Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles

by Rupert Kingfisher, Sue Hellard (Illustrator)

Overview

Madame Pamplemousse is the story of Madeleine, forced to work in her unpleasant uncle's horrible restaurant, The Squealing Pig. By chance she comes across the most marvellous shop, run by Madame Pamplemousse, which is quiet, discreet, yet full of delicious and otherworldly 'edibles' - Pterodactyl Bacon, Scorpion Tails in Smoked Garlic Oil, and Great Squid Tentacle in Jasmine-Scented Jelly. A quiet comradeship develops between Madeleine, Madame Pamplemousse, and Madame's cat, Camembert. And together they create some wonderful culinary magic. Exquisite, beautifully formed prose that has echoes of Angela Carter belies a narrative that is full of pace. A wonderful fairy tale that will appeal to both adults and children.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599906966
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	10/01/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
Lexile:	970L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	8 Years

About the Author

This is Rupert Kingfisher's first book although he is working on another. His favourite authors as a child were Roald Dahl, Susan Cooper and Ursula le Guin. He also loved American horror comics and French cartoon books such as Asterix and Tintin. It was on a family holiday to Paris that he visited a bookshop dedicated to books such as Tintin - and also ate anchovies for the first time, on a pizza from a street vendor. He says that both experiences were equally life-changing.
Rupert studied Philosophy at Bristol University and Play Writing at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Rupert has had plays performed in Dublin, Edinburgh, London and on BBC Radio 4. He grew up in Oxfordshire and now lives in Brentford, Middlesex.
Rupert Kingfisher's favourite authors as a child were Roald Dahl, Susan Cooper and Ursula le Guin. He also loved American horror comics and French cartoon books such as Asterix and Tintin. It was on a family holiday to Paris that he visited a bookshop dedicated to books such as Tintin - and also ate anchovies for the first time, on a pizza from a street vendor. He says that both experiences were equally life-changing. Rupert studied Philosophy at Bristol University and Play Writing at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Rupert has had plays performed in Dublin, Edinburgh, London and on BBC Radio 4. He grew up in Oxfordshire and now lives in Brentford, Middlesex.
Sue Hellard is the illustrator of many wonderful books for children, including Princesses Are Not Quitters! and Take a Kiss to School. She lives in London.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 3-4

Madame Pamplemousse makes the rarest, most delicious delicacies in all of Paris in the basement of her small, shabby-looking shop. Monsieur Lard, who runs a fancy restaurant, The Squealing Pig, wants to be recognized as a famous chef, but his cooking is "revolting." His young niece discovers Madame Pamplemousse's shop when the restaurant runs out of pâté and she is sent to buy some. Word gets out about how wonderful it is, and Monsieur Langoustine, the most powerful food critic in Paris, books a table at the restaurant. Monsieur Lard volunteers Madeleine to be Madame's assistant so he can get one of her mysterious recipes. The child is given precise but minimal instructions and discovers the secret to Madame Pamplemousse's success. The friendship that develops between them is nicely done, and the fairy-tale ending is satisfying. Charming pen-and-ink spot art is a humorous accompaniment to this fanciful tale.-Debbie S. Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI

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