Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

A charming tale of Little Pea, who lives in a world where sweets are a part of daily meals, and vegetables are treats. Little Pea dislikes having to eat candy for dinner and looks forward to dessert, which is spinach. The book uses this whimsical premise to explore themes of family, the importance of healthy eating in a fun and relatable way for kids, and the concept of doing things you might not enjoy to get to what you really want. Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s storytelling is engaging and complemented by delightful illustrations that bring the story to life.

Genre:  comedy, family, food

Themes: healthy eating, family love and support, happiness, rewards and consequences, individuality, routines

Age: 3+ years old

Activities

  • Imaginary World Creation: Since Little Pea presents a world where dietary preferences are flipped, have students imagine a world with other inverted norms. For example, what if sleeping was considered a fun activity and playing was something you had to do to earn sleep? Students can describe their town or city under these new norms, focusing on aspects like school, leisure, and daily routines.
  • Poetry Writing – Cinquain: Challenge students to summarise the story or a character from Little Pea using a Cinquain, a five-line poem that follows a specific structure (line 1: two syllables, line 2: four syllables, line 3: six syllables, line 4: eight syllables, line 5: two syllables). This activity encourages brevity and creativity in understanding the book’s characters or themes.
  • Creative Writing – A Day in the Life: Ask students to write a short story from the perspective of a vegetable in the world of Little Pea. This vegetable is the most desired treat among the young peas. What challenges does it face? What adventures does it have in avoiding being eaten? This activity encourages empathy and creativity, allowing students to explore the world from a different viewpoint.
  • Character Analysis Through Illustrations: Similar to the analysis of character features reflecting personality traits, students can examine the book’s illustrations to infer what each character (e.g., Little Pea, Mama Pea, Papa Pea) likes or dislikes and how these preferences reflect their personality traits. They can discuss how the illustrator uses colours, shapes, and expressions to convey these traits.
  • Nutritional Research and Presentation: Since the book playfully addresses the topic of eating vegetables, have students research the nutritional benefits of their favourite vegetable or one mentioned in the book. They can prepare a short presentation or poster that includes interesting facts, health benefits, and creative ways to include this vegetable in daily meals. This activity connects the book’s theme to real-life knowledge and promotes healthy eating habits.
Download free resource

Enjoyed this book? You might also enjoy…

Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee book cover
Rob Sanders - Outer Space Bedtime Race book cover
Heidi Heckelbeck in Disguise by Wanda Coven book cover

Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee

Outer Space Bedtime Race by Rob Sanders

Heidi Heckelbeck in Disguise by Wanda Coven

Get these books for free