04/22/2022
K-Gr 2—It is dinner time and just like every other meal, the kids wish that their parents would make healthier choices. In this subverted take on the classic mealtime battle, three siblings try to help their parents eat better. Mom and Dad start the day with a bowl of ice cream, polish off a jar of mayonnaise for lunch, and forage for french fries in their car for dinner. Their children remind them, however, that their bodies need more of a balanced diet and that vegetables are a very important part of that. Mom and Dad try to pull some of the food avoidance tricks that kids usually play, but their children remind them (sometimes not so gently) to try—even a little bit. This humorous tale, featuring comic-book style illustrations, uses over-the-top scenarios to highlight the importance of eating vegetables. Young readers will find the antics of the three siblings amusing and relate to the problems of the adults. The digital illustrations are larger-than-life and often hilarious, emphasizing the epic dinnertime struggle. Young readers will also appreciate the rhythmic text, which relies on approximate rhymes ("veggies" and "messy," "spinach" and "minutes," for example), making this less accessible as a read aloud. The message is a bit oversimplified as well but could be a solid jumping off point for a discussion of planning a nutritious meal. The family is biracial, with the father with pale skin and chestnut hair, and the rest of the family shown with black hair and warm brown skin tones. VERDICT A funny and message-driven story that will be a solid addition for most collections, especially if paired with more balanced takes.—Louie Lauer
