Edie takes us on a tour of the most disgusting diner ever. If Ethelmae's sticky buns don't make you shudder, her sticky back will. Blech! Each detail provided is more loathsome than the last.
The interior of the Slidy Diner is loud, greasy and smelly. Strange critters creep about, moldy wallpaper hugs the walls and plates of unidentifiable foods layer the tables. Bugs creep in every nook, the coffee will give you terrible hives and strange animals roam about in the kitchen. Don't be fooled by the pretty waitresses - those are only masks. Edie knows it all - she was caught sneaking a lemon drop and now spends her days trapped inside the Slidy Diner.
The illustrations serve to make adults squirm in their chairs and children squirm with delight. There is an ick factor here that is intended expressly for those who appreciate it. From the oddball customers to the kooky animal heads mounted on the wall, there are gruesome details tucked in every corner that readers will delight in discovering.
But there is also a bit of magic at the Slidy Diner, as evidenced by the birds that rest on Edie's arm, the nightcap wearing mouse and secret trapdoors. Really, it isn't so bad here! Would you care for a lemon drop?
Laurel Snyder based the book on her own experiences at a diner, which is slightly disturbing. Exactly who does Ethelmae represent? Check out Laurel's blog, which is pretty entertaining.
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