Macaroni and Cheese, Hot Dogs and Peas

Macaroni and Cheese, Hot Dogs and Peas by Christine Hickson is a fun and cute way to help kids understand why we say grace and thank God for our food.

Written in rhyme, the book begins with a young girl asking:

"When I eat dinner,
My mom and dad say,
'Let's thank the Lord of our food today.'
And I would...but,
What I want to know, please,
Is what does GOD have to do with my
Macaroni and cheese?"

Her macaroni (illustrated with a friendly face by Ed Koehler) explains he started out as wheat growing in a field; a farmer cut him down and made him into flour, which was then used to make the macaroni. Then the cheese speaks up, explaining she started out as milk in a cow that somebody then mixed into cheese, perfect for macaroni. The girl's hot dog chimes in next, explaining he started out as part of a pig, then a butcher made him into a weiner.

The girl says she finds all this interesting, but still wants to know how God fits into it all. So her peas explain. They say God made them a seed first; then God gave them the sun and water they required to grow, and a farmer tended them lovingly, just like God takes care of the farmer and the butcher and the cows and the pigs. "Without God, not one of us would be on your plate," the peas say.

Now understanding, the young girl offers up a prayer, thanking God for everything she eats, for the sun and rain, for seeds and meat, and everything he created that ended up being her hot dogs and peas "And my most favorite dish,/Macaroni and cheese!"

What I Like: This is a clever way to explain how God made every single thing, and why we should thank him for our food. Koehler's illustrations are colorful and fun, adding a great deal to the text.

What I Dislike: This isn't the best rhyming book I've ever read; sometimes the rhyme seems a bit forced. Still, overall, it isn't bad, and gets the point across well.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: Baby to preschool.

Publisher Info: Concordia, 2000; ISBN: 978-0570070443; boardbook, $9.49

Buy it Now at ChristianBook.com for $7.49

Or at Amazon.com for $9.49

Special Info: See samples of illustrator Ed Koehler's drawings at his website.