Half Popped (A Review)
My kids love to read. My almost-9 year old, Miss Sassy Pants, has a stack of books on her bed. I have to tell her constantly to clean them off so she’ll have room to sleep.
The Animal (he’s 2.5) has a pile of books strewn across his bedroom floor. I try to clean them up, but he’ll pull them right back down and look at them some more.
The baby? Well, let’s just say at this point, he devours books. He’s teething. You get my point.
I especially love it when my kids can enjoy a book together. When we received Half Popped by Jeff Feuerstein (illustrated by Dayna Brandoff and Alex Miller), we bundled up on the couch to read. Since Miss Sassy Pants is pretty skilled at the reading, I let her read to her brother.
The story follows a half-popped popcorn kernel named Kenny who is sad that he is left in the bottom of the popcorn bowl. He feels like he isn’t as important as the “pretty” fully popped kernels who have already been “chosen” and eaten.
This sends Kenny on a trip around the kitchen — in the fridge, in the pantry, on the counters — to talk with other foods that don’t feel so important or pretty. He talks first to a carrot who wishes he wasn’t a “baby carrot” and was instead big like the others. Kenny gives the carrot a pep talk before moving on to the next food in the kitchen.
Kenny learns an important lesson about seeing yourself as others see you. While you may not feel like the best, someone out there loves you for sure!
I asked Miss Sassy Pants what she learned. She said, “I learned it’s ok to be different.” And, she’s right! Kenny is different as are all the other pieces of food he talks to. It’s ok to be different because we can each offer something to those around us!
Be sure to enter to win your own copy of Half Popped so you can see what Kenny learns about being comfortable with who he is!
Enter to win a copy of Half Popped using the Rafflecopter form below. And be sure to check out Half Popped on Amazon!
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Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Half Popped in exchange for my review. There was no other compensation, and all opinions are my own.
My kids would love this book! Frances would do a great job reading it to her brothers.