In the last dozen years, I’ve written a number of entertaining, award-winning picture books–about monsters, cats, Disney princesses–and veggies, of all things.

A Story Queen! My area of expertise is FUN.

What I know about healthy food and healthy eating I’ve learned by reading and doing, just like you. Who knows what it might inspire?!įirst, a disclaimer: I’m not a doctor. (It’s a great opportunity to teach them a few basic library search skills, too.) And if there’s a family birthday or a gift-giving holiday looming, I would recommend any one of these delightful books. Take the kids on a treasure hunt to your local library to see what they can find. Play With Your PumpkinsStewart Tabori & Chang, 1998 Levine Books, 2002 ( New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award) How Are You Peeling?Scholastic Bookshelf, 2016įood For ThoughtArthur A. The New York Times Book Review says of the most recent, How Are You Peeling, “Who’d have dreamed that produce could be so expressive, so charming, so lively and so funny? Freymann and Elffers have created sweet and feisty little beings with feelings, passions, fears and an emotional range that is, well, organic.” You’ll find a complete list of the Freeman/Elffers books below. What better way to introduce kids to an unknown fruit or vegetable they might never be convinced to try otherwise? Cucumbers and radishes, for example, or red peppers…. Make sure they buy two of each item–one to carve and one to eat! Give them a shopping basket of their own and let them choose produce that inspires their creativity. Younger kids can sort through the produce to find food that reminds them of an animal (or a vehicle) and kids old enough to wield a knife can, with supervision, create animals of their own.Įven better, after your kids have had a chance to see the Google images and enjoy the photos in the Freymenn/Elffers books, take them to the market with you. If it’s one of those days when you’re stuck in the house with kids-a snow day, or the 40th day of rain, or a day just too hot to leave the air conditioning-get out a carving knife and the fruits and veggies from the crisper and create your own menagerie! What fun!Ī further search might introduce you to the delightful food art and photography of Saxton Freymann, published in a series of children’s picture books in collaboration with Joost Elffers. Do a quick Google search for images related to “playing with food,” and this is a page that might pop up.

Food Play by Saxton Freymann