Let's Go Nuts!

June 1, 2013
After tributes to veggies (Rah, Rah, Radishes, 2011) and fruit (Go, Go, Grapes, 2012), Sayre delivers another peppery blend of upbeat, celebratory rhymes and photos taken at local grocery shops and farmers markets. This time, the spotlight's on seeds. After the initial, two-couplet overture ("Bravo, black beans! / Rah, rah, rice! / Seeds are meals. / They're snacks. They spice!"), Sayre leads readers successively though arrays of legumes, nuts, grains and spices. The photographs show nuts and beans in decorative containers or juxtaposed in bins. Navy beans mingle near red ones, with a handful of runner beans scattered on top; almonds are shown in the shell and out, blanched, slivered and whole. The focus on real-life produce stands and markets yields many images of packaged and hand-labeled items: The grains section begins with a photo of bagged breads, pastas, and wheat and rye berries. While some of the pictured items won't be readily identifiable by children, the combination of short, pithy verse and artfully displayed food provides an excellent aid for classroom or family learning. To that end, Sayre (a veteran of school visits) provides an afterword that answers questions about the science and nutrition of seeds, nut allergies, cultural connections through food, and more. Another cheery, useful overview of real food from a first-rate science writer. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

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August 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 2-Sayre builds on the success of Rah, Rah, Radishes! (2011) and Go, Go, Grapes! (2012, both S & S) with this cheerful foray into edible seeds. The zesty, rhyming text is paired with the author's appealing farmers' market photographs. Her creative layouts make even a pile of beans worth examining and admiring. The book design and colorful pages are a perfect complement to the photos, tying the package into a cohesive whole. This is an opportunity to introduce youngsters to foods they may not be familiar with, such as butternuts and quinoa, while celebrating the everyday, such as peanuts and corn. In the informative back matter, kids can learn the nitty gritty of nuts, grains, beans, and spices and get the answer to the burning question, "Why don't seeds we eat grow inside our stomachs?" The book is excellent storytime fun and perfect for any preschool or early elementary curriculum, providing a jumping-off point for discussions of food, farming, culture, and more. A rollicking, frolicking good time.-Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2013
Preschool-G This companion book to Rah, Rah, Radishes! (2011) and Go, Go, Grapes! (2012) looks at edible seeds and finds lots to love about them. Seeds might not sound so tasty, but the nuts, beans, grains, and spices shown in Sayre's excellent color photos look irresistible. Arranged in bins, bags, bowls, and jars, the colorful, multitextured varieties become a feast for the eye, while the text chants an accompanying cheer that satisfies the ears with its rhythm and rhyme: Peanut, pine nut. / Go, nuts, go! / Chew cashew / or pistachio! / Greet your grains. / Hi, rye! Hi, wheat! / Boats of oats and corn to eat. Framed by solid-color borders and thin white lines, the beautifully composed photos often create their own rhythms through repetition of form and color. An appended three-page section offers a good deal of information on the edible seeds shown and refers readers to the author's website for a related bibliography. Fun for reading aloud, this handsome book is also a useful addition to curriculum units on seeds or nutrition.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)