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Peach Pleasure – Kid Lit (and recipes)

July 7, 2015 Claire Annette Noland 13 Comments

peaches - loaded tree
It is harvest time for stone fruit! I walk most mornings with the dogs and have been captivated by the trees dripping with fruit. We are experiencing a horrific drought here in Central California but the farmers aren’t giving up. Take a look at these peaches coming soon to a fruit stand or farmers market near you:

peaches  bin - easton

peach fruit stand sign

Here are some Peachy Keen kids’ books to enjoy while eating a peach:

peach covers 2

 

peach heaven cover

Peach Heaven by Yangsook Choi (author and illustrator)
Picture book ages 4-8
Farrar, Straus and Giroux

When asked to write about the best thing in her town for a homework assignment, Yangsook only had to look at the picture above her desk of children playing in a peach orchard. This was what she imagined heaven was like. She wrote about the famous peaches that grew in the orchards surrounding her town of Puchon. Unfortunately, Yangsook did not often get to eat these peaches because they were very expensive and were sent to markets throughout Korea.

When a huge hailstorm caused the entire crop to fall from the trees, peaches were carried by the heavy rains and poured down the roofs of the Puchon. The townspeople happily collected the fruit. No one could understand how the peaches had traveled without being damaged but everyone ate peaches until they were full. Yangsook was sure she was in peach heaven. peach heaven illustrationLater, when Yangsook thought about the farmers who had worked so hard to grow the perfect peaches, she couldn’t sleep. Then she had an idea. Yangsook reached out to her neighbors who returned to the orchards and tied peaches to the trees.

Author Yangsook Choi based this story on this event that happened in her hometown when she was a girl. In the author’s note she explains that peaches are regarded as a magic fruit in Korean mythology. They are said to symbolize peace. Two of my children are Korean and I am thrilled to add this book to our collection of Korean titles.

 

peach and blue

Peach & Blue by Sarah S. Kilborne (author) Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (illustrators)
Picture book ages 4-6
Dragonfly Books

I think this book is a bit odd. It is the story of an adventurous blue bellied toad who meets a peach hanging in a tree. Peach is sad because she wants to see the world beyond the tree. She knows that her fate is to be made into a cobbler or a tart. The toad, with the help of relatives, manages to get Peach out of the tree. They live side by side and ponder life together beside a pond. I don’t mind anthropomorphic animals but I’m not quite sure about living, talking fruit. The illustrations are gorgeous and I do like the lovely ending  – “I don’t think I’ll last forever,” said Peach. “That’s okay,” said Blue. “Not many folks do. But until then, you have me, and I have you.”

Peach boy in bin of peaches

Peach Boy by William H. Hooks (author) and June Otani (illustrator)
Bank Street Ready-to-Read
Bantam Books

Wouldn’t it be fun to open a peach and have a child pop out? That’s just what happens in Peach Boy. An elderly Japanese couple’s only wish is for a child. The wife finds a large peach in the river and brings it home. When the couple prepares to slice into the peach, they hear a voice. The peach splits and out jumps a baby boy! They name him Momotaro which means Peach Boy. Momotaro grows up to save the town from the wicked oni monsters with the help of a hawk, a monkey, and a dog. This version of this Japanese folktale was written  for children learning to read on their own but it can be enjoyed by all ages.

Peach james &

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Middle Grade Fiction
Penguin Books

James and the Giant Peach has what I consider to be the best opening of any book. We meet James who has had a perfect life with his parents in their beautiful seaside home. Then, one day, James’s mother and father went to London to do some shopping, and there a terrible thing happened. Both of them suddenly got eaten up (in full daylight, mind you, and on a crowded street) by an enormous angry rhinoceros which had escaped from the London Zoo.

James is sent to live with his two horrible aunts where he becomes the saddest and loneliest boy in the world. But, life becomes interesting when he is given a bag of magic green things that end up sinking into the root system of a peach tree. James is swept up into an adventure with the insect inhabitants of a giant peach.

Even if you have read James and the Giant Peach, I encourage you to read it again and share it with a child. It is the perfect summer book.

Peach pit to tree cover

From Pit to Peach Tree
Nonfiction picture book grades 1-2
Ellen Weiss (author)
Children’s Press

If you don’t have the opportunity to visit a peach orchard, this title is the next best thing. In this book for young readers, the life cycle of a peach tree is explained in simple accompanied by beautiful photographs. The book includes a table of contents, index, and glossary which makes it a great book to support common core in early grades.

