Nibbles: A Green Tale

by Charlotte Middleton

The dandelions are disappearing, so Nibbles must learn to grow his own.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Environment, Animals, Gardening, Storytime, Plants

24 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2010

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nibbles is worried when all the dandelions in Dandeville are eaten, save one. He must use his genius and research abilities to save the town, or face a life eating cabbage. Neo asked me if we could grow dandelions this summer. Thank you Charlotte Middleton for encouraging my son to want to protect the vermin of the plant world and scourge to all lawn owners!!

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't imagine running out of dandelion! This would be a fun read with primary kids before working in the garden. We might wonder: what is a weed? Do people cultivate and eat dandelions?

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only known nibbles 5 minutes, but I would die for him.

[Ivy Crenshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This charming book starts out as a story about how much hamsters love dandelions. Until they become scarce. When Nibbles finds what may be the very last one, he must decide what to do. Not a saccharine or moralistic read; just a solid story with lovely imagery.
Reading this to my first child changed his perspective on his place in the world. Now age 12, he is an enthusiastic gardener and fully believes in his ability to make a difference in the world. He still credits this book as one reason why.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlotte Middleton illustrates and writes a third-person narrative about Nibbles (a guinea pig) and his family who love eating dandelion leaves until a shortage motivates Nibbles to become a dandelion farmer. The illustrations are "rendered in mixed media". While some readers might not agree with promoting monoculture farming as a solution to unsustainable, consumption culture issues, other readers might still admire the promotion of local agriculture to meet local consumption needs in small communities.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A herd of guinea pigs overgrazes dandelions in their colony, leading to a shortage of their favorite food source. Fortunately, an ingenious member of the species learns how to reseed the weed—by reading books in the Dandeville library, of course!—and in the process teaches wee ones about the basics of plant propagation and the perils of overconsumption (chewy cabbage!). Clever illustrations of all the nibblers and their cute little town.

[David]

A cute story about a guinea pig community that learns the dangers of over-consumption of resources, in this case the dandelion greens they love. Then by learning some delayed gratification Nibbles the Guinea Pig was able to cultivate a more sustainable life-style. I can't say my 4 year old took away all those lessons but he enjoyed the book.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun mixed-media illustrations, and a refreshing tale of resourcefulness for kids. Too often, picture books land in the realm of "cute but sort of pointless," while this one actually teaches a 21st century skill. Would also make a good read-aloud.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute story. Great for a storytime about gardening/farming/earthday or guinea pigs!

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice educative story about what happens when resources are over and you need to come up with a solution to get out of the crisis.

[Angie Quantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a delight! I adore guinea pigs. Dandelions not so much. But both have a wonderful place in the world. Cute and engaging.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming! A great tale, and also very cute illustrations — they combined pictures with photographs of some items. Really well done!

[Marietje · Rating 3 out of 5]

In simple and concise language this tale tells the story of how one guinea pig saves the dandelion from . In the process very young children (under five years old) learn about plant growth, agriculture and the danger of extinction through over- consumption. Those are heavy duty issues to put on the plate of a three to five year old. Is it necessary to start that young? How about first getting into the miracle of the seed metamorphosing into a beautiful flower or food you can eat. If the author is aiming at slightly older 6- 8 years old) kids then the language needs to address those kids and be less patronizing.
The illustrations supported the text very well

[Bookphile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has quickly become my three-year-old son's favorite book, and I can see the attraction. Between the fun tale and the colorful artwork, it's a pretty irresistible combination.

Nibbles is a guinea pig living in a town full of dandelion-loving guinea pigs. There is a gentle message about conservation here, as exemplified by the guinea pigs eating the dandelions until they're on the brink of extinction. I didn't find the message heavy-handed, and I think it's a valuable one for children to grow up with, particularly when the environmental challenges we face are taken into account.

What's more, this book also has a nice message about self-restraint. The last dandelion grows just outside Nibbles's window, and he learns not only to care for it, but also to delay his own gratification in the interest of trying to save the dandelions. We live in such a commercial world where children are constantly assaulted with messages telling them to consume, consume, consume that I liked that this book offers an example of why waiting for something can sometimes be far better than instant gratification.

