Module 6: Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (SLIS 5420 review)

Summary: Little Pea loves to do things like play with his friends and spend time with his mother and father. One thing he does not like to do is eat his candy for dinner. Mama Pea and Papa Pea promise that if he eats his candy dinner, he can have his favorite dessert— spinach!

Citation: Rosenthal, A. K., & Corace, J. (2005). Little Pea. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Impression: Like many of Rosenthal’s other books, Little Pea is extremely clever. The premise of this book— that peas eat candy for dinner and vegetables for dessert— is especially fun and unexpected. Corace’s bright, simple illustrations pop against the white background of the pages. She was able to give the peas, especially Little Pea, distinct facial expressions that are entertaining. (His expressions while he’s eating the five pieces of candy are priceless.) This charming book is short and simple enough to hold the attention of even the littlest “peas,” and is sure to please kids and parents alike. (Although it may have kids asking for candy for dinner and wanting to skip the spinach dessert.)

Review:
Publisher’s Weekly:
Peas, the oft-reviled legumes that can make dinnertime a battle, take center plate in Rosenthal's (Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, for adults) silly picture book about food choices--and picky eaters--turned topsy-turvy. Little Pea enjoys an ordinary life with his parents and pea pals playing, reading stories and getting lovingly tucked into bed. But the one thing Little Pea has trouble with is candy, the icky entrée that his parents insist he eat for dinner each night. As Mama and Papa Pea say, "If you want to grow up to be a big strong pea" or have dessert, candy must be eaten. Once Little Pea whines through his required five-piece serving of sweets, he's happy to top off his torture with a special treat-spinach! Young readers will take glee in Little Pea's absurd yet familiar predicament, while parents will surely identify with Mama and Papa Pea's universal struggle. Newcomer Corace's warmhearted ink-and-watercolor paintings plays up the most of ample white space, which plays up the vibrant greenness of the Pea family. Images of tiny, bouncing peas playing hopscotch, and Papa Pea flipping his boy off the end of a spoon are especially memorable. Kids are likely to view their veggies with new eyes when mealtime rolls around.

(2005, May 5). [Review of the book Little Pea, by A. Rosental and J. Corace]. Publishers Weekly, 252(19), 69. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/

Use in library: Little Pea would be a perfect book for a food-themed storytime. Kids would get a kick out of the fact that peas eat candy for dinner and spinach for dessert.