Synopses & Reviews
To pass time in the summer, Zora rides her bike in large circles around the neighborhood until one day when she comes across some free zucchini that she plants in her garden. Zora is excited when the first zucchini are ready to eat, and everyday her family finds new ways to cook them. But soon there are just too many zucchini. What do do? Finally Zora comes up with the perfect solution: a food swap! Summer will never be the same again!
Author Katherine Pryor and artist Anna Raff, the team behind the popular Sylvia's Spinach, tell a playful story about a creative child who not only discovers the wonder of growing good food, but also the joy of growing a community through food.
Review
"Weand#8217;ll never make headway with the pressing environmental issues of our time and#150; such as climate change, community-building and food waste and#150; without brilliant, fun little books like Zoraand#8217;s Zucchiniand#151;Tom Watson, "EcoConsumer," KOMO4 TV (Seattle), King County (WA) EcoConsumer public outreach program
"The perfect read for every present and future gardener!"and#151;Rick Swann, author, Our School Garden!
Review
"After planting a dozen free zucchini plants, Zora finds ways to share and trade her bumper crop with others in her community... Kids should warm to Zora's predicament and resourceful problem-solving."
and#151;Kirkus Reviews
"A joyful read filled with zest and zucchini! If you've ever grown a squash plant that just won't quit, Zora's conundrum will feel quite familiar. Pryor offers a happy, community-based solution that uses cooking and friends to eliminate food waste. It's a super squash somersault of success!"
and#151;Amber Stott, Founder and Chief Food Genius, Food Literacy Center
"What a delight! With whimsy, color, and even a few touches of hilarity, Zoraand#8217;s Zucchini will surely inspire you to get planting. It captures the wonder of a first garden, the bounty of summer, and the promise of fresh vegetables. What is more, itand#8217;s a reminder that good food is all about community. Bravo and thank you!and#8221;
and#151;Ian Cheney, Co-Founder, FoodCorps
"As in their previous picture book Sylviaand#8217;s Spinach, Anna Raffand#8217;s illustrations are a wonderful companion to Katherine Pryorand#8217;s simple story and healthy message for young readers and eaters."
and#151;Craig Seashores, President-Elect, Washington Library Media Association, Librarian, Sanislo Elementary
"Weand#8217;ll never make headway with the pressing environmental issues of our time and#150; such as climate change, community-building and food waste and#150; without brilliant, fun little books like Zoraand#8217;s Zucchini."
and#151;Tom Watson, "EcoConsumer," KOMO4 TV (Seattle)
"Sparking curiosity in kids about food through stories will empower the coming generations of youth to make healthy food choices for life. Zoraand#8217;s Zucchini will undoubtedly inspire the natural desire in every child to grow and taste food and to be a part of the 'marketplace.'"
and#151;Kristin Hyde, Director of the Pure Food Kids Foundation
and#147;A simple yet powerful story that weaves together the joys of gardening, problem solving, and community building. Zora is an inspiration!and#8221;
and#151; Emily Han, Co-founder, Food Swap Network
"The perfect read for every present and future gardener!"
and#151;Rick Swann, author, Our School Garden!
Synopsis
The first zucchini of a summer garden is always exciting, but what happens when the plants just keep growing...and growing...and growing? Zora soon finds herself with more zucchini than her family can bake, sautand#233;, or barbecue. Fortunately the ever-resourceful girl comes up with the perfect planand#151;a garden swap!
Author Katherine Pryor and artist Anna Raff the team behind Sylvia's Spinach, tell the playful story of a child who discovers not only the wonder of growing food but the satisfaction of growing a community.
About the Author
Katherine Pryor made her picture book debut with
Sylviaand#8217;s Spinach, illustrated by Anna Raff. She is a good food advocate who always liked digging in the dirt, especially when it produced delicious results. A particularly bountiful August harvest in her community garden in Seattle inspired her to write
Zora's Zucchini. Learn more about Katherine at katherinepryor.com.
Anna Raff's children's books include Sylvia's Spinach by Katherine Pryor, World Rat Day by J. Patrick Lewis, and Things That Float and Things That Donand#8217;t by David Adler. She grew up in Connecticut, where her family had a large garden with an array of vegetables, including kohlrabi, tomatillos, and of course, zucchini. She now lives in a sunny New York City apartment, where she is relegated to raising succulents and cacti. Learn more about Anna at annaraff.com.