Now, what to do with all these peaches?

peaches close up

Easton wants to play fetch.

peaches - ball easton

 

We, however, love to eat peaches.

EASY PEACHY SALSA

EASY PEACHY SALSA

(kid friendly)

Ingredients:

  • 4 large peaches (peeled and pits removed)
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 bell pepper (cut off top and take out seeds)
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 lemon
  • cilantro to taste

Dice the peaches, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion and mix them together in a bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fruit and veggies. Cut and add cilantro to taste. (Use jalapeno peppers if you like spicier salsa)

peach yogurt

EASY PEACHY FROZEN YOGURT

Ingredients:

  • 4 ripe peaches (peeled, pitted, and sliced)
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 2 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

Freeze the peach slices for at least 4 hours.

Blend the peaches, honey and vanilla yogurt in a blender or food processor.

You can pour this into an airtight container and freeze or use an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 1 quart

Filed Under: Books, Farm Fresh, Food, Places Tagged With: children's books about peaches, easy peach recipes, easy peach salsa recipe, From Pit to Peach, James and the Giant Peach, Peach and Blue, peach books, Peach Boy, peach frozen yogurt recipe, Peach Heaven, peaches

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Trine Grillo says

    July 7, 2015 at 3:06 pm

    Thank you for this delicious post, Claire! Nothing better than peaches in the summer. Love your book choices and the recipes.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      July 9, 2015 at 1:20 am

      Hi Trine – Yes,I agree. I know it is summer when the peaches are ripe.
      Hope you’re having a peach of a day!

      Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    July 7, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    Your recipes are going to be put to good use this summer with my school-agers. Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      July 9, 2015 at 1:14 am

      Hi Stephanie, These are really kid friendly recipes. I hope you’re having a fun summer.

      Reply
  3. tina cho says

    July 8, 2015 at 5:14 am

    Thanks for sharing these books, especially, Peach Heaven. I’ll have to see if I can get a copy of it for my classroom. I’m teaching 1st grade at an international school here.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      July 9, 2015 at 1:13 am

      Hi Tina, Peach Heaven is a lovely book based on a true event. Yangsook Choi wrote another of my favorite books – The Name Jar.
      How was your move? I hope you are all settling in. My daughter and her husband just returned from Korea. They traveled all over and had a wonderful time.

      Reply
  4. evelyneholingue says

    July 8, 2015 at 8:10 pm

    It’s great to add the recipes to the picture books selection, Claire. I love peaches too and just discovered the Georgia peaches, which are absolutely delicious Much closer to the smaller peaches I used to eat in France than the California ones. Peaches symbolize summer and I will definitely try your recipes. Thank you for sharing.
    P.S. Eastom looks adorable!

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      July 9, 2015 at 1:10 am

      I think the Georgia peaches would be great in these recipes. I hear they are lovely and yummy.

      Easton loves morning walks as much as I do.

      Reply
  5. Cynthia says

    July 20, 2015 at 5:55 am

    I love peaches, and I remember being mesmerized by James and the Giant Peach when I heard it read to me for the first time as a child.

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      July 25, 2015 at 11:16 pm

      Hi Cynthia, Peaches = summer to me. Roald Dahl’s books made me want to be a writer.

      Reply
  6. Stephanie Faris says

    July 21, 2015 at 12:34 am

    I can’t remember the last time I ate a peach! You should do one on chocolate…and all the books you should read while eating it. It would give you a reason to research, right? 🙂

    Reply
    • Claire Annette Noland says

      July 25, 2015 at 11:15 pm

      Hi Stephanie. Thanks for stopping by. Chocolate is definitely an important food group (I think it deserves its own category). I did a post last year’s blogging a-z on Charley and the Chocolate Factory complete with a very easy recipe. “http://afieldtriplife.com/c-is-for-celebrate-and-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-and-a-recipe/”>

      Reply

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claireannettenolandbooks

Author | teacher | Field Trip Planner
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Members, you can vote for books in all of the regions.
Cast your vote at this link: 

https://www.scbwi.org/crystal-kite/CK8

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and I'll be doing story time and craft at the Three River Public Library on July 11th at 10:30

@gnomeroadpublishing @pbspree @eringreneaux @tularecountylib 
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We are enjoying a lovely summer’s day with CARL’S SLEEPY AFTERNOON thanks to our friends @laughingelephantbooks who sent us a copy signed by Alexandra Day and Carl!
Happy 40th Anniversary, Carl! You are such a good dog 🐾❤️
Carl has an opportunity to have a quiet and sleepy afternoon but does he rest? Not our Carl!
We’re on our 3rd generation loving this noble good dog and look forward to reading about his adventures for many more years!

