The Edible Pyramid
Good Eating Every Day
by Loreeen Leedy

Children's book review by Steve Barancik

The USDA Food Guide Pyramid comes to life!

Ages 4-8

There's a new restaurant in town. The maitre'd is a cat. The patrons run the gamut from tadpoles to elephants. Welcome to The Edible Pyramid.

In this restaurant, healthy eating is king. Your maitre'd explains the importance of getting a balanced diet from all the food groups and in proper proportions.

He makes it all seem pretty yummy too.

There's a wide menu at the E.P. Grain offerings include wheat bread, rye bread, tortillas, pancakes, waffles, rolls, pita breat, bagels, crackers, corn bread and even pretzels. Oh, and wild rice, bran muffins, popcorn, corn flakes, granola, oatmeal...

Are you getting the idea? This is the picture book you take with you on your family trips to the grocery store.

Mom: Emily, how are you going to get your grains?
Emily (reading from the grocery cart): Bran muffins!

(Dad wants to get his grains from the barley in beer, but we'll leave that for another book!)

The Edible Pyramid isn't really a story so much as a presentation. Here are a lot of different healthy foods, here are a lot of cute animals enjoying them, see how happy and healthy everyone is!

In other words, it should work great with your younger kids. (You'll want to avoid giving your middle schoolers the opportunity to ridicule it.) Now all your admonitions about healthy eating are given the credibility of being in book form.

"See? It's in writing!"

Originally published in 1994, Leedy gave this Reading Rainbow book a 2005 update to keep it in line with the USDA's updating of the food guide pyramid. (So if you buy used, you'll want to make sure you get the latest version.)

Leedy's edge to edge illustrations are great fun, and each food is labeled with its name. Leedy consulted with a Registered Dietitian on the book.

In the daily running battle between the food industry and families, The Edible Pyramid: Good Eating Every Day strikes a blow for the good guys.

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