Inside the Slidy Diner

by Laurel Snyder

Meet Edie, who resides--permanently--at The Slidy Diner. She'd really like it if you would join her. With Edie as your guide you'll have no trouble avoiding the wigglepedes, and she'll steer you away from the pumpkin asparagus pie with crunchy-bit topping (nobody knows what the crunchy bits are).

In her first picturebook, author Laurel Snyder teams with artist Jaime Zollars to give readers the ultimate greasy spoon experience, and leaves them wondering: Do the creepy goings-on at The Slidy Diner really exist or are they the product of a lonely girl's imagination? Reviews "...for the child who thrives on weird and gross."—Richmond Parents Monthly  "Here's a diner well worth repeated visits-but steer clear of the "chocolate" milk."-Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Laurel Snyder is the author of six children's novels, "Orphan Island," "Seven Stories Up," "Bigger than a Bread Box," "Penny Dreadful," "Up and Down the Scratchy Mountains OR The Search for a Suitable Princess" and "Any Which Wall" (Random House) as well as many picture books, including "Charlie & Mouse," "The Forever Garden," "Swan, the life and dance of Anna Pavlova," and "Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher."

A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a former Michener Fellow, she also writes books for grownups, and is the author of a book of poems, "The Myth of the Simple Machines" (No Tell Books) and a chapbook, "Daphne & Jim: a choose-your-own-adventure biography in verse (Burnside Review Press) and the editor of an anthology, "Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes" (Soft Skull Press).

Though Baltimore will always be her home, she now lives happily in Atlanta.

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this BOOK!
I'm an author and illustrator, so I've seen a lot of books. But when I picked up this book, I was entranced from the cover all the way to the end. First, the prose is unique, lovely, quirky...a perfect match for the brilliant illustrations. My three- and five-year-old kids and I have been reading this one nightly. Each time we see different things in the illustrations we hadn't seen before...a mouse on a cat's back, an eye peeking through a hole in the wall...It's so much fun! It's the story of a young girl who gets stuck in the Slidy Diner after nabbing a lemon drop--and what an imaginative tale! If you love quirky, dark things that are just creepy enough to be fun but not so much that it turns scary, this is for you. I haven't seen my kids quite so enamored with a book in a while.

[Terry]

This is a clever book. It has a Halloween-year-round feel to it, with an ick-factor that parents will relate to in ways kids can't (since we don't usually take them to greasy spoons). Our daughter asked lots of questions the first few times through, and we found ourselves re-reading parts to try to help her make sense of it. The illustrations are fabulous. You'll want to spend time just exploring the pictures, because there is plenty going on that isn't covered in the poem itself.

To read our full review, go to the Reading Tub.

[Nora Glass · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book, and really, the only reason why it only got four stars is because I never give five stars to a book that is not my reading level. This book is about a girl who resides in a diner. It is a creepy diner, where if you have to go, HOLD IT! There is awesome descriptions, and I would recommend it to children ages three to seven.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imaginative, dark, and original. This is not your typical children's book. My daughter chose it when she was four. She is now six and it remains one of her favorites (and she has read hundreds of children's books).

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures are absolutely fantabulous, visually inspiring... but the story kind of loses me, like David Lynch for kiddies...

[Rachel Foraker · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 7 year old loves this book, in all it's gross detail. The detailed illustrations are awesome.

[Trinity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book very much. I actually read it 5-7 times.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's full of the deliciously gross stuff that make kids giggle.

[taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS IS NOT A KID'S BOOK

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this every Halloween. It's very creepy! Some how we were lucky to end up with a copy signed by the author!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the grotesque weirdness of this one, but I don't think kids will appreciate it. Apparently, their parents will not either, which is why it's getting weeded from my collection. It averages only 1 checkout per year!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yikes! What the?! David Lynch for kids sounds about right. Maybe I'll take it home for Derrick to read, but not to Lola!

[Zack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow this is one dark picture book! I loved it personally, but really don't see it working in a storytime. The illustrations are wonderful, the writing a bit choppy at times.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. It is about a diner that is dirty and gross. So don't read before a meal.

[Julianna]

for picture book readers

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was creepy and weird.
(but on the plus side it had creepy and weird illustrations)

[Tina B · Rating 2 out of 5]

"gross-out dishes and decor, weird, no storyline just description"

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

not my favorite children's book...kind of erie and gross in a not so good way.

[Priya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little weird...and depressing. I was expecting a cuter book.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations! Dark, icky, and fun! I'm not crazy about the tone of the tale for the tots though.

[Maeve · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't get this book. I'd never use this for a storytime.