EMPTY FRIDGE

The many and varied occupants of an apartment house in a French city have been busy all day, talking on the phone, cycling, playing music, working, having lunch; so busy, in fact, that—quel désastre!—no one has remembered to buy any food!

In a wonderful chain of visits, each colorful character makes a trip up to the next floor to explore how they can pool the paltry ingredients they have scavenged to make a meal that everyone can share. Rose, on the top floor, invites all the neighbors in to brainstorm recipes. Suddenly, she has an epiphany! By combining everyone’s ingredients, they can make a quiche. A cozy quiche-baking party ensues, and the neighbors chat and laugh as they prepare the feast. Throughout this little neighborhood, the small miracle spreads. People gather sociably on all the buildings’ top floors, and impromptu cookouts sprout on every street corner. Everyone’s hunger for company has been satisfied. The whimsical European flavor of Dorémus’ line drawings will appeal to children and adults alike. Flat color washes, used selectively, keep the eyes moving around the page and visually make the moral point as the people and the food reach a crescendo of warmth and togetherness.

A delicious celebration of community can-do.