Sylvia's Spinach
Sylvia's Spinach
Written by Katherine Pryor
Illustrated by Anna Raff
Age Range: 4-8 years, 32 pages
Hardcover: $15.95, ISBN 978-0983661511
Paperback: $10.95, ISBN 978-0983661542
Pub date: October 2012
Order from Bookshop, Amazon, or Purchase from your local bookstore!
Audiobook available via Live Oak Media
Sylvia Spivens hates spinach. Bleh! But what will a picky eater do when her teacher hands her spinach seeds to plant in the school garden? Will it be joy—or agony? Join Sylvia as she discovers the magic of growing food from the ground up and what happens when you give something new a try.
Katherine Pryor loves eating spinach sautéed, stir-fried, steamed, or straight from the garden. In addition to writing, She is co-founder of South Park Fresh Starts, which grows vegetable starts for a food bank in Seattle. This is her first children’s book. Learn more about Katherine at Katherinepryor.com.
Anna Raff loves spinach, sweet potatoes, and bananas, but steers clear of liver and sea urchins. She lives in New York City. Learn more about Anna at Annaraff.com.
See Katherine and Anna's latest book, Zora's Zucchini.
Reviews
• Whole Kids Foundation Book Club Selection
• "15 Books For Future Foodies," Food Tank: The Food Think Tank
“Sylvia won’t touch spinach. She howls, “No spinach! Ever!” That changes, however, when her once unwanted spinach seeds grown for class garden grow into tasty fresh spinach. Adults and children are sure to see familiar expressions and recognize Sylvia’s objections in the easy language and playful illustrations of Sylvia’s Spinach by Katherine Pryor.”
—Reading Rocket
“A young spinach hater becomes a spinach lover after she has to grow her own in a class garden… Raff uses unlined brushwork to give her simple cartoon illustrations a pleasantly freehand, airy look… [Pryor] covers gardening basics in a simple and encouraging way.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Pryor’s lesson about healthy eating and trying new things is delivered with a light touch thanks to Raff’s airy ink washes.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Sylvia’s Spinach reminded me that there’s a special, secret ingredient in healthy eating—having fun! With great warmth and humor, this book captures the infectious joy of planting one’s first seed.”
—Ian Cheney, director of Truck Farm and co-founder of FoodCorps
“Understanding food production is pivotal in a child’s development of food habits. The more familiar and accessible this information, the easier it becomes for a kid to eat healthy. This groundwork propels movement and change. Sylvia’s Spinach accomplishes this conversation in an approachable, kid-friendly way — from start to finish. A once resistant Sylvia learns the value of growing a garden, and through this hard work an appreciation for vegetables. Exposure is half the battle.”
—Ann Cooper, “Renegade Lunch Lady,” Nutrition Services Director, Boulder Valley (CO) School District; Author, Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children