Sam's Sandwich

Not all things that are good for you taste great.  

THREE PROS

*It's not the first book I've reviewed that takes the shape of a common food item, but it's the best 
*It provides interactivity for parents by forcing you to rhyme out the disgusting critter on each page since the word isn't given (only the picture)

*Watercress and tadpoles aren't the usual children's book fare, which I like

THREE CONS 

*If my kid ever puts even one ant on my food, this thing is getting downgraded to a Destroy immediately

*The way the pages fold out is creative but can also take forever for little fingers to successfully navigate
*David Pelham's depiction of brother and sister is almost more scary than the pests that live within the sandwich

ONE DAD'S OPINION
Given the choice, I would not recommend a gross-out book to anyone I know, especially the readers of my blog.  But there's just something about this one that causes me to ignore my predisposition to the point that I can't help but give it a Buy.  The writing is tight, the food looks good enough to eat (minus the insects, mollusks, etc), and the design holds up surprisingly well over time (it's a twenty-plus year old printing).  Get it and cross your fingers that little Sam or Samantha doesn't take everything he or she reads literally...

BUY / Borrow / Donate / Destroy