Picture Book: Don't Eat That Review

Cover Image

So, this summer I have been working at my local library during the children’s program and came across a fun little picture book. I have been reading many books for the program and this one is the most recent one. The book is a funny story about a hungry bear and an annoyed girl scout trying to gain her merit badge for being friendly/helpful to wildlife.

Endpapers of Don't Eat That!

In Don’t Eat That! Drew Shenemen uses a mix of traditional picture book art and comic book style panels to tell a funny story to entertain readers of all ages. The story begins when a bear is left in the wild from the city zoo on the front endpapers and the title page of the book.

Sheneman uses every available space to tell a brilliant story, and if a reader is not careful they can miss some of the key information being told.

Non-traditional comic panels

The story told between the panels is colorful and closer is made easily even between non-traditional panels or jumps. These are also enhanced by the color palette, which adds to the storytelling making it a fun comic-like picture book for children.

One element of this book I found funny was the use of puns in the text, while this may be too much for young readers, adults reading with a child or alone, will enjoy his sentiment. See the examplebelow where the word BEAR is highlighted in read. 

"UnBEARable" Pun

Come and laugh along with a little girl and a bear as they discover how Bear can fend for himself in the wild. Children will enjoy the silly bear and relate to the little girl as she tries to help him solve his problem, being hungry. The story has ups and downs in a quick read for all ages.

References

Sheneman, Drew. (2018). Don’t eat that!. Viking: New York.

Pictures of Endpapers, Non-Traditional Panels, and “UnBEARable” Pun are taken by me of illustrations/pages from Drew Sheneman’s book.

Book Cover Image from Goodreads.com. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36742000-don-t-eat-that