Vegetable Kids in the Garden

A clan of curious children and health-conscious grandparents discovers the joy of vegetables in Miller’s (Fire Up Your Profile For LifeWork Success, 2012) Christian children’s book.

Cousins Lucas and Emma love to spend time in their grandparents’ garden. One day, with the help of Grandpa and Nona (their grandmother), Lucas helps plant various vegetable seeds while learning about the uniqueness of each one. To his dismay, the plants aren’t ready by dinnertime, but he and Emma find plenty of fresh, scrumptious vegetables at the store. On another day, the two ride their bikes to Nona’s house again, but this time their friends Dylan and Zoe tag along, and the garden as a whole turns out to be as much a source of fun as it is vegetables. The four of them dig up treasures, discover bugs, and get into a jovial conversation about who would be which vegetable and why. After much laughter, Nona calls the kids in to make homemade pizzas, and they eventually enjoy a delicious and healthy dinner together. Miller also includes a great deal of well-written backmatter, including questions for reflection, vegetable facts and vocabulary words, and a note to parents. Presented in a fun typeface with illustrator Wayne’s colorful, crisp illustrations along with an easy-to-follow plot, this book is an excellent source of both amusement and education. Not only does the message promote healthy eating, but it also celebrates diversity and, for its Christian audience, subtly glorifies God for his creations. The dialogue and actions of the children realistically portray how kids that age would interact, and the characterization is impressive considering the story’s brevity. The text is also formatted well, capitalizing the first letter of every new page and representing each section with a new main idea. The illustrations, including small inserts and three-quarter–page pictures, are varied enough to keep readers’ interest.

An ample serving of entertainment, a full measure of health education, and a dash of Christian thought, perfectly blended and served in a nonpreachy way.