Little Pea

it is a funless nonsense book

I picked up this book at the library because I was looking for books without too many words a page. I was surprised at how my son - nearly 3 laughed hysterically at it - primarily at disgust given for eating candy. I would have to disagree with the other reviewer who panned this book for poor reverse psychology. Preschooler habits are long formed by their parents attitudes - whether of indulgence or not. I wouldn't expect this book to convert a veggie hater either - there are other methods in many a child rearing book. This book is meant to be funny and when given to a child 3 or older it is an excellent belly laugh and a superb opportunity to explore early reading and early drawing. The reason I say 3 years old is that age is when developmentally most children begin to understand cause/effect which is the primary lesson in the story - sometimes we need to do things we don't like to get to where we want to be. And that sacrificial lesson can't be taught too much!!

This is a great little book with wonderful watercolor/colored pencil illustrations. Nice message about having to eat dinner before you get dessert. My 3 yr old daughter loves it!

Sure, it probably won't get your veggie-hating kid to request spinach at every meal, but the illustrations are adorable, and the storyline, an endearing tale about a little pea whose mom and dad make him finish 5 pieces of candy before he is allowed to eat his favorite dessert - a big bowl of spinach! - is silly enough to make my two-year-old son crack up every time we read it. He loves personalizing the book for our family (instead of Mama Pea, Papa Pea and Little Pea he calls the peas: Mama Pea, Dada Pea, Ethan Pea and Molly Pea) and what toddler can resist making "yuck" and "blech" sounds along with the Little Pea when he's suffering through a plate of candy. Ethan makes me read it again and again. I love this book (and my little peas.)

My 6 and 4 year old have made me read this book twice every night since we got it at the library. We are now buying our own copy and a few extras as gifts. Perhaps it is best not to preview books (except for appropriateness) and let the children decide what they like. My girls even argue over which of them gets to read it!