Please Feed the Monkeys

Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father's Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater

by Matthew Amster-Burton

I’m going to break the rules here to tell you about a book that isn’t for kids but is about them. More specifically, it’s about feeding them, and doing so without stocking your pantry with jarred baby foods or other scary processed items.

This is a nonfiction, memoir-ish book ... I think this is a first for Up Past Bedtime!

Summary

In the opening pages of Hungry Monkey, Seattle-based food writer Matthew Amster-Burton openly admits that one of his first thoughts when he learned of his wife’s pregnancy was concern about future years of bland/boring/repetitive foods that would invade his kitchen. But one day, after his daughter had been in the world for a few months, Amster-Burton was leaving a donut shop and a bit of his chocolate donut fell right onto baby Iris’ head - only to be quickly snatched into her open mouth. Nothing bad happened. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. While he doesn’t begin feeding her everything he enjoys right at that moment, Amster-Burton began to wonder if maybe his fears were misplaced and that the many warnings about feeding solid foods to youngsters were a little over-the-top.

After this amusing introduction, Hungry Monkey dives into the first few years of baby Iris’ foray into food, beginning with milk and quickly expanding to things like Veggie Booty, sushi, and duck. Amster-Burton is eager and inventive in his quest to introduce his daughter to the foods he loves, and he finds great joy in sharing her first tastes with her.

While she is an adventurous eater, Iris also displays the typical qualities of a developing palate. She starts out trying everything and anything that hits her plate, but around age 2 she begins to reject foods she once loved, opting instead for an endless repetition of typical kid-friendly foods such as hot dogs, pizza, or rice. All the while, Amster-Burton gives her opportunities to try new things, and brings her into the kitchen to cook with him. He includes recipes that Iris herself ate and enjoyed, and even gives tips on what steps can be completed by “little fingers.”

Worth staying up past bedtime?

Whether you have a hungry monkey of your own or not, this book is definitely worth your time. Amster-Burton is hilarious, and his ideas and methods for introducing Iris to different foods are great. Where many books about how to feed young or picky eaters rely on sneaking healthy ingredients into loved dishes (beets in chocolate cake, anyone?), Amster-Burton recognizes the intelligence of discerning young palates and instead relies on patience, variety, participation and gentle encouragement.

Recommended for anyone with their own hungry monkey, or those with an interest in food and the feeding of kiddos.

Love that Latke

The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story

by Lemony Snicket

Many of you probably know Lemony Snicket from his Series of Unfortunate Events books. I happened upon this gem of his completely by accident over the summer, and I have read it several times since. I thought it would be the perfect way to begin Chanukah (it begins tonight!)!

Summary

In a small village on a cold night, a sound was heard.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!"

It was a latke. Also known as a potato pancake. The latke had been dropped into a frying pan of hot oil, and began to scream before jumping out of the pan and running out of the house and into the night. As he makes his way through the village, the latke finds himself in the presence of various symbols of Christmas: twinkly lights, a candy cane, a pine tree. Each of these items wants to know why the latke is screaming. When the latke tries to explain something about himself or about his relation to Chanukah, each Christmas item brings the story back around to itself, trying to show the similarities between them. The latke doesn't think anyone understands him. He eventually finds himself under a pine tree in the woods, and it is there that he finds people who understand him for what he is. A family comes walking along and notices the beautiful, brown latke, noting that it was just right for their Chanukah table. They scoop him up, take him home, and put him on the table for Chanukah dinner.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

You should stay up past bedtime to read this book for all eight nights of Chanukah! I loved it! The illustrations are hilarious and Lemony Snicket's characteristic writing style is perfect for this story. While it is silly through and through, the book teaches some good facts about Chanukah and the need for others to understand certain things about us.

Recommended for any age.

Eat Your Veggies ... Err, Garbage.

Gregory the Terrible Eater

by Mitchell Sharmat

I met Gregory many years ago. Had we actually been friends, I’m pretty sure we would have gotten along. You see, Gregory does not like to eat foods that are considered "normal" for him, and as young child, my eating habits may have been seen as a little odd, too (at least to other children, especially in our current world of sugary snacks and prepackaged everything). As I toddled about in my preschool world, I happily snacked on carrot sticks, raisins, crackers and peanut butter. Candy wasn't on my radar, just as garbage and other “typical” goat foods are not on Gregory’s.

