Veggie Power Book Review

Veggie Power

Written By Annette Roeder

Illustrated by Olaf Hajek

Translated from the German by Paul Kelly

Published by Prestel, April, 2021

Review
We are now harvesting the veggies from our community garden, so it's the right time to read about beets and peppers and tomatoes, all of which are in Veggie Power. In fact, the page on beets was quite informative when I pulled up an orange beet that I heretofore hadn't known existed!  

Huge, whimsical illustrations capture the imagination and invite the reader to browse awhile before actually reading. Once we did start reading, we learned such interesting facts and legends about each of the fruits and vegetables – including the botanical and culinary distinctions for each. You will be well prepared to get into the tomato fruit or vegetable debate! A subscript on each page indicates the edible parts of the plant, both raw and cooked, as well as the varieties of each.

We enjoyed learning about how different plants got their names and reputations, and some misconceptions we had were corrected. Physical descriptions both confirmed our knowledge and amazed us. Who knew eggplants could be spherical? (Lots of people, probably.) Our enjoyment of this book was twofold: recognizing foods we eat and learning more about them plus marveling at Hajek's imaginative artwork. If this book ever falls apart, you can be sure I'll frame some pages and hang them on the kitchen walls!

If the confluence of nature and art appeals, Hajek's and Roeder's work will likely be as much a winner for you as it is for us! And, if you just want to know more about the veggies on your plate, this is the one to pull off the shelf.

Also by Olaf Hajek: Flower Power

Note: A review copy was provided upon request for the purpose of this honest review.