This is the cutest book. I have read it for years, mostly when I taught second and third grade. It’s a bit too young for my big fifths, but I missed sharing it. And so it became the perfect title for our most recent family book day.
It tells the tale of Camilla Cream, the girl who loves lima beans in secret.
At school, she tries to hide her true self. She doesn’t want anyone to know that she really likes lima beans, so she stops eating them. She tells everyone that she hates lima beans. Unfortunately, this little white lie gives her a bad case of stripes.
Doctors and specialists come from all over the country to try to treat her.
But no one can find the cure.
Until one day, when an old lady arrives at the front door.
And knows just what Camilla needs.
Lima beans, of course.
The short of it: be true to yourself. This is a great book for teachers and parents alike. It is a popular back-to-school read but can really be shared at any time.
Jameson and Harper got a kick out of this story, and we had a little fun extending our reading. The teacher in me had them do some writing about the problem and solution first. There are wonderful free resources to explore on Teachers Pay Teachers. You rock, educators!
In the book, Camilla found herself with rainbow stripes, and so we had to make a rainbow snack. Fruit Loop bracelets to the rescue! Jameson worked on patterning the colors. Harper mostly worked on eating.
We also made rainbows with plates, Skittles, and warm water. This was quick and fun and can be found here.
Then, Jameson’s 6-year-old-boyness came out. He had to swirl. No pretty rainbow stripes for him. Big brown pools instead. Muhahahahaha.
The illustrations in the book are really quite stunning. We loved Camilla’s vibrant colors. The kids both made striped portraits, too.
And to cap things off, we had to give lima beans a try for lunch. Of course!
Do you think they liked them?
Thank you, David Shannon, for always writing happy and totally fun books. How to Become a Pirate was one of our favorite book days last summer. I personally love Duck on a Bike and Jameson adores Too Many Toys. Add them to your book stack if you are looking for something new.
Happy reading together!
