“Who’d have dreamed that produce could be so expressive, so charming, so lively and so funny?...Freymann and Elffers have created sweet and feisty little beings with feelings, passions, fears and an emotional range that is, well, organic.”
– The New York Times Book Review
Written and illustrated by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers, this beautifully produced children’s book is truly engaging. Filled with bold primary colors, the thick glossy pages are fun to turn while anticipating what will happen next. The odd shaped fruits and vegetables are presented with hilarious and cute expressions, that will make you chuckle even before reading the words on the page. The true creativity of the authors comes through as they bring to life, with vivid expressions, these seemingly ordinary objects found in the kitchen and neighborhood market.
This book aims to expose young children to the concepts and recognition of emotions. The authors express a wide variety of basic feelings through the ‘faces’ of the fruits and vegetables, paired with humorous text. This makes it easier for young minds to understand what the differences are between similar expressions like ‘lonely’ and ‘sad.’
While not going in-depth to explain the differences between the emotions, the book simply presents each feeling so that children can relate it to themselves and their families. By reading this book with your children, it casually opens a line of communication that encourages them to talk about their feelings in a creative way.
The language is simple and covers feeling such as shyness, anxiety and even comforting someone; it could be a great tool for consoling a child facing a difficult social situation and understanding their interaction with others. By understanding different emotions, it teaches your child the vocabulary to express how they feel.
Freymann and Elffers combed through the markets of New York City to find inspiration for expressive produce. If you and your child enjoy this book they have several other hilarious titles that will delight any young reader. For example, Fast Food and Food for Thought show more fruits and vegetables having adventures while teaching children basic knowledge about healthy eating, numbers, opposites, colors and shapes.
How Are You Peeling? Is recommended for children aged 2-6, and is available on taobao.com and Amazon.cn.
Kendra Perkins is the Head Librarian for an international school. She was Coordinator for the Shanghai Librarians Network and Ambassador of China for the International Librarians Network. Find her at www.TheInspiredLibrarian.com
