Tag Archives: fruit

Eat A Rainbow, Ellie: Colorful Snack Time for A Healthy Little Chick (Ellie The Chick Book 3) by Avery Smart (Book Review)

Meet Ellie, a spirited little chick with a big appetite for adventure and a secret for being strong and healthy.

In the quest for strength and health, Ellie and her mom create a vibrant rainbow meal together. As they cook up white pasta with broccoli, a purple cabbage salad, buttered corn, and roasted tomatoes and carrots, they sing their own cheerful Rainbow Food song.

This delightful tale not only introduces kids to the joy of healthy eating but also encourages them to embrace a colorful variety of foods for a strong and happy life, Ellie and her mom share the secret of a nutritious and tasty adventure.

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

If you have a child or care for young children for a living, you know that children will not always be receptive to eating their fruits and vegetables. They cry, lock their lips, or spit the food out as soon as it touches their tongue. Eat A Rainbow, Ellie shows that colorful food (rainbow food) made Ellie’s body strong and fit, and it can do the same for you! 

As Ellie demonstrated karate moves, the design team separated six food items under their corresponding colors. For example, under yellow, they had a block of cheese, corn, and four more food items. Under the purple header, the writer added eggplant, grapes, plus four more edible images. I loved how the illustrator matched Ellie’s karate sash and headband to the color on the page. 

I adored how the writer and designer made the color words stand out from the rest of the text. I also liked the mixture of familiar food items and some unrecognizable ones. However, the shading of some foods didn’t fully portray the color they represented. The pear looked more white than yellow. The spaghetti and meatballs image didn’t scream “white foods.” I would’ve sliced the pineapple open like the watermelon picture so kids could see the yellow interior, not the orange outer covering. In doing so, it would’ve made more sense for “yellow.” 

Extension activities: Have your family or class design a colorful plate using images from cooking-inspired magazines or by hand-drawing food items. Ask young readers if they can name foods that fall under the six colors represented in the story: red, yellow, orange, green, purple, and white. Make sure to check out the rainbow food song! Practice singing the lovely rainbow food tune! 

I agree with Amazon’s recommended reading age: kids six years and under. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score:  

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Meet the Author

Avery Smart, a vibrant author who resides in the heart of the lively family chaos with her three energetic kids. Nestled in the midst of parenting, she channels her passion for nurturing well-mannered children into delightful tales.

It is within this dynamic environment that she draws inspiration, transforming her deep-seated passion for fostering well-mannered children into captivating tales.

Avery’s writing becomes a heartfelt expression of her commitment to instilling values in the younger generation. Her three lively kids not only serve as a source of inspiration but also as eager test subjects for the lessons embedded in her stories.

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Grandma’s Kitchen by Tricia Gardella (Book Review)

 

 


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Most grandchildren share a similar memory of working alongside a grandparent in the kitchen. In Grandma’s Kitchen by Tricia Gardella, Grandma’s oldest granddaughter had been quite the helper during past canning seasons, but now it’s time to include her little sister, Monica. The older sister is reluctant to have Monica join them. She believes her baby sister is too little. Oh boy, Monica proved her older sister wrong!

Through beautiful illustrations, we watch the two young girls and their grandmother pick a few buckets of tomatoes from the garden. We watch them separate them into two piles and learn the reasoning behind the step. After the sorting, it’s time to prepare the tomatoes for their new home: glass jars. You can expect to get a little messy whether you are canning tomatoes whole or making jars of tomato sauce. My advice, goggles! I’m sure Monica will ask for a pair before next year’s canning season. While the process is messy and hard work, it can be loads of fun too. For instance, my kids find turning the crank fun and love watching the crushed tomatoes ooze out at the end. The sisters in the educational picture book did as well! 

Grandma makes the whole process an exciting event. She is calm and patient with them, allows them to taste the fruit of their labor (tomato juice), and even finds the energy to dance a jig. Wow, their grandmother has more energy than me. 

