Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1997)
A neat slice of Cameroonian life. Terrible two-year-old Toto can't get enough to eat and can't stay out of trouble. When his grandmother, Big Mami, takes him to market, Toto's business as usual includes knocking over a pile of puffpuffs to get the choicest one from the bottom of the heap, tumbling into a vat of palm oil, and scarfing an entire plate of koki. "Oh, no, Toto!" is the refrain, but Big Mami knows that he is "too little to know any better," and can't get mad at the little bundle. Ushered home by his exhausted grandmother, Toto tucks into a pot of egussi soup and inevitably falls asleep. Tchana and Pami breathe life into the West African market scene, introducing readers to some of the local foodstuffs (a glossary of terms is included, along with a recipe for soup) and sprinkle the text with patois: "Mami Peter! How now?" The strong oil paintings convey warmth, while Bootman shows a real knack for exaggerated gestures, e.g., Big Mami slapping her forehead at Toto's shenanigans, and even better, Toto's face--forlorn and covetous--as he passes a bowl of vegetables on his way to the bath. A title that teaches through laughter and affection. 1997, Scholastic, $15.95. © 1997 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, March 1997 (Vol. 50, No. 7))
Two-year-old Toto Gourmand, so called because he is always hungry, "lives in Cameroon, which is a beautiful country in West Africa." His grandmother, Big Mami, takes him to market to shop for a special dinner, and in a way that only two-year-olds can, Toto disrupts every vendor while sampling every tasty treat available ("Big Mami didn't have enough money for Toto to eat everything in the market. . . . It was time to take Toto home"). He is sent to his room in disgrace, but he is irresistibly drawn to the kitchen by the wonderful smell of egussi soup. The text is unremarkable, but Toto's gourmandise has a certain cumulative momentum. Bootman's oil paintings, while a bit flashy and slick, are full of vibrant textiles and vivid characterizations, bright backgrounds and gleeful expressions. The final painting of Toto curled up full and asleep next to the empty soup pot is endearing. An author's note gives cultural context to the tale; a glossary of Cameroonian foods and a recipe for egussi soup are included. Ad--Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. Reviewed from galleys (c) Copyright 1997, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1997, Scholastic, [32p], $15.95. Ages 4-7 yrs.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, 1997)
When his grandmother takes him to the market, Toto Gourmand cannot resist eating everything he can get his hands on--pastries, a hard-boiled egg, and someone else's lunch. Once home, he has enough appetite left to consume all of the soup intended for a family dinner. Set in Cameroon, the text is flavored with ethnic words. The oil paintings show very realistic people, and Toto's toddler antics are captured perfectly. Glos. Category: Fiction. 1997, Scholastic, 32pp.. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.