J.E. Morris

May I Please Have a Cookie? Cover

May I Please Have a Cookie?

Written and Illustrated by Jennifer E. Morris
Cartwheel Books 2005
ISBN: 0439738199

Order From Barnes and Noble or from Amazon

Alfie loves his mommy's cookies, and he wants one more than anything! But grabbing for one, fishing for one, and dressing up as a cookie inspector don't seem to work. His mommy says there is a better way. What is it? Beginning readers will learn proper manners with Alfie as his mommy teaches him to say the magic words.

Take a Peek Inside...

Page 4 and 5

Accolades for Alfie

"May I Please Have a Cookie?" as sold over 450,000 copies!

Awards

May I Please Have a Cookie was designated a 2006 Maryland Library Association Blue Crab Young Reader Awards
Honor Book in the Easy Fiction Category

Reviews

Booklist

For kids just starting to read, this cheerful title in the Scholastic Reader series is a combination of very simple sentences and bright, clear, colorful illustrations. Alligator Mommy is baking cookies. Alfie loves cookies, but when he tries to grab one, Mommy tells him to "think of a better way to get a cookie." He comes up with three funny tricks to get his treat, but it isn't until he asks politely that Mommy gives him what he wants--along with a big hug. Kids will like the cozy story and the endearing alligator characters. They'll also enjoy the "Fluency Fun" page at the back, with a list of rhyming words to read aloud and a list of words to look for in the text.
- Hazel Rochman

A Review from Epinions

I like this book more than cookies!!!!!
Mar 30 '07

Author's Product Rating

Pros
Story with a concept! Easy read

Cons
None!

The Bottom Line
Buy this story! It may be one of the best ones you read to your tot.

Full Review

Many of the toddler storybooks that we have are -- useless, silly, not based in reality, have no educational value -- take your pick. Also, so many of them have sky-high prices!

Not "May I Please Have a Cookie" -- my new favorite story!

My mother actually purchased this book for my 2 and a half year old daughter. We had been getting frustrated over the stupid, silly books that we have in her reading collection, and were looking for books that would teach her a concept. She found this book at Walmart for $2.50. What a bargain! It is a pre-reader story, few words, cute pictures, and a concept! The book is a paperback, but has help up fairly well....as well as can be expected for a paperback that one paid $2.50 for! The line of books in the pre-reader category are all paperback. We've ripped off some covers, but all in all the books have held up quite well, considering the low price.

Here's the info on the story:

Alfie the alligator's mom has baked cookies. Alfie grabs for one, and his mommy tells him there is a better way to get a cookie. She's trying to teach him to say please. ALfie tries a few different ways to get a cookie, all the wrong ways but very cute and endearing all the same. Eventually he gets frustrated and starts to cry. His mommy then shows him the way to get a cookie -- by asking "May I PLEASE have a cookie?"

It's very sweet, my daughter loves it, and it has certainly pushed her to saying PLEASE more often.

I don't think we have another story with an alligator in it, nor have I seen any other Alfie the Alligator books. He is cute, a sweet little guy, and his mommy is very nice too. A good character, a good point to the story, a good buy. It's nice to have a different character too - -I get very sick of Dora and Elmo - -and this gave me the chance to teach her about another animal - one not previously discussed. I also liked the fact that the animals were being portrayed as people -- not talking alligators in a pond, if you will -- which made the idea more believable.

This book is available on Amazon.com, as well as at Walmart and some Target stores.

Recommended:
Yes

A Review from KidLit

May I Please Have a Cookie? by Jennifer E. Morris is a charming easy reader. Designed for the earliest of readers, the story is silly, fun, and one that small children everywhere can relate to. Alfie's mommy is baking cookies and Alfie desperately wants one. After demanding a cookie, his mother asks him to think of a better way to get a cookie. It is not until Alfie tries a number of crazy ideas that he remembers that saying please might help. With the brevity of the words, the pictures really carry the story. Alfie and his mom are friendly alligators with faces that show their every emotion. Recommend this to the earliest of readers and they will enjoy it as much as Alfie enjoys cookies.

From LeveledReader.com

This is one of those rare books that entertains with few words and wonderful pictures. Filled with sight words and a variety of easy to decode new vocabulary, it’s a fun book to read again and again.