How Martha Saved Her Parents From Green Beans

by David LaRochelle, Mark Fearing (Illustrator)

THEY'RE MEAN.
THEY'RE GREEN.
THEY'RE THE BADDEST BEANS AROUND.

"Green beans are good for you. Green beans will make you big and strong." Martha doesn't believe what her parents tell her. And nothing will ever--EVER--make her eat them.

But when some beady-eyed, boot stomping beans bust into town and start causing trouble, Martha knows she has to take action against this gang of outlaws, cutthroats and desperadoes. She can think of only one was to stop the villainous veggies, and it's not pretty...or tasty.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Food, Humor, Family, Fiction, Fantasy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 18, 2013

Reviews

[Margaret Cross-Beliveau · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 6 year old loved this book and she hates veggies. What better recommendation can you get?

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is HILARIOUS!

I’d read this to Grands on repeat, no problem.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book illustrated by Mark Fearing as I continue to follow his work. The cover of this and the title made this one just jump into my hands. Martha's family has green beans for dinner EVERY Tuesday. Martha has never eaten a green bean and never will. They are BAD - VERY BAD! The cover of the book shows tall, mustachioed, booted, mean looking green beans and Martha was right - they are bad. "A gang of mean green beans swaggered into town." They chased old ladies, attacked teachers at school, and were looking to harass any person who ever said, "Eat your green beans". They kidnapped Martha's parents and took them away. How did Martha take the news. She was excited. No more cleaning up your room, no one telling her to go to bed, no more eating green beans - ever! But eventually she misses her parents and sets out to find them "surrounded by hundreds of green beans, laughing, dancing and singing off-key". Those green beans look really scary. What will Martha do? Will she be able to free her parents? A great ending and a nice twist at the end.

[Kirsti Call · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a FANTASTIC picture book. This is so much fun and so creative!

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great read-aloud from David LaRochelle! Martha's parents are taken prisoners by green beans. What will Martha do?

[Lori Siesto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the saga of Martha, her kidnapped parents, and the meanest green beans around. Martha hates eating green beans, a weekly family tradition. She is happy when she finds out the personified veggie villains have taken her parents, but she soon realizes life without her Mom and Dad will be lonely and sad. Martha and the beans have a cartoon stand-off and Martha saves the day by first swallowing her disgust, and then by swallowing green beans.

Upsides: The book is intentionally reminiscent of a Western, and I’m still chuckling at the image of bad guy green beans, with their nasty mugs, cowboy boots and sinister facial hair. The third-person narration empowers the expressive Martha through overcoming her fear and braving her food distastes.

Downsides: The book ends on the note that the family never eats green beans again, so don’t turn to this book in the hope that your child will be endeared toward conquering his or her hatred of vegetables.

[Kꌗꓘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This made me think of Creepy Carrots!, but the green beans weren't torturing or gaslighting the main character like in that book. Well, kinda. They kidnapped her parents. Lol, I would *not* recommend this book to parents trying to get their kids to eat green beans. This would have the *opposite* effect

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up through inter-library loan because the illustrator is a high-school classmate of mine.

It was hilarious! At first Martha is happy when her parents are taken away by the vegetable she loathes, but by morning she realizes she needs to save them from the wicked green beans. It's a cute story, and Mark Fearing's illustrations are always so detailed!!! I think my favorite part is the dog, who is never mentioned in the story, but its reactions are a hoot!

4/5 stars.

[Viviane Elbee]

In this book, a gang of mean green beans invades town and kidnaps Martha's parents. They also are very mean to teachers and other grown-ups - and anyone who has ever eaten a green bean. As the title implies, Martha is able to save her parents, fortunately.
It has a bit of the creepy carrots book feel to it, in a way.

[Julia Toomey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ordered our first Amazon Prime Book Subscription and picked this book as one of the two we could choose.

Greatly written and great illustrations. Who wouldn't want to fight a vegetable; kids don't want to eat?

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chuckled out loud reading this. A girl who hates green beans has to save her parents from a group of ornery beans. An unlikely hero steps up to save her loved ones. I'd love to read more from the author.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my Summer Reading Children & to my nieces. Very cute little story!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adroable! For every kid (and adult) who hates green beans!

[Kenson and kirra · Rating 5 out of 5]

i hate green beans. i knew they were evil. i'm not sure i could eat them even to save my parents. yuck!! (age 5)

[Jessa McCauley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious ending

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huge hit with students! A silly story about a girl who hates green beans and her opportunity to get revenge on them when they kidnap her green bean loving parents.

[Meredith Kaupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun story, and my preschoolers loved it.

[Michael Lent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big fun!

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5- Oh this book is a hoot! I kept hearing western showdown music playing in the back of my mind as I read it. Great story, great illustrations.

[Caroline Herfindahl]

The illustrations were my favorite part of this book about a little girl who doesn’t like green beans especially when they kidnap her parents!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clever and funny

[Gretchen Oates · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.

[Sarah Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! Book is about being courageous and conquering your fears.

[Roger A.]

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...#

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAh9S1mg...

[Sandra Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story and illustrations paired well together. This is a fun and amusing story of something every family battles at meal time. In the end, she really did get bigger and stronger, just saying :)

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book that shows that parents are good and that it takes courage to eat new foods.

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi library Preschool story time 06-20-2023

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 4
Illustrations 3.5