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Overview
When just a single pea touches the lips of this determined vegetable hater, an enormous battle of war and peas begins. But our hero doesn’t just cry, whine, or refuse to swallow. He turns into a VEGGIE MONSTER! That is until—gulp!—he accidentally swallows the pea, and realizes that maybe vegetables aren’t so bad after all. At least until broccoli night comes around. With inventive mixed-media illustrations and a short, snappy text that combines a child’s dinner-time drama with a hilarious parents’-eye-view, George McClements has created a wry and funny story that just might inspire a few veggie monsters out there to give peas a chance.
Synopsis
When just a single pea touches the lips of this determined vegetable hater, an enormous battle of war and peas begins. But our hero doesn’t just cry, whine, or refuse to swallow. He turns into a VEGGIE MONSTER! That is until—gulp!—he accidentally swallows the pea, and realizes that maybe vegetables aren’t so bad after all. At least until broccoli night comes around. With inventive mixed-media illustrations and a short, snappy text that combines a child’s dinner-time drama with a hilarious parents’-eye-view, George McClements has created a wry and funny story that just might inspire a few veggie monsters out there to give peas a chance.
Children's Literature
All it takes is a single pea and a normal little boy is transformed into a veggie monster capable of knocking over chairs and tables. With his parents' wry commentary told in speech bubbles, readers are treated to both the child's step-by-step transformation and the lack of impact it has on the grown-ups who share this familiar dinner experience with him. Unexpectedly, the veggie monster's shenanigans result in him swallowing the much-hated pea, and he discovers peas are not so bad after all. His parents have only a moment's respite however, as the unnamed protagonist begins dreading Wednesday, when he will have broccoli on his plate. This quick story told in minimal text begs to be read aloud and acted out by young children, who will empathize with the veggie monster's plight. Unusual mixed-media illustrations add visual interest to the story as they include both color photographs and cartoon-like drawings. A fun book for story time, this engaging tale can also be used in units about food and nutrition. Though appealing to children of all ages, it will be especially enjoyed by choosy eaters and their long-suffering parents. Reviewer: Keri Collins Lewis
Editorials
Children's Literature -
All it takes is a single pea and a normal little boy is transformed into a veggie monster capable of knocking over chairs and tables. With his parents' wry commentary told in speech bubbles, readers are treated to both the child's step-by-step transformation and the lack of impact it has on the grown-ups who share this familiar dinner experience with him. Unexpectedly, the veggie monster's shenanigans result in him swallowing the much-hated pea, and he discovers peas are not so bad after all. His parents have only a moment's respite however, as the unnamed protagonist begins dreading Wednesday, when he will have broccoli on his plate. This quick story told in minimal text begs to be read aloud and acted out by young children, who will empathize with the veggie monster's plight. Unusual mixed-media illustrations add visual interest to the story as they include both color photographs and cartoon-like drawings. A fun book for story time, this engaging tale can also be used in units about food and nutrition. Though appealing to children of all ages, it will be especially enjoyed by choosy eaters and their long-suffering parents. Reviewer: Keri Collins LewisSchool Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3- The appearance of peas on a child's plate causes mayhem at the dinner table. When the offending vegetable touches the picky eater's tongue, his "fingers become all wiggly," his eyes start to water, and he squirms in his seat. In a huff, the young boy accidentally swallows a pea and, much to his surprise, realizes "It tasted all right, really." Throughout the gastronomical tantrum, his parents remain calm. Dialogue bubbles capture their droll comments ("I particularly enjoyed the toe curling"), and with broccoli next on the menu, they gird themselves for more fights to come. The childlike charcoal line drawings on colored backgrounds are cleverly enhanced with photographs of the various foods, plates, and utensils. For a storytime feast, serve up this funny book with Lauren Child's I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Candlewick, 2000) and Amy Krouse Rosenthal's Little Pea (Chronicle, 2005).-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
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