Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Funny-spooky story about vegetables' dangers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In UNSETTLING SALAD! young badger Thaddeus and bestie Oliver Possum are "junk food junkies," finding ways to avoid vegetables and sneakily eat all the snacks and fast food they can. Their favorite place is Hurt-A-Burger, with cheap burgers and lots of greasy fries. When Oliver's vegan parents hatch a plan to trick them into getting their veggies, the results are surprising, mystifying, and potentially deadly. Can anyone trust a vegetable again?
Is It Any Good?
Excellent horror-story pacing and witty phrasing keeps readers engaged in this funny-spooky story that approaches the lessons of healthy eating with realism and huge doses of humor. Thaddeus and Oliver are relatable, drawn to fried, salty, and sugary snacks and foods and resist parents telling them how to eat, while the parents try to teach their (slightly extreme) idea of moderation. But the lessons about food are secondary to the storytelling that keeps readers giggling and wondering what will happen next. The black-and-white and green illustrations add a level of silly horror, perfectly matching the tone of the story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes certain food, like the fast food in Unsettling Salad!, so enticing. How do you find balance in what you eat? Where do you like to eat?
Do you and your friends have different food likes and dislikes? What's your favorite vegetable? What's your favorite kind of treat?
What other funny-scary stories have you read?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Peter Brown
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Animals , Fantasy ( Monsters ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : February 3, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 6 - 9
- Number of pages : 96
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : February 27, 2026
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