Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and it’s time for another review. This week, I’m sharing my review of Jessica McAnelly’s Birdie’s Picnic Party: A Tasty Take on Food Safety.

Birdie’s Picnic Party was independently published in August 2025 and is 24 pages long.

The Plot
The book follows Birdie, a cheerful bluebird, who plans a picnic with her forest friends.

Characters
Birdie the bluebird
Birdie is a bluebird and is the warm, friendly leader of the group. She isn’t just hosting a picnic here; she’s teaching safe habits and encouraging her friends with gentle humour and enthusiasm.

Woodland friends
Birdie’s woodland friends are a charming group of animal companions who help bring the picnic to life. Each friend contributes something to the story — whether it’s bringing an item to the picnic or learning a new food hygiene habit along the way. Their interactions help show how cooperation and kindness can be a part of sharing food and space safely.

Writing Style
The story is told in rhyme, which will be helpful for youngsters to memorise the information about hand washing and preparing food properly. Overall, the writing is friendly and clear, with McAnelly managing to blend educational content with narrative flow.

At the end of the book, there’s also a helpful “Food Safety Checklist” designed to help kids practise what they’ve learned, making the story interactive and practical.

Illustrations
Desin Esa’s illustrations are bright, colourful, and full of character, with the visuals helping bring Birdie and her friends vibrantly to life, in a way that will help young readers connect emotionally with the story and its lessons.

The art also complements the text by highlighting key moments of the picnic, such as packing the basket, washing up, and setting the blanket, while giving each animal friend a distinct personality and visual expression. They also reinforce food safety tips visually, for example, by depicting proper hand-washing or safe food storage.

Final Thoughts
Birdie’s Picnic Party is a simple, yet delightful picture book that combines charming storytelling, lovable characters, bright illustrations, and practical lessons in a way that feels fun rather than merely instructive.

Whether you’re a parent or caregiver reading the book to a child or an educator, this book will leave you with both a smile and some genuinely valuable knowledge — perfect for inspiring safe habits early in life.

I’m giving this cute little picture book a 7/10.

Thank you, as ever, for stopping by to read my review!

Until next time,

George

© 2026 GLT

Categories: Book Reviews, Reading

Tags: book review, food, food safety, hygiene, picture book, review