“Mommy is eating a watermelon.
I know it’s crazy, but it’s true.”
In this laugh-out-loud story, children’s book veterans Danny and Kim Adlerman bring to life that saying every mom-to-be dreads: “Looks like you’ve got a watermelon in there!”
Our main character Zoe knows that something strange is happening to mom and this is the story of how she thinks that everything is her fault. Early last summer, at a family picnic, Zoe and her friend Madeleine had so much fun telling stories and jokes that a watermelon seed flew out of her mouth and landed right in Mom’s glass. A month later, Mom complains that she hasn’t been feeling well, and one day, as her brother pats her growing stomach, she says, “Looks like you’ve got a watermelon in there!” Zoe thinks it’s all because of that seed she accidentally spat into her mom’s cup. Zoe spends a lot of time waiting and worrying, wondering where the melon would go after Mommy took it from her. Before long, the big day arrives and the nurse takes a bundle out of the cart. To Zoe’s surprise, it’s a girl, not a watermelon! Phew!
The story is in an easy-to-read format for children ages 7-10 and is told in six very short chapters, making it a quick and fun read. Halsey’s art is a unique multimedia style that combines collage and watercolors. She really feels Zoe’s fear and guilt when she shows her mom’s belly under an X-ray machine of her belly, and I enjoyed the “scientific” image of mom swallowing her seed.
This is a great book to use as an introduction to “the big talk” and for those young readers who are curious about where watermelons come from.
In addition to a wonderful story, there are additional watermelon recipes in the back of the book, provided by the National Watermelon Promotion Board, such as Frosted Watermelon and Watermelon in a Blanket.
Additional Information:
Authors: Danny and Kim Adlerman
Illustrator: Megan Halsey
Editor: Children in our house; April 15, 2009
Reading level: 7-10
Pages: 44
