McConaughey takes on picky eaters, with love
NEW YORK » Camila Alves McConaughey has co-written a new children’s book about a bunch of picky eaters. Only in this case, the picky eaters aren’t the children.
“Just Try One Bite” (Penguin Random House) follows three kids as they try to get their parents to put down the ice cream, cake and chicken fried steak and embrace healthy, whole foods. Actually, all the kids want is for the adults to take a single bite of anything healthy.
“It’s not about preaching being perfect. I know I’m not. I know my household is not. We’ve got a ways to go,” says the model and entrepreneur. “It’s about making small changes.”
The rhyming book — co-written with Adam Mansbach and illustrated by Mike Boldt — features well-meaning kids confronting their junk-food-loving parents (who somewhat resemble Alves and her husband, actor Matthew McConaughey) about giving kale a chance, a role reversal with plenty of humor.
“Oh Papa, oh Mama, please be open-minded. You can’t say kale’s gross if you won’t even try it,” they plead in the book. “A well-balanced dinner really ought to be more than some French fries you found in your car on the floor.”
A breakthrough occurs when the parents finally eat some cauliflower — and like it. That opens the door for yams, linguini with clams and, as a reward, donut holes. Yes, treats are allowed, in moderation.
“One of the most important conversation to have about doing better for yourself is early on,” says Alves from her home in Texas. “If you start giving kids the understanding and the knowledge, all of a sudden you start seeing them feel empowered and make better decisions on their own.”
Alves — mother to Levi, 13, Vida, 12, and Livingston, 9 — is candid about the challenges parents face with picky eaters, noting that siblings go through different stages at different times. Her youngest recently would only eat beans, prompting her to call the doctor.
Boldt filled the book with big movements and expressive faces, saying he was paying homage to Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat,” which also has kids taking charge and creating a bit of chaos. “It’s much easier to draw something when the words are incredibly descriptive and visual, because that feeds your imagination,” he says.
He also has three children but, thankfully, they aren’t that picky. “They actually like a lot of vegetables and foods that I wasn’t sure they were going to,” he says with