TERRIFIC TABLE MANNERS
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I owe my sincere grati tude to Ann, Karen, and Erica—M.M. To my three li ttle ones working on their tolerable table manners. With love—M.L.
Tex t copyright © 2021 Michelle Markel Illustrations copyright © 2021 Merrilee Liddiard B ook design by Melissa Nelson Greenberg P ublished in 2021 by C a m e r o n + C o m pa n y , a division of ABRAMS. All rights reser ved. No por tion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmi tted in any form or by any means, mechanical, elec tronic, pho tocopy ing, recording, or o therwise, wi thout wri tten permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-P ublication Data available. ISBN: 978-1-951836-23-8 Printed in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C a m e r o n K i d s is an imprint of C a m e r o n + C o m pa n y C a m e r o n + C om pa n y Petaluma, California www.cameronbooks.com
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TERRI FIC TABLE TERRIFIC MANNERS
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TH E INVITATION
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Welcome to class. I’m Mr. Faris. I went to manners school in Paris.
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I’ll teach you dining etiquette. I haven’t failed a student yet.
First, my dears, some education on answering the invitation.
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Let’s practice RSVP’ing. I can’t believe the things I’m seeing!
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Do it like this:
or
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Not like this:
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P LEASE BE SEATED
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The china gleams, the silver shines. Your manners must be just as fine.
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Say hi to our hostess, Prudence; she’ll be sitting with the students.
Sit up straight to show respect. No leaning back! That’s incorrect.
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Put your napkin on your lap. Kevin! Wake up from your nap.
Bella, you mustn’t twirl your hair. Take your elbows off of there.
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MAKING CONVERSATION
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You can’t just eat. You must converse. I’ll give you tips, then we’ll rehearse.
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Turn to the stranger next to you and ask, “What do you love to do?” Find other topics to explore! But not, “Who are you voting for?”
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”
”
Sports are fine for dinner chatter, religion is a private matter. If nothing else, you can always say, “What do you think of the weather today?”
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One last rule for you to follow. Before you speak, please chew and swallow.
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Your food won’t spray into the air. The guests will think you’re debonair.
Someone is not paying attention. His name I do not have to mention.
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SOU P
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Silverware tips, before we begin. Start on the outside, work your way in.
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Dinner is served. Bon appétit. Wait for the hostess. Now let’s eat.
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Copy Prudence. She’s a pro. Skim from front to back, like so.
Get those last few drops of soup. Tip the bowl away, then scoop.
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Cecelia Barnhill, good gracious me! You owe her an apology!
No smacking lips, try not to slurp. Kevin—we all heard you burp.
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MAIN COURSE
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Don’t hold utensils with your fists! Only cavemen eat like this!
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Put some on your plate! She’s looking. Prudence thinks you hate her cooking.
Fork in the left hand, knife in the right, pin the pork down and cut one bite.
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Don’t spit out the gristle. Eeew! Use your fork for tough parts, too! Cut the chicken off the bone. Bella, please turn off your phone.
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If your silverware falls on the floor, don’t pick it up. Just ask for more.
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VEGETABLES
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Let’s take the artichokes apart. Hands for the leaves, knives for the heart.
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You are not a trained seal at a show! Hold asparagus stalks just so.
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Don’t stuff those veggies in your mouth or eat with your elbows sticking out.
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Sam poured a gravy lake. — I wouldn’t. Bella’s shooting peas. — She shouldn’t.
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If you spill your drink, don’t cause a fuss. Our hostess is not pleased with us.
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DESSERT
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Cecelia, that’s too big a slice. There’s less for us. That isn’t nice.
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Don’t claw your shortcake like a raccoon. Cut with your fork, eat with your spoon.
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No mixing drinks, no magic potions! You mustn’t make a big commotion. No mixing drinks, no magic potions!
Please no shouting, hush that singing! Is someone else’s cell phone ringing?
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Class dismissed!
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MANNERS MATTER We hope you’re amused by this tale of terribly terrific table manners. But dining etiquette is actually very important! When you make the effort to eat in a civilized fashion, you’re showing respect to your family and friends.
TH E INVITATION RSVP stands for répondez s’il vous plaît, which is French for, please respond. When a host or hostess sends an invitation to you to attend a party—be it by mail, email, text, or tweet—it is polite to respond, or RSVP, yes or no, and let them know if you can attend. Either way, be sure to say thank you!
TH E TABLE When you arrive at your party, always say hello to your host or hostess. Once at the table, sit up straight, put your napkin in your lap, and try to keep your elbows off the table. If you brought a cell phone, this is a good time to turn it off and put it away. Then relax and have fun!
MAKING CONVERSATION One of the fun things about parties is seeing friends and meeting new people. Sometimes it can be hard to strike up a conversation, especially with someone you don’t know. You might ask them if they have a pet; everyone loves talking about their pet. And if they don’t have a pet, ask them if they have a favorite animal. Just make sure not to eat and talk at the same time!
FIRST COURSE If you encounter more than one fork or spoon next to your plate, fear not! Start on the outside and work your way in. The soup spoon and the salad fork are usually on the outside, because those are the dishes that are generally served first. Don’t worry if you mess up. If you accidentally drop one of those forks or spoons on the floor, don’t pick it up. Just ask for another. Most importantly, wait for your host or hostess to sit and start before you dig in. Bon appétit, now you may eat!
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MAIN COURSE Sometimes meat can be tricky to eat. Separate the meat from the bones. Cut and eat small bites. If you get some gristle or fat, don’t spit it out onto the plate! Discreetly raise your napkin to your mouth and spit it into the folds. It’s polite to accept a serving of food the host or hostess has made, but, of course, you shouldn’t eat meat if you are vegetarian or anything you are allergic to.
VEGETABLES Eat those vegetables! Go ahead, give them a try. You might like them. And, if you don’t, whatever you do, don’t poke at them. Don’t stick them up your nose, stir your drink with them, make a moustache, or throw them at your friend across the table.
DESSERT Everyone loves dessert. Make sure to save some room for it. But only take one serving at a time, and always leave enough for other guests. And, while the party might be in full swing by now, don’t play with your food. That goes for drinks, too. If you spill your drink, calmly clean it up with your napkin, and ask for another if you need it. Now is a good time, too, to be mindful of your voice and keep it at a pleasant decibel. No shouting at the table! And always wait to be excused.
THANK-YOU NOTES Remember to thank your host or hostess when you leave the table. Sending a simple thank-you note after the party is a nice gesture, too. To make it extra special, share what you liked best about it.
Your Terrific Table Manners can also be applied to family meals at home and out at restaurants. Go ahead, wow your parents.
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THANK-YOU NOTES
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