Sometimes I Eat with My Hands

An exuberant tribute to digging in using digits, Haile’s debut picture book is narrated by young Feven, who loves “to eat all types of food.” Tucking into cereal, broccoli, mac and cheese, and more, Feven is practiced at wielding forks and spoons (“I can scoop my cereal”), but enjoys the tactile quality of touching food (“sometimes I eat with my hands,” reads the book’s refrain). Pencil and watercolor illustrations feature the protagonist and baby brother surrounded by playful details, Feven sporting an aviator cap that nods to caretakers flying cutlery toward reluctant mouths. When Nana arrives, her serving injera leads to the whole family taking part—“We all get to eat with our hands!”—in this joyful work that encourages personal expression (and consumption). Characters are portrayed with brown skin. An author’s note concludes. Ages 3–6. (Apr.)