#gooddogcarl #picturebookdogs #summerreading @mrernierecommends @christinabeeghly @laurennolandhajik @roxannenoland @gn705
Summer is the best time to beat the heat by taking Summer is the best time to beat the heat by taking your young ones to a museum. And I suggest, before you go, you share the delightful picture book, MousterWorks, written and illustrated by @angelac.hawkins
Young mice, Cosette and Pépin, join Grand-mère on a splendid adventure through a mouse hole into a museum. They gaze at brilliant interpretations of well-known painting by famous artists such as Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt, and Edward Banister. Cosette excitedly engages with the art while her brother, Pépin, searches for cheese in the art and eventually realizes that he can be an artist and paint his favorite things.

The final photo is 2.5 year old Alice at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento. She was captivated by "Home Sweet Home" (after Seurat, Manet, and Pippin) painted by Wangari Mathenge

Art is for all ages.

To read my full review, visit my blog https://afieldtriplife.com/mousterworks-lets-go-to-a-museum/

@gnomeroadpublishing #mousterworks #artmuseumswithkids
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Looking forward to simple unscheduled days! #july Looking forward to simple unscheduled days!
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Look what we found featured at the library! #nancy Look what we found featured at the library! #nancybesshadadress 
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Happy Summer! At the top of our summer "to do" lis Happy Summer! At the top of our summer "to do" list is visiting libraries where I love to see staff recommendations. SUMMER: A Solstice Story written by @kelseyegross and illustrated by @renataliwska is such a lovely picture book.
Owl, Squirrel, Raccoon, Bear, Sparrow, Rabbit, Woodpecker, and Deer gather to celebrate the arrival of summer with its gifts of light and new life. The friends share sprouts, fresh water, flowers, and fruit each accompanied by special wishes for the little ones to shine, glow, shimmer, gleam, and blaze bright with solstice light. They spend the day with festivities as they dance, splash, hop, and savor a forest feast.
I shared this with a group of children the night before the Solstice so that they understood how special this date is. Then, we read it again as the sun set on the longest day of the year after partaking of many of the same activities done by the woodland animals. They really enjoyed the center pages that fold out.
This is a soft, gentle, and breathtakingly beautiful picture book that should be enjoyed all summer long. @pbspree #summersolstice #summerasolsticestory
We have been Good Dog Carl fans for almost 4 decad We have been Good Dog Carl fans for almost 4 decades so we are excited to celebrate 40 years of our favorite picture book series! I love the book mom and Carl’s adventures are the best!
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Military families are made up of heroes, those who Military families are made up of heroes, those who leave home to serve and those who stay behind. It isn’t easy to find books featuring military families, so I was excited to discover when AS MUCH as the STARS: A Story of Love Across the. Miles – A Child’s Goodbye/ AS MUCH AS THE STARS: A Story of love across The Miles: A Mother’s Farewell. I love flip books because they are clever and provide a fun way to read two stories told from different perspectives. AS MUCH AS THE STARS does an exceptional job of showing the love and emotions surrounding a deployment and then a joyous return. In this authentic, well-written story, one half follows a young girl and her relationship with her military father. The other half features the viewpoint of that girl, now grown, whose son leaves home to serve. warm and colorful illustrations add to the text showing the love that is shared even when they are separated by great distances.
This is a wonderful book for all families and will help everyone understand the sacrifices that our brave service members make. I just wish this book had been available when I was teaching children in military families.
Written by Forrest Zenone, Skyler Zenone, and Tricia Stone-Shumaker
Illustrations by Penny Weber
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FYI… sweet peas are blooming on Old Creek Road a FYI… sweet peas are blooming on Old Creek Road around Whale Rock Reservoir
The story of how they got there reminds me of Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney “You must do something to make the world more beautiful.” 
Read how these delicate blossoms came to grace the highways in San Luis Obispo County: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/johnny-appleseed-sweet-peas-planted-120000196.html

Lupine, poppies, and wild mustard are also blooming.

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