Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Snyder
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Hilarious role reversal is relatable for the whole family.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
JUST TRY ONE BITE is a really fun role reversal story. In it, the parents are the picky eaters and the kids are the ones pleading with Mama and Papa to eat healthy foods. The family features a brown-skinned mother, a White father, and biracial children. Through rhyme and realism, the kid narrator blasts their parents' unhealthy eating habits, like eating ice-cream sundaes for breakfast, a whole jar of mayonnaise for lunch, and French fries they found on the floor of their car. The narrator teaches their parents why their bodies need fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods. Using typical parenting tactics, the kids request, bribe, cajole, and ultimately send their parents straight to bed without stories before the picky eaters give in and try one bite. Mama's and Papa's reactions may surprise kid readers, but parents who have been through similar experiences with picky eaters likely know how the story ends.
Is It Any Good?
The entire family will laugh out loud during this relatable read-aloud. In Just Try One Bite, the rhymes are realistic (though sometimes a little difficult to catch) and Mike Boldt's illustrations are hilariously compelling. Parents will identify with the kid characters' desperation when trying to get a picky eater to eat. Kids will identify with the parent characters' frustration of not wanting to try new foods. Casting a biracial family to portray the universal struggle of persuading a picky eater makes the story engaging for so many different types of families. Camila Alves McConaughey's passion for healthy eating and Adam Mansbach's comical spin on a common parenting issue merge to make a delightfully unique picture book.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about healthy food options in Just Try One Bite. What kinds of food do the kids want their parents to eat? Why should they eat these kinds of foods? What should the parents give up? Why?
What are some ways the kids try to get Mama and Papa to eat good foods? Do these methods work in the story? Do you think they work in real life?
What are your favorite healthy foods to eat?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrator : Mike Boldt
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Cooking , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Penguin Young Readers Group
- Publication date : March 22, 2022
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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