Teddy Tries a Veggie

by Jennifer Glockner, Stephanie Concepcion (Illustrator), Heidi Fiedler (Editor)

Teddy Tries a Veggie, follows Theodora (Teddy) Rose, an “almost-six-years-old” girl who loves to garden but hates eating the vegetables she grows. Broccoli? Yuck. Asparagus? Double yuck! Brussel sprouts? No way! Teddy absolutely, no two ways about it, dislikes eating vegetables! But when she stumbles upon a band of fruits and veggies rocking out in her garden, she’s in for a delicious adventure. This first e-book in the series conveys the importance of eating a variety of fruits AND vegetables as part of healthy eating and familiarizes kids with terminology such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Written by a registered dietitian nutritionist, this innovative e-book makes the experience of reading a Smartee Plate book loads of nourishing fun for little ones! Teddy Tries a Veggie is a 2017 B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree for indie children's books and a finalist in two categories in the 7th Annual Taste Awards for Best Interactive e-book and Best Health & Fitness Program (Food & Diet).

28 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 15, 2015

Reviews

[Ines · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.



i've read this book last night with my 5 years old son and 10 years old daugher..... it was very funny and it lead us to discuss about vegetables anf fruits counting all the type we know.....
my son was hooked at the page with all the veggy characters in it..... and my daughter answered to all the activity....... my tried but a little bit too difficult due to his age.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolutely wonderful way to discuss fruits and veggies! I loved it. It was colorful, fun, creative and totally educational. I can foresee much more from this beautiful band of goodies.

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that TEDDY TRIES A VEGGIE by Jennifer Glockner is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Kristi Betts · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a time where so many meals are grabbed on the go and there is a lack of nutritional meals in the home, Teddy Tries a Veggie presents a wonderful message for young children about the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, and how they work together to fight germs. I was a bit concerned when the story started with the main character, Theodora Rose - Teddy for short, states, “veggies are NOT my thing.” The story quickly redeems itself when Teddy helps her dad in the family garden. The fruits and vegetables are labeled in the garden and easily identifiable. While in the garden, Teddy’s dad began to explain how fruits and vegetables are like musicians playing different instruments in a band. “Each one is good on its own. But, together, they rock!”

I loved the simile used by Teddy’s dad, but I’m not sure I like how the story moves forward from with the fruits and vegetables in the garden coming alive for the “Annual Garden Fair”. Each band, Ruby & the Seeds and Hartley & the Leaves, takes the stage where they sound horrible. When the Germ Squad appears to take over the garden, Teddy begins to understand what her dad was talking about with his comparison. Eaten in isolation the body does not get all of the nutrients needed, but together they help fight off disease and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Once the Germ Squad is run out of the garden, Teddy is called in for dinner where her mother is preparing a Broccoli Orange Crunch (recipe included). In my mind her family was eating Citra Orange who played the Kazoo and Rockley Broccoli who played the Ukele in the band. Maybe I could not suspend disbelief because I am an adult, but this just seemed really weird to me. I believe young children will enjoy the story and will be able to over look the ending where the family eats the band members. I would recommend this title for libraries serving young children (schools and public) as well as for families, especially when there is a picky eater in the home.

The illustrations are brightly colored and cartoonish. I like how each character is introduced with a bit of information, their likes, dislikes, and what brought them fame. It allows the reader to know more about each character (including the vegetables) without having to include too much background information in the story.

Author, Jennifer Glockner is a registered dietitian nutritionist. According to the information “About the Author” she is “passionate about empowering kids to become smart eaters who use food as a lifelong tool to prevent disease and promote wellness.

*To comply with new guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission, Smith Publicity has provided a copy of Teddy Tries a Veggie in eBook format for review purposes. This review is my opinion and is in no way influenced by the publishing company.

Previously published on my blog at : http://texaslibrarylady.blogspot.com/...

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a corny story but it has a great message. Kids will identify with Teddy (Theodora) a six year old girl who loves fruit but dislikes vegetables. She works in the garden with her father and he plays music to it to help the plants grow. One day, Teddy stumbles upon the Annual Garden Fair where the fruits and vegetables each have their own band. Individually, they are out of tune and not very good. When Teddy convinces them to play together to fight off The Germs, they are in complete harmony. That night Teddy eats vegetables because she understands what her father has been telling her. At the end of the story, there are tips and facts about vegetables as well as an easy and delicious recipe. A great and fun story to teach children about the importance of eating fruits as well as vegetables.

Thank you Netgalley and Smartee Plate for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Cobwebby Eldritch Reading Reindeer]

REVIEW: TEDDY TRIES A VEGGIE [Smartee Plate Book 1] by Jennifer Glockner

First of a series by registered dietician Jennifer Glockner, TEDDY TRIES A VEGGIE showcases an animate vegetable garden filled with musical vegetables, and a smart almost five-year-old who hates veggies. Throughout the story the vegetables learn to cooperate. Teddy and her dog Charlie join in to repel the pesky Germ Squad, whose members want to gray the garden. Teddy learns to appreciate veggies, as do young readers.