Nutmeg Says Yum! by Caroline Jayne Church
That Nutmeg is one naughty mouse. First she won't go to bed, and now she's turning her nose up at all the delicious fruit that's on offer. She doesn't want apples as they're too crunchy. Pears are a funny colour. Bananas? Too squidgy. She wants strawberries. Thankfully, Nutmeg's mummy is a wise and sneaky mouse, so she whips up a delicious strawberry surprise, with an interesting mix of ingredients.
| Nutmeg Says Yum! by Caroline Jayne Church | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
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| Summary: A sweet and gentle tale of a fussy eater and her mum's sneaky way to get her to eat the delicious fruit. Recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: January 2011 |
| Publisher: Orchard | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1408308936 | |
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Nutmeg Says Yum! is lots of fun. It taps into that stage when kids are getting to grips with and playing with the power of no. Nutmeg (just like the kids themselves) isn't truly naughty - she just has a definite idea, and wants to see what she can achieve. I particularly liked that Nutmeg's mummy's plan isn't spelled out in the text. It opens up the opportunity for discussions: did they spot that Nutmeg's Rainbow Treat is a fruit salad made of all the rejected fruit? Did they notice that Nutmeg said she didn't like any of the options, but then when she tried them, it was delicious? Just as in One More Hug For Nutmeg, she's not a bad influence, she's just an example of the sorts of things that all children try at some point.
Caroline Jayne Church's illustrations are warm and charming. They have an interesting style, predominantly drawn, but with a few touches of collage to add some interesting textures. It works particularly well on the butterflies flitting throughout the book. Everything feels very gentle and engaging. It's a wonderfully sweet book, without ever veering into sickliness.
You don't have to read Nutmeg Says Yum! as an issues book; it's great fun just as a story in its own right. The writing is clear and direct, and there are lots of interesting adjectives for the young book fans to get their teeth into. Although it's clearly aimed at the youngest kids, older kids who aren't yet reading for themselves will still enjoy it, as it has a lot of heart. It's not quite as funny as One More Hug, so in a straight choice between the two, plump for the bedtime book. However, the two stories are different enough that both books are worth a place on your bookshelf. Recommended.
My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.
Too Pickly! by Jean Reidy and Genevieve Leloup also features a fussy eater. Bedtime (Slip-and-Slide Books) by Maureen Roffey has a sister book called Mealtime which is well-worth a look. If mice are your thing, look no further than Mouse Trouble by John Yeoman.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Nutmeg Says Yum! by Caroline Jayne Church at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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