You Are What You Eat and Other Mealtime Hazards

K-Gr 3—Before his appetite was whetted by the taste of a tofu dog, the picky eater in this picture book subsisted on meals of macaroni. The boy narrates his gradual transformation in a humorous story that uses 31 idioms related to food. "Use your noodle!" his mom says, "People need three square meals a day." His dad, the couch potato, warns him his goose will be cooked if he lives on macaroni, and his sister, who eats like a horse, says things to him that he needs to take with a grain of salt. Mixed-media illustrations—color photographs and black pen-and-ink drawings—and the long-nosed dog add to the humor and playfulness of this story. By the end of the book, feelings of frustration are replaced with feelings of pride. Mom is pleased as punch that her son has realized that variety is the spice of life. Combine this book with Michael Wright's Jake Goes Peanuts (Feiwel & Friends, 2010) or Jackie French's Too Many Pears (Star Bright Books, 2003) for having fun with language.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada