Patrick Eats His Peas and Other Stories    by Geoffrey Hayes Order:  USA  Can Candlewick, 2013 (2013) Hardcover      Reviewed by Bob Walch Even reluctant readers will find this a book they'll want to dive into. Patrick Bear is a delightful combination of cute and bratty, which means his daily activities can keep his parents on their toes and the reader chuckling with glee. In the first story Patrick's mother serves up some peas with dinner. Patrick is not happy with this veggie. 'Peas are little green balls of mushy poison! I'm not hungry!' declares the little bear. After unsuccessfully trying to hide the peas in his napkin (they roll out onto the floor), Patrick comes up with a plan that will satisfy his mother without involving trickery. The next short story follows Patrick as he decides to assist his dad in doing yard work. Naturally this doesn't go well and Patrick is more of a nuisance than a help. Eventually the mischievous bear is sent indoors to help his mon in the kitchen! The final two stories focus on bath time and going to bed. As you now expect, Patrick is going to make both of these routine activities a memorable experience for his partents. In this Level two reader the author uses a cartoon format to tell each humorous story. Parents using this book with a young reader should take a look at the How to Read Comics with Kids on the back, inside cover page. There are some good ideas here on how to engage the child in the reading experience and make it something the youngster will want to take part in. Thanks to its sturdy binding, this book will stand up well to heavy use and would be an excellent addition to any children's school libraries. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews