the remainder of the evening. This picture book with watercolor and ink illustrations by Kaethe Zemach is not especially clever or endearing. The dialogue is uninteresting, and the characters come across as somewhat obnoxious rather than funny. Young readers (second and third grade) might laugh at the idea of Gladys falling into the cooking pot, but there is no broader lesson or message to be gained from the book. The plot just ends with Gladys stuck in the pot and the younger sisters making dinner and taking care of their baby sister, both of which they do with the greatest of ease. I expected Gladys to gain an appreciation for her younger sisters, and Hilda and Rose to gain an appreciation for the level of responsibility Gladys needs to hold while in charge ... but neither of those things happen. I think this book missed an opportunity to be more meaningful than a simple story about sibling rivalry.
• 
  eRin

  Gladys is the oldest sister and Hilda and Rose are sick of her. Gladys gets to ride a two-wheeler first and she's the only one allowed to take care of the baby. And worst of all, Gladys is bossy bossy bossy! She's always ordering the younger girls around and they've finally had enough! Hilda and Rose come up with a plan to cook Gladys--but how will they get her in the pot?
  
  Cute story for younger siblings everywhere (although I am the big sister and didn't exactly appreciate the intended cooking of Gladys!). I liked the bright and colorful illustrations. Fun, silly story.
• 
  Michael

  There is something so over the top about trying to put your overbearing sister in a pot and eat her for dinner that I have to just love this book. This story is very realistic in the sibling interactions, and I can totally see this series of events happening. It is silly and ludicrous while at the same time sentimental and human. A nice book to let your child ponder the possibilities.
• 
  Cana

  Mommy says: Middle and youngest children will love this story of a bossy older child's comeuppance!
• 
  Beth

  The younger sisters get sick of older sister Glayds being bossy. They decide to cooks her. All turns out in the end.
• 
  Bowoo

  it was sorta.... weird.
• 
  Kim Gardner

  Very cute for talking about sibling and family dynamics.
• 
  Marissa Elera

  It was really well executed but extremely strange and weird.