November 11, 2009

Mary Ann Hoberman’s The Seven Silly Eaters is a well-written book, taking advantage of rhyme and rhythm (great for pre-readers) as well as silliness and excesses. But I have to confess, Marla Frazee’s illustrations are what really makes this one of my all-time favorite books. She captures such detail and such reality in the portrayal of this growing brood of seven children. The familial scenes run the gamut from pastoral to chaotic, including details like sneaky indoor snowball fights, sick kids falling asleep amid scattered tissues, and piles of laundry and childhood art projects scattered in the background. I love these illustrations so much, I have honestly considered buying another book, just so I can frame a few of my favorites!

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Pinkalicious, by sister team Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann, is a unique and hilarious book about a girl who develops an acute case of “pinkatitis” after eating one too many pink cupcakes. At first, being completely pink sounds like a marvelous improvement to this little girl, until she gradually turns to a deeper shade of red. On doctor’s orders, she eats as many green foods as she can find in her fridge, the only way to return to her normal self. This book is a surefire winner, and not just with the pink crowd. The boys I’ve read it to have loved it as well!

After reading this book, I talk with the children about whether or not this scenario could really happen. Of course not! But then, I ask what would happen if they ate too many cupcakes. They certainly wouldn’t feel well, and their bodies wouldn’t be healthy. Then we talk about healthy and unhealthy foods. I prepare ahead of time, cutting out pictures of food from my local grocery store flyers and laminating them to cards. (Be sure to collect a variety, spanning the food groups.)

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