From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3–Leedy has updated her 1994 book to reflect recommendations offered by the USDA in its 2005 MyPyramid food guide. In the story, a group of elegantly dressed animals arrive for the grand opening of a new restaurant. A tuxedo-clad cat serves as host and introduces the menu as it relates to the vertical stripes on the pyramid. The following spreads offer examples of the food groups represented. Most illustrations closely resemble the originals, with the new pyramid replacing the old in the upper left corner. Slight alterations, such as an emphasis on whole grains, occur in places. The biggest change involves reducing the space devoted to bread and pasta in order to add two pages that encourage kids to exercise at least an hour a day. The muted colors and flat perspective present information competently. Guessing the identity of the creature sneaking food off many pages may intrigue some viewers. Heightened awareness of the need for healthier diets and increased exercise to combat childhood obesity makes this revision particularly timely. Collections with the earlier version definitely will want to substitute this update. A solid purchase for libraries that need the latest guidelines about nutrition and exercise.–
Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
School & Library Binding
edition.
First published 13 years ago, Leedy's popular picture-book guide to healthy, delicious eating has been revised with 60 percent more material to include the Department of Agriculture's redesigned food pyramid. Using the original playful format, featuring the smart cat waiter at the Edible Pyramid restaurant that recommends the menu to stylishly dressed animal customers, the bright, clear pictures show breads and grains, pasta in amazing shapes, vegetables and fruits in delicious colors, an abundance of beans, and more. Illustrating the warning about not eating too many sweets and fats is a cute, huge hippo that tries not to take chocolate fudge. The final double-page spread shows the animals having fun exercising. With the topics of diet and exercise now as hot as ever, this is sure to be in demand for classroom discussion.
Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to the
School & Library Binding
edition.
