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Fussy Flamingo



Fussy Flamingo
Words by Shelly Vaughan James
Pictures by Matthew Rivera
Sourcebooks, Jabberwocky, 2020. Picture Book.

Lola is a young flamingo that doesn’t actually want to eat what every other flamingo tends to eat—shrimp. Lola thinks that shrimp are yucky. So when everyone else is busy eating, Lola sneaks off and eats other things. Only when her feathers turn different colors based on what she is eating Mami and Papi realize that she hasn’t eaten what she should be eating.

This is a story about a couple of classic toddler topics: colors and not wanting to try new foods. The bright, bold illustrations are vibrant and full of movement while showcasing Lola and her big personality. Young readers will enjoy guessing what color(s) Lola’s feathers will change to based on what she eats. Children with diversity in their families will enjoy the phrases such as “¡Ay de mĆ­!” that are included in the text. All-in-all this is a great edition to the story time circuit for toddlers.

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