MACIE AND THE MAGIC VEGGIES

Contardo’s debut picture book follows a vegetable-loving young girl’s journey to a farm to see how food is grown.

Blond-haired, blue-eyed, dungaree-wearing Macie loves vegetables. At the supermarket, she sings a song in praise of her favorites—tomatoes, carrots, and beans. Then her Grandpa reveals an exciting secret: Before they reach the shops, vegetables are grown at a farm. Macie is excited to see this for herself, so Grandpa takes her to visit Farmer Lundyn. Macie soaks up everything there is to know about growing vegetables and grows her own basket of produce, which she presents to Grandpa. While not much information is imparted in Macie’s learning experience, Contardo captures both the magical enthusiasm of early childhood and the special dynamic that exists between young children and their grandparents. The gentle story is hemmed in by a slavish striving for end-rhymes; for example: “At the farm, where pretty sunflowers thrive, / They meet Farmer Lundyn when they arrive.” The text is presented in simple black font across colorful blank spaces within Contardo’s digital illustrations. These images are bright, albeit more serviceable than genuinely artistic, with little variation in the characters’ Disney-character-like expressions. There are some deft and sweet touches, however, such as the salad that Macie and Grandpa share, and Macie’s soft-toy carrot. Several post-story pages of farm- and vegetable-related questions and activities will encourage young readers to continue their explorations.

A wholesome and effusive first step into the natural world.