Lauren Peterson (Booklist, May 15, 1997 (Vol. 93, No. 18))
When her granddaughter, Lucy, comes down with the chicken pox, Mama Provi cooks a big pot of arroz con pollo, packs it in a giant shopping bag, and starts the journey from her first-floor apartment to Lucy's apartment on the eighth floor. On the second-floor landing, "a wondrous smell tickled her nose," prompting Mama Provi to barter a bowl of her chicken with rice for a chunk of Mrs. Landers' crusty bread. And so it continues: on every floor, Mama Provi dips into her pot and makes an exchange: a bit of Senor Rivera's frijoles negros, a generous portion of Mrs. Johnson's collard greens, a pot of Mrs. Woo's tea. Roth's decorative, boldy colored watercolors make intriguing use of perspective and nicely portray Mama Provi's multicultural world. A charming debut for the author, this is a wonderful celebration of food and culture, friends and family. Category: For the Young. 1997, Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, $16. Ages 5-8.

Tim Whitney (Children's Literature)
Mama Provi lives on the first floor of a tall apartment building. Her granddaughter, Lucy, lives on the eighth floor of the same building and spends the night with Mama Provi twice a month. When Lucy gets the chicken pox and is unable to visit, Mama Provi prepares to visit her with a large pot of arroz con pollo (chicken with rice). But as Mama Provi climbs the seven flights of stairs to Lucy's door, she begins exchanging food with the neighbors creating, by the end of her climb, a multicultural feast. Roth's illustrations enhance the warm feeling in this story of good neighbors and good food. 1997, Atheneum Books, $16.00. Ages 5 to 8.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1997)
Rosa-Casanova's first book is a terrific blend of a cumulative tale, a cook's tour of ethnic cuisine--a genuine sense of apartment life, and an unforced display of affection. Mama Provi lives on the ground floor of a city building; her granddaughter Lucy lives on the eighth floor. When Lucy gets the chicken pox, Mama Provi whips up a big batch of arroz con pollo (Mama, in a family of twelve, is hardwired to cook in great quantities) and sets out to scale the apartment stairs. On each floor, as she catches her breath, Mama Provi smells something delicious--fresh bread, frijoles negros, collard greens, an apple pie--and trades a bowl of rice for a portion of each, as well as some salad and tea. By the time she gets to Lucy, a fine feast has been hunted and gathered in a story with elegant forward energy and well-paced repetitions. Roth's watercolor-and-ink illustrations have all the eccentricity the tale deserves, and superbly conjure the special life that goes on in the hallways and stairs of apartment buildings. 1997, Atheneum, $16.00. © 1997 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 1997 (Vol. 51, No. 1))
Mama Provi prepares some arroz con pollo for her granddaughter Lucy after Lucy comes down with the chicken pox and cannot make her usual Friday visit. On her way from her first floor apartment to Lucy's eighth floor apartment with her poultry treat, Mama Provi passes the doors of her neighbors. The cooking aromas that waft from under each door triggers a culinary trade-off-white bread from Mrs. Landers, frijoles negros from Seņor Rivera, fresh green salad from Mrs. Bazzini, collard greens from Mrs. Johnson, etc.-that results in Mama Provi arriving at the top floor with a foods-from-around-the-world feast that cheers the chicken-pox-ridden (but apparently unstoppable) Lucy right up. Kids will catch on to the pattern of this cumulative story quickly, but that won't limit their enjoyment of it as cozy Mama Provi bustles about her kitchen, huffs up the stairs with her pot of chicken and rice, and trades happily with her neighbors. Roth's watercolors have a light, airy feeling not usually found in picture books about urban apartment dwellers, and his tipsy perspectives lend a whimsy to the compositions that contributes to their effectiveness and appeal. This is going to make those looking for a culturally inclusive readaloud very happy. R--Recommended. (c) Copyright 1997, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1997, Atheneum, 32p, $16.00. Ages 4-7 yrs.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, 1997)
When Lucy gets the chicken pox, Mama Provi cooks a pot of chicken and rice to cheer her granddaughter. On her way up the stairs to Lucy's eighth-floor apartment, Mama Provi exchanges some of her 'arroz con pollo' for other wonderful-smelling dishes on each floor, and a delicious multicultural meal is the result. Fine black lines, angular shapes, and speckled watercolors add a quirky touch to the comforting story. Category: Fiction. 1997, Atheneum, 32pp.. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.