Review: No Ordinary Apple: A Story about Eating Mindfully by Sara Marlowe

Ages: 3 and up
Pages: 36
Publisher: Wisdom Publications
Release Date: June 2013
*I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.*


Summary: On an otherwise ordinary day, Elliot discovers something extraordinary: the power of mindfulness. When he asks his neighbor Carmen for a snack, he’s at first disappointed when she hands him an apple—he wanted candy! But when encouraged to carefully and attentively look, feel, smell, taste, and even listen to the apple, Elliot discovers that this apple is not ordinary at all.

Review: 
It's not always easy to get kids to slow down while snacking or to eat healthy, especially when kids are bombarded with advertisements that make candy and chips and McDonalds look cool.  Marlowe decided to tackle these challenge head on and write a book about a boy named Elliot who learns from his neighbor, Carmen, how to eat healthy by using all of his senses.  He thinks since he has eaten lots of apples, there was nothing new to experience, but she taught him differently. You can smell an apple.   What about the sound it makes when you bite into it?  Have you ever noticed that an apple is never just one color?  Using all of your senses heightens the experience of eating and makes you want to be able to use them with everything you put into your mouth.  It's actually a really good lesson for grown-ups, too.

Illustrator Phil Pascuzzo used lots of bright, bold, fun colors in his drawings, which I really liked.  Carmen has purple and pink hair, bright pink lips, and skin the color of mocha.  The apple is bright red making it look even more enticing.  Elliot's superhero cape is bright red  and green, not coincidentally I am sure, the colors of the most popular and easily recognizable apples.

Even though the story doesn't mention some of the things in the illustrations, there is a lot to talk about in them.  Like a magnifying glass (in which Elliot looks through to find out what makes an apple so special) and a telescope.  

While the book concentrates more on the mindfulness of eating, the book can still be used as a tool for eating healthier.  When's the last time you could smell a processed fruit snack?  Plus, Marlowe suggests trying to eat mindfully foods kids might not like, such as broccoli or peas.  

Overall, a smart and creative way for parents and children to learn to savor foods and choose foods that bring the senses alive the most!


First Line: "After school, Elliot went over to his neighbor Carmen's house."
Best Lines:

Best Words: observation, discover, spongy, familiar, smooshing, determined, fragrant


Ben's Book Briefs: 

E/S = Emotional & Social Development
I = Insightful
N = Natural World/Science
O = Open-Ended
Y = Yummy (Cooking with Kids/Nutrition)








Kids! Maalik Monkey wants to know:  

• Pick out a snack.  An apple, some carrot sticks, some crackers, or my favorite a BANANA! :D  Now, try to pay attention to how it smells.  What does it smell like?
• Now pay attention to what it feels like?  Is it soft or hard?  Is it mushy?  Crumbly?  Gooey?  
• What does it look like?  What color is it?  What shape is it?  Does the shape/color remind you of anything?  I think bananas look like yellow C's. 
• Now slowly taste it.  Hold it in your mouth.  Is it sweet?  Tart?  Salty?  Bitter?  Spicy? 
• SHARE your experience with me in the comments below!  I will write you back!

Adults! Becca wants to know:

• What do you think of eating mindfully?  
• Did you try it with your kids or students?  What was the outcome?
• Give it a try yourself.  Does it make you appreciate what you are eating more?  I know it did for me. 
• SHARE with me in the comments!