HAPPY TIGER | Kirkus Reviews

This simplest informative picture books offer a logical and washed-out celebration of the plants – especially parts of the plants – that we eat.

The opening scene shows a child sitting at a table surrounded by a rich harvest. He holds a watermelon peel that reflects the wide smile he wears, and helps set the tone of the book. When preschoolers look at the pages, they will learn about the fruits and vegetables that appear and how they are grown. Warm gouache and colored pencil illustrations first depict a garden where “plants reach out to the sun./ They grow down in the ground.” As the narrator goes on to explain that “I eat different parts of different plants,” such as roots, tubers, tubers, stems, flowers, and seeds, young people will find classified pictures for reference. The short and declarative sentences are easily digested by the youngest and will entice the evolving readers to test their skills. Most importantly, children will surely be inspired to taste some of the produce the next time it appears on their plates.

Delicious on its own, and will blend in well with other books on healthy gardens, plants and eating habits.

(Information Book. 2-5)