March Food Drive is an invitation to the whole family to learn about food insecurity in Minnesota. Right now, many families are still unable to leave their homes to work or go to school. One in five children in Minnesota face hunger daily, and that number is growing as living costs increase in these uncertain times.
Young people may not understand why people are going hungry or what we can do about hunger. The topic can seem huge and overwhelming. That’s why Neighborhood House’s Youth Literacy team has chosen three books to help start conversations for families with young children. These books create opportunities to learn and talk about food insecurity in empathetic, realistic ways.
Read along with teachers Alesha, Brooke, and Ellyn:
Lulu and the Hunger Monster
Lulu and the Hunger Monster, by Erik Talkin, illustrated by Sheryl Murray (ages 5–9)
Description: When Lulu’s mother’s van breaks down, money for food becomes tight and the Hunger Monster comes into their lives. Only visible to Lulu, Hunger Monster is a troublemaker who makes it hard for her to concentrate in school. How will Lulu help her mom and defeat the Monster when Lulu has promised never to speak the monster’s name to anyone? This realistic–and hopeful–story of food insecurity builds awareness of the issue of childhood hunger, increases empathy for people who are food insecure, and demonstrates how anyone can help end hunger. Lulu and the Hunger Monster(TM) empowers children to destigmatize the issue of hunger before the feeling turns into shame.
Maddi’s Fridge
Maddi’s Fridge, by Lois Brandt, illustrated by Vin Vogel (ages 4–8)
Description: Best friends Sofia and Maddi live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school, and play in the same park, but while Sofia’s fridge at home is full of nutritious food, the fridge at Maddi’s house is empty. Sofia learns that Maddi’s family doesn’t have enough money to fill their fridge and promises Maddi she’ll keep this discovery a secret. But because Sofia wants to help her friend, she’s faced with a difficult decision: to keep her promise or tell her parents about Maddi’s empty fridge. Filled with colorful artwork, this storybook addresses issues of poverty with honesty and sensitivity while instilling important lessons in friendship, empathy, trust, and helping others.
Our Little Kitchen
Our Little Kitchen, by Jillian Tamaki (ages 4–8)
Description: Tie on your apron! Roll up your sleeves! Pans are out, oven is hot, the kitchen’s all ready! Where do we start? With a garden abundant with produce, a joyfully chaotic kitchen, and a friendly meal shared at the table, Our Little Kitchen is a celebration of full bellies and looking out for one another.
You can almost smell the veggies on the stove! Ingredients and steps for making vegetable soup precede a swirl of steam that leads into an introduction to a small community kitchen. Here a diverse group of friends, family, and neighbors unite to prep the meal with “what we’ve got, what we’ve grown, what we’ve kept, been given, and bought!”
The group prepares soup, chili, apple crumble, salad, warm bread, and more. The sounds of the kitchen “sizzle, chop, glug, slice, peel, trim, toss, splash, squish.” Helpers serve as neighbors wait and anticipate the joy of sharing in a time of need.
Our Little Kitchen‘s bright, full-color illustrations, speech bubbles, simple words, varying perspectives, and exciting action encourage young readers to jump from page to page, making this a perfect read-aloud story.
Bonus materials include recipes for vegetable soup and apple crumble, and an author’s note about the volunteering experience that inspired the book.
