I use a fork to eat my broccoli, and a spoon to scoop up deeelicious mac-and-cheese … but sometimes I eat with my hands!
The little girl in this story, Feven, along with her little brother, isn’t afraid of trying new foods like broccoli, watermelon and mac-and-cheese. But for each meal she needs to decide: should she use utensils, or is this a food to eat with her hands? Each meal is an opportunity to learn and play. When Grandma comes to visit, the whole family gathers around the dinner table to eat injera, an Ethiopian flatbread. And Feven knows just what to do.
Sometimes I Eat with My Hands reminds us that customs around food can be central to who we are, and that learning to eat means sharing with the people we love. Includes an author’s note.
Key Text Features
illustrations
author's note
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
I use a fork to eat my broccoli, and a spoon to scoop up deeelicious mac-and-cheese … but sometimes I eat with my hands!
The little girl in this story, Feven, along with her little brother, isn’t afraid of trying new foods like broccoli, watermelon and mac-and-cheese. But for each meal she needs to decide: should she use utensils, or is this a food to eat with her hands? Each meal is an opportunity to learn and play. When Grandma comes to visit, the whole family gathers around the dinner table to eat injera, an Ethiopian flatbread. And Feven knows just what to do.
Sometimes I Eat with My Hands reminds us that customs around food can be central to who we are, and that learning to eat means sharing with the people we love. Includes an author’s note.
Key Text Features
illustrations
author's note
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Apr 1, 2025 |
| Specifications | 24 pages | 9.75 in x 9.75 in |
| Keywords | child's perspective; childhood experiences; celebrations; festivals and special events; cooking; preparing and sharing food; fun in the kitchen; using utensils and cutlery; making a mess; simple pleasures; everyday life; gratitude; independence; trying new things; learning new skills; sharing; Black main character; African American characters; BIPOC characters; #ownvoices; |
| Written By |
KID HAILE is an artist of Ethiopian descent born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. After obtaining a degree in biological sciences from the University of Guelph, his continued interest in beauty and the narratives surrounding images of value pulled him back to the arts, leading him to study at the Florence Academy of Art. Sometimes I Eat With My Hands is his first children’s book. |
| Illustrated by |
KID HAILE is an artist of Ethiopian descent born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. After obtaining a degree in biological sciences from the University of Guelph, his continued interest in beauty and the narratives surrounding images of value pulled him back to the arts, leading him to study at the Florence Academy of Art. Sometimes I Eat With My Hands is his first children’s book. |
| Written By |
|
KID HAILE is an artist of Ethiopian descent born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. After obtaining a degree in biological sciences from the University of Guelph, his continued interest in beauty and the narratives surrounding images of value pulled him back to the arts, leading him to study at the Florence Academy of Art. Sometimes I Eat With My Hands is his first children’s book. |
| Illustrated by |
|
KID HAILE is an artist of Ethiopian descent born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. After obtaining a degree in biological sciences from the University of Guelph, his continued interest in beauty and the narratives surrounding images of value pulled him back to the arts, leading him to study at the Florence Academy of Art. Sometimes I Eat With My Hands is his first children’s book. |
| Audience | ages 3 to 6 / grades P to 1 |
| Key Text Features | illustrations; author's note |
| Common Core | CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 |