Summary

Gregory's parents are worried about their son. Try as they might to tempt him with all sorts of yummy foods fit for a goat - tin cans, boxes, coats, pants - he has no desire to eat these "normal" foods. Instead, he asks for cereal, toast, orange juice, vegetables, eggs, fish, bread, and all manner of foods that his parents just don't understand. In desperation, they take him to the doctor, who says that picky eaters like Gregory must slowly learn to appreciate proper foods. So his parents add a shoelace to his spaghetti, some chopped up rubber heel in his string beans. He begins to enjoy the new foods, and progresses to eating things like his soup AND the soup can, and his ice cream AND the carton it came in. Gregory’s parents are pleased, and Gregory happily announces that he is “learning to like everything.”

Unfortunately, Gregory goes a little wild with his new array of food choices, and a binge follows. After a fitful night when he has agonizing dreams and stomachaches from the abundance of food he just ate - eight flat tires, a three-foot piece of barber pole, a broken violin, and half a car - he realizes that he must take his foods in moderation. His parents see the sense in this as well, and they all enjoy a balanced breakfast of scrambled eggs, two pieces of waxed paper, and orange juice.

Worth Staying Up Past Bedtime?

Yes, oh yes. Gregory’s tale is hilarious and a great lesson in learning moderation. Just as Gregory learned to not overindulge in any one food, kids will see that they should not do so either. If you will allow me to get on my soapbox for a moment, I will also say that I think stories like this are particularly relevant today, given the fact that so many children are subsisting on prepackaged, sugary foods that have little nutritional value. The illustrations are fun and colorful, and the story moves along at a comfortable pace. I would love to see this story used in preschool storytimes and as a way to open discussion about trying new things.

Reviews

This delicious book turns on its head what is healthy and what is junk food. It will not only delight young readers, but will hopefully have the intended consequence of teaching children and parents a lesson about improving children's' eating habits. - Children’s Literature

Get 'Em While They're Hot

Bagels from Benny

by Aubrey Davis

I was straightening books in children’s non-fiction the other day (because I volunteer at the library, not because I’m a compulsive person who just straightens books, although I have been known to do so on occasion ...) and came across a book called Bagels from Benny. I was intrigued for two reasons: 1. The cover illustration was a giant bagel with a beam of light emanating through the center, beaming on to a young boy; and 2. I knew - just knew - it was a Jewish story. It wasn’t until I picked the book up and started reading that I realized this was the first religious-themed children’s book I have read since I started my program.

Summary

Benny is a young boy who’s grandfather owns a bagel shop. Everyday, Benny visits the shop and helps out, always noticing how complimentary the customers are about his grandfather’s bagels. “So crusty outside” cries one. “So soft inside!” says another. One day, as a woman thanks his grandfather, Benny overhears his reply: “Why thank me?” Benny is confused. Didn’t his grandpa make the bagels, meaning he deserves the thanks? When he asks about this, Benny’s grandfather explains the chain involved in making the bagels: flour that was made from wheat, that was made from the earth, which was made by God. Benny understands the chain, and thanks God for the delicious bagels.

But he wonders if God can hear him. So he decides that the best thing to do is share the bagels with God, because God should certainly have the chance to enjoy the result of all that hard work. What follows is Benny’s sweet attempts to share the bagels with God, and a realization that he has helped someone else in the process.

Worth Staying Up Past Bedtime?

I instantly fell in love with this story and would definitely stay up to read it again. A little research showed me that the story is actually based on an ancient Jewish folk tale from Spain, and I love the message it conveys. The illustrations were lovely and descriptive, and I found myself thinking fondly of the best bagels I’ve eaten as I looked at the plump, steaming ones in the pictures.

Reviews
“Even young readers will have no trouble appreciating either wisdom that Grandpa offers, or the close relationship between him and his devout grandson.” - Kirkus Reviews

“In creating a child protagonist and introducing an intergenerational element, Davis increases the folktale’s accessibility to young readers, and his fluid prose, too, is welcoming.” - Publisher’s Weekly

“A valuable addition to Judaic and public children’s collections.” - Jewish Book World