JasperMcFlea is a companion volume to the popular picture book, Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair, by the same author. Ella Kazoo looked at the issue of a girl who had uncontrollable hair and this new title addresses another perennial conflict: a child who has a limited diet. Jasper will only eat pasta and it is affecting his performance in cricket. His twin sister, Ginger, is a goody-goody who eats a wide variety of foods, even parsnip and spinach. The family eventually take Jasper to Doctor McTavish, who gives him the secret of eating—tasting. I am a little sceptical that this ‘secret’ would actually work, but maybe it is worth parents trying it if they have fussy eaters. The book could also be used by primary schools, kindergartens, and early childhood centres, to complement their programs on healthy eating. Humour is created by both the rhyming text and the illustrations. The illustrations are cartoon-like, using white space—instead of framing—to separate them from each other. They emphasise facial expressions and movement to create a lively mood. This is a book aimed to amuse and teach young boys, in particular.

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine (March 2009, Vol 88, No 6.) is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker.

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