Along with this message comes a message about stewardship. Nibbles doesn't set out to be a dandelion farmer, but he accepts this responsibility for the greater good. I know that sounds lofty and maybe too preachy for a children's book, but it doesn't come across that way in the book itself. Instead, it shows how, by resisting his own temptations, Nibbles manages to do something that is in the end not only good for himself, but good for all the other inhabitants of his town.

The artwork in this book is also lovely. Through a combination of vivid colors and a variety of patterns, each picture is not only cute but also intricate. I especially love the page where Nibbles makes his way up Daisy Chain Hill, because every time I read the book to my son (and, trust me, I've read it many times already), I marvel at all those pretty little daisies on the hill. This is a really charming book.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The guinea pigs of Dandeville loved eating dandelion leaves. Nibbles loved eating them even more than he loved playing soccer. He ate them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. But then dandelion leaves started to run low. Cabbage began replacing it on restaurant menus and dandelion leaves became a hot commodity on the Internet. Eventually, there were no more dandelion leaves because they had all been eaten. All but one dandelion that was growing outside of Nibbles’ window. Even though Nibbles wanted badly to eat the leaves, he didn’t. Instead he started to do research on dandelion and began to take very good care of his dandelion. He waited patiently until it grew seeds and then headed to a tall hill where he blew the seeds into the air. Soon the fields were filled with dandelions again, and Nibbles had found something besides eating dandelions that he loved. Growing them!

This is a very appealing book that takes the lesson of renewable resources to a level that even small children can understand. Middleton’s brilliant choice was to use dandelion greens as the scarce resource, because we all have dandelions taking over our lawns and gardens. In this way she made something that we see as a nuisance into a commodity. Middleton’s mixed media art is friendly, filled with round-bellied guinea pigs and plenty of green. The hair tufts and whiskers done in real fuzz and string make the illustrations engaging and interesting.

A great choice when talking with preschoolers about going green or gardening, this book will be a welcome addition to units and story times. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Middleton did a great job of creating her dandilion environment for Nibbles. Kids love to pick dandilions and blow the soft seedlings into the breeze. This is a fun and light hearted story for kids.

Nibbles is a guinea pig who loves to play soccer, but more than anything he loved to eat dandilion leaves. He ate them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and for snacks. The whole town liked to eat them too. But one day, there were no more leaves to eat. Nibbles couldn't even buy them online without a steep price.

One day Nibbles noticed a dandilion leaf growing by a window. He went to the library to see how to grow and take care of it. For all he knew it was the last one in the whole wide world. Finally the dandilion grew until is produced white fluffy seeds. Nibbles carried the dandilion up a hill and blew the seeds all around. Pretty soon little leaves sprouted everywhere and the town munched happily ever after.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nibbles, and all his guinea-pig friends in Dandeville, love eating dandelions. However, they love them so much that they drive them to the verge of extinction. So when Nibbles finds what may be the last dandelion in his back yard, it takes all his willpower to nurture it so that it may go to seed, and spread the seeds, to revive dandelions for everyone. (Leaving aside the point that the dandelions nibbled down to short stems would have just re-sprouted leaves within a few weeks, of course; on the other hand, dandelions can self-pollinate, so the fact that there was only one is not abotanical).

A nice little story about preserving wild resources for everyone, with guinea pigs wearing clothing; what else could you want? I was pleased that my seven year old opted to read and re-read this with me several times. It lends itself to emergent reading, and paired reading, with repeating texts and cliffhanger pages. Nice!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAHAHA! Nibbles, the guinea pig, loves soccer, but he love, love, LOVES eating dandelion greens. One problem: every guinea pig in Dandeville loved dandelion greens, too. And, they were dwindling! They had to make do with cabbage greens (yuck). But, luckily, Nibbles had one dandelion green left, growing right outside his window. What to do? What to do? Of course! Nibbles had to go to the library to research the care and growing of dandelions (atta boy, Nibbles!). And when that little dandelion green turned into a beautiful white head of tiny seeds, Nibbles gently, carefully picked it and BLEW those seeds all over Dandeville. Soon, all the guinea pigs were munching on dandelion greens once again.

Used for "Go Green!" Storytime: April, 2011.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nibbles A Green Tale, by Charlotte Middleton tells the story of Nibbles, a hamster who loves dandelions. When all the dandelions are eaten and Nibbles and his friends are resigned to eating slimy cabbage Nibbles gets to action. He finds one last dandelion sprout and takes careful care of it until it sprouts and then walks to the top of a hill and spreads the seeds so that more can grow.

This is a terrific picture book that not only teaches about conservation but also teaches a nice lesson on the plant cycle. The kids that I read it too all loved it and had different favorite parts and said they would love to hear it again.

Appropriateness: This book will be enjoyed by students 4-8 and could be enjoyed by older students as part of a green lesson.

[Ruhama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nibbles loves dandelion leaves, as does his whole family, as does his whole town! These guinea pigs aren't careful, though, and eat the plants almost to extinction. But Nibbles will save the day with a garden and everyone can still enjoy their favorite treat. Adults will enjoy the irony of the guinea pigs' plight and children will appreciate the resourcefulness of Nibbles (and librarians will rejoice). The illustrations are mixed media, colorful and work well for storytime or a lap.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nibbles incorporates guinea pigs and dandelion leaves to impart an ecological fable about overconsumption of resources and planning ahead. The guinea pigs have eaten every dandelion in their valley, except for one, which Nibbles secretly tends. Instead of devouring the plant, he saves the seeds and plants his own dandelions, which will insure the guinea pigs will have them for years to come.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about renewable resources. The guinea pigs love dandelions. So much so they eat all available dandelions in Dandeville. Nibbles discovers a dandelion plant on his property and nurtures it until he can spread the seeds for more dandelions.
I am not sure how thrilled parents will be with the idea of spreading dandelions, but the idea of the book and the way it is presented is really cute.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was put off a little by the illustrations at first, but then I started reading. It reminded me of our world and how quick people are to kill these vital plants. Dandelion root is a cleansing and vital herb, the greens are a good source of minerals. If we just kill them for show that shows that we are such a shallow people. It also kills the worms that help the soil.

[Jess Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the guinea pigs eat up all the dandelions, they have to find a way to get more. When one smart guinea pig realizes that he'll have to wait for at least one plant to grow up so he can spread its seeds, he nurtures the plant from seed to seedlings. Nice demonstration of sustainability and gardening for preschoolers and early elementary schoolers.

[Gwen the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of the guinea pigs love dandelion leaves more than anything, but when they eat them all, a lesson in scarcity must be learned. Nibbles has one secret dandelion plant left, so he studies at the library until he learns how to grow more. Fun on many levels, this one also has tiny lessons for tiny folks.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one for a story time about guinea pigs and it's really a cute one. Dandeville, where Nibbles the guinea pig lives, has run out of their favorite food (dandelions, of course), but Nibbles knows where the last one is and knows what he has to do! Great illustrations and a little humor make this a fun choice for preschoolers.

[Kira Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good current book about taking care of the environment and giving back. This could be a great book for a plant unit or about caring for the earth. I would read this book to my students on Earth day! I also love that the illustrations have cartoons and real life photos incorporated in them!

[Agnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The composition of the images with the text is fun and easygoing in this tale of the last dandelion and the guinea pig who save it. Includes a much imporant trip to the library to gather info on how to save the beloved plant.

[Sandybear76]

I read this one to the preschool and kindergarten classes today. They loved blowing their own pretend puff ball of dandelion seeds. I paired this book with A Dandelion's Life. This book was a cute spring book.

[Edna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The inhabitants of Dandeville, who happen to be guinea pigs, have eaten up their main food staple which is dandelions. Fortunately, Nibbles, a young guinea pig discovers one last dandelion and finds a way to save the town's food supply. Fun story line with a nice environmental message.