YUM YUMMY YUCK

Not everything that looks yummy belongs in our tummies!

There are so many genuinely yummy foods in the world, like ice cream, milk, doughnuts, and watermelon. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of things that may look yummy—such as crayons, coins, sand, and Band-Aids—but that just don’t taste very good. In this book, the loosely patterned text classifies images as “yum,” “yummy,” or “yuck,” elucidating for children the difference between what looks good and what actually tastes good. Overall, “yummy” foods tend to have a higher sugar content than those labeled “yum.” The simple, clean illustrations feature a cool palette of colors and whimsical designs that are perfect for very young readers. Unfortunately, the text lacks the same age appropriateness. The language is often too sophisticated for small children, using phrases like “you’ll immediately regret it” and “looks can be deceiving” that seem meant for the adults reading the book aloud rather than the children listening to it. Even more problematically, the book’s attempts at tongue-in-cheek humor often end up sounding preachy, as the narrator admonishes young children for the developmentally appropriate—albeit gross and often terrifying—pattern of exploring the world with their mouths. In particular, a page that suddenly features instructions on how to properly wash hands is a non sequitur that feels more like a lecture than an organic place for the story to go.

Snazzy illustrations in the service of preachy, disappointing text.