Fussy Flamingo

by Shelly Vaughan James, Matthew Rivera (Illustrator)

Overview

A hilarious and colorful children's book about a stubborn baby flamingo and her encouraging parents, perfect for fans of Grumpy Monkey and I Don't Want to Be a Frog.

Meet Lola, the "no, no" flamingo. Lola will NOT eat shrimp, thank you very much. She does NOT care that it will turn her feathers pink. It is just plain yucky. But each time Lola sneaks a different food, she changes colors! This funny visual tale will delight even the pickiest of young readers and resonate with parents eager to see their kids try just one bite. This repetitive and charming tale is a good story time pick, and it's also great for toddlers, preschoolers and early readers who may be fussy about certain foods!

Don't miss the fun facts about real life flamingos in the back, a cool STEM supplement!

Perfect for buyers who want:

• Great read aloud books like The Wonky Donkey and We Don't Eat Our Classmates
• Childrens books about food
• Flamingo gifts for little girls and boys
• Picture books about picky eating
• Toddler books 2 year olds, books for 3 year olds, and kids books ages 4-6

Praise for Fussy Flamingo:

"Try it. You'll like it."—Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728249636
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	08/07/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Shelly Vaughan James, long a word nerd, has worked as a magazine editor, book editor, copywriter, copy editor and freelance writer. As a cookbook author, she tempted folks to enjoy all sorts of delicious foods. She encourages all children to taste the foods their parents ask them to eat—you never want to miss out on a new favorite! Shelly lives in Ohio with her family. You can follow her on Twitter and find more at ShellyVaughanJames.com.

Matthew Rivera earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Arizona. After many years of being an art director for corporations and toy makers, he now writes and draws pictures for a living. His favorite bird is the flamingo but he is definitely not a picky eater. Thankfully, he’s never turned green from guacamole. He lives in Portland.

Editorial Reviews

"A pleasure to read aloud...Rivera’s expressive, comical illustrations capture Lola’s transformation with aplomb." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

07/31/2020

PreS-Gr 1—In James's debut, Lola is a young flamingo who doesn't want to eat shrimp. Her Mami and Papi are appalled and urge her to try because they will make her feathers a "healthy blush." Lola resists and sneaks away to nosh on an avocado which causes her feathers to turn green. Her parents are horrified and shout out "Ay de mi!" Lola still cannot be persuaded to eat shrimp and declares them "soggy." She once again slips away and this time partakes of a pepino melon. Now her poor parents are subjected to the young flamingo turning yellow instead of the desired pink. Eventually, after much cajoling and a few other culinary deviations, Mami and Papi convince this picky youngster to try some shrimp. She loves them and her beautiful pink feathers are the proof. Two pages of "Flamingo Facts" at the end of the story aid curious readers, who will want to know if what they eat will turn them colors. VERDICT An optional purchase for collections looking to augment books on picky eating or stories featuring flamingos.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph P.L., MI

School Library Journal

2020-04-08
Will little Lola the flamingo ever eat her flock’s preferred menu of shrimp?

Lola’s pink-flamingo parents urge their little, gray chick to eat shrimp so that she will share their rosy plumage and grow up big and strong. She demurs, finding the crustaceans “soggy,” “muddy,” and “yucky.” Instead, finicky flamingo Lola sneaks off and seeks out a variety of tropical fruits. An avocado turns her feathers green, pepino melons, yellow, and dragon fruits, fuchsia with black spots. “¡Ay de mí!” Mami cries at each instance. But it’s her parents’ encouragement rather than their alarm that encourages Lola to finally try to eat shrimp. But like Dr. Seuss’ protagonist with his green eggs and ham, it turns out that Lola does like shrimp after all when she finally gives them a chance. James’ text employs pattern, repetition, and alliteration, making it a pleasure to read aloud. Young listeners will key in on, as Lola’s parents do, the rebellious flamingo’s typical prelude to sneaking away for a nonshrimp snack: “Lola dillies on her right leg. / Lola dallies on her left leg. / She dips her black-tipped beak into the water.” Rivera’s expressive, comical illustrations capture Lola’s transformation with aplomb, concluding with a triumphant picture of the not-so-little-anymore chick taking flight, her plumage now blushing a bright pink. Backmatter facts about flamingos round out the offering.

Try it. You’ll like it. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews