Blackberry Banquet.

Blackberry Banquet

Terry Pierce, author

Lisa Downey, illustrator

Sylvan Dell Publishing

976 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Suite 3, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

9781934359709, $16.95 www.sylvandellpublishing.com 1-877-958-2600

Blackberry Banquet is a simple, exuberantly rhyming children's picturebook about a number of forest animals who delight in eating blackberries. "Mouse appears and she reaches high. / The munching mouse gives a merry sigh. / Squeak! Mmm-mm!" An extra "for creative minds" section includes fascinating facts about blackberries, including the warning "Do not pick and eat berries unless an adult is positive that they are edible (some berries can be poisonous) and haven't been sprayed with pesticides." These final pages educate young readers about the role of plants in the food web, how animals help plants, and more, including a final warning about blackberry bushes: "In some places, certain types of blackberries are considered to be invasive... Blackberry bushes can become very brambly and sometimes grow near water sources. In some places, this could make it difficult for animals to get to their food or water." A thoughtful children's book that both entertains and educates, highly recommended.