The fabulous thing about canning is that you don’t need a humungous kitchen. All you need is a garden item(s) to can (purchase or grow your own), cans (glass jars), and a few kitchen staples, such as pots, strainers, and pantry items. Grandma’s are optional, but an adult is necessary due to potential hazards to little hands: hot stove and boiling water. 

With grandma’s guidance, children will learn how to can tomatoes: picking, sorting, seasoning, cooking the fruit, washing, and storing the cans. This book will encourage children to try canning fruit and other items.  

I recommend this story to 4 years of age and older. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤

 
 
 
Meet the Author

Tricia’s books are influenced by ranch, animals and family life. She has tried it all, and almost mastered some: canning, cooking, knitting, fiber arts, rug-making, gardening. She has a BA in Ancient History and lots of grand children, giving her much food for thought. She lives in California.
 
 
 
 

 

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Sweet Love by Iman Osman (Book Review)

Sweet Love is a compilation of classic desserts handed down from one generation to the next. It is the way Iman’s family connect, sharing and making new memories. The intention behind this book is to revive bonding, love, appreciation, and connection throughout generations of families through the love of baking.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

“Sweet Love is a compilation of classic desserts handed down from one generation to the next. The intention behind this book is to revive bonding, love, appreciation, and connection throughout generations of families through the love of baking.” – Iman Osman

The author’s intent with Sweet Love is to bring her kids and her mother together over our shared love for food, for the timeless desserts that her grandmother has passed down to them. I couldn’t wait to see what seasonal and nonseasonal desserts Iman had shared. 

Iman Osman did not only offer recipes; they also shared tips. For starters, they instructed readers on what to use in place of ghee, how to properly cut and store a vanilla bean, and dividing a cake. As a fan of cooking and baking shows, I’ve seen bakers (professionally and home cooks) attempt to do the perfect split. I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it’s time to try it using Iman’s instructions. 

Iman Osman’s family recipes look divine. Oh, how I wish I could reach inside my laptop and pull out the beaters. I bet the chocolate ganache tasted delicious. 

My family loves raspberry jam, so I know they will be thrilled if they see me making fresh jam for them. With only three ingredients, the recipe will be easy on the wallet. Since I have never made fresh jam before, I appreciated all the “Tips and Tricks” and the storing information. 

The “Linzer Cookie” also looked yummy and activated my sweet tooth. I will have to try it this winter. Thank you, Iman, for the “How to assemble a Linzer Cookie.” You took the guesswork out of the process! 

There are numerous mouth-watering recipes in Sweet Love. Chocolatey, fruity, custards, pudding, biscuits, cheesecake, cookies, nutty—Iman has that and much more! 

This book contained recipes for desserts that I have tried before in my home and through travels. It also had desserts I’ve only seen on television and longed to try, such as “Granita” and “Kunafa.” With Iman’s how-to images, tips, and suggestions, I feel empowered to take them all on. My family will thank you; my waistline, not so much. 

Sweet Love is the perfect book for any time of year. So, grab your apron, and let’s serve something sweet for your family tonight! 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤

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Be a Superhero in the Kitchen by Donna Glass (Book Showcase)

The book contains a detailed list of Superhero Cooking Tips and delicious kid-friendly recipes including Super Chicken Tacos, Powerful Potato Cakes, Mega Mac and Cheese Pizza, Crime Fighter’s Cookie Fluff, Legendary Lemon Tarts, and many more!

Let your child try their hand with the recipes in this book. Every kid who becomes the superhero of suppertime is one who eats super well!

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Angie Quantrell 
 

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I am a wife, mother of two kids, a lover of comic books, and a home cook. I believe in making mealtime an enjoyable experience through joint cooking and kid-friendly meals. I also believe kids that help with the cooking process are more likely to eat their meals, which leads to a happy, peaceful dining experience. Be a Superhero in the Kitchen is my first children’s cookbook, but I strive to publish more.

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