Jack and the Hungry Giant

August 15, 2013
Books about the USDA's nutrition standards regarding healthy eating are universally bland. This is no exception. When Jack (yes, that one) climbs the beanstalk to the giant's land, instead of threatening his life, Waldorf invites Jack to have a healthy meal with him. Double-page spreads introduce the food groups--vegetable, fruit, grain, protein and dairy; huge (to Jack) labeled examples of the foods fill the pages. Zofia, Waldorf's wife, arrives in time to share the meal with them. Only in these final few pages is the new MyPlate program introduced: "So it's healthy to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables?" "Right! The other half has grains and protein foods." "Help yourself to a serving of dairy too!" Their meal ends with some suggestions for exercise (though the USDA MyPlate graphic takes away the visual of a figure climbing the food pyramid). The MyPlate image appears in the backmatter, along with a few more tips for healthy eating, a page of foods that have "empty calories" and a few exercise ideas. Leedy combines humor with (mostly) easily identifiable foods, making this a book that kids can participate in reading. But there is a strange mix of cartoon and real--Zofia's plate contains a cartoon fruit salad and cooked crab alongside collaged-in salad and rice, and a piece of corn bread that is an odd mixture of both. The need to confine intake to one MyPlate per meal goes unsaid. Despite obvious curricular connections, this one's a miss. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

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October 1, 2013

K-Gr 3-This picture-book reworking of "Jack and the Beanstalk" begins with Jack's mother throwing the beans out the window and the adventurous boy climbing the resultant beanstalk and sneaking into the giant's castle. But instead of becoming the meal, Jack is treated to a lesson in healthy eating by Waldorf the giant, following the USDA guidelines. Each food group is reviewed, with options included that are often overlooked in traditional texts (quinoa and couscous among the grains, scallops and sardines among the proteins). The tale ends with Jack, the giant, and the giant's wife dining together and discussing possible exercises ("we could toss boulders," says the giant). Back matter has information about the MyPlate model, foods to avoid, links to activity pages, and the MyPlate government website. Ths is a great teaching tool; children will enjoy the twist on the familiar fairy tale; the clear, accessible information; and the colorful, cartoonlike digital illustrations.-Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA

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