Arlo and the Green Giant: A Sensory Food Education Picture Book for Picky and Fussy Eaters Ages 3–6 | With Parent Coaching Notes

Price: $15.99
(as of Oct 04, 2026 21:51:53 UTC – Details)

Mealtimes do not have to be a battle.

Arlo is a brave boy. He can run fast and jump high — but sitting on his plate today is something terrifying. Something enormous. Something green. When Arlo meets the broccoli he calls the Green Giant, his dad does not say “just one bite.” Instead, he hands Arlo five Explorer Powers — Eagle Eyes, Bunny Nose, Finger Whispers, Ear Wiggles, and Tiger Teeth — and turns the scariest vegetable on the plate into the greatest mystery in the forest.

Arlo and the Green Giant is a sensory picture book for picky eaters and fussy eaters ages 3–6, written for toddlers and preschoolers who refuse new foods, gag at green vegetables, or shut down at the dinner table. If your child has ever cried at the sight of broccoli, pushed their plate away, or lived on five foods and five foods only — this book was written for your family.

Built on the SAPERE sensory food education method — a peer-reviewed framework used in schools across Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK — and the Division of Responsibility in Feeding model developed by Ellyn Satter, MS, MSSW, this story brings evidence-based picky eating support into your home for the very first time as a mainstream children’s picture book. Research shows that children who are invited to explore food through their senses — without any pressure to eat — develop significantly healthier and more adventurous eating habits over time.

Instead of bribes, battles, or “one more bite,” this book turns food fear and mealtime anxiety into a no-pressure sensory game. The message is simple: exploration is the goal, not eating. Every sniff, every poke, every curious look counts. On your child’s timeline, not yours.

Throughout the story, “Mission Control Memos” appear as brief parent coaching notes written in plain language, explaining the pediatric feeding science and sensory food education behind every step — so you can apply the same five Explorer Powers at home with any new food, not just broccoli.

This book is perfect for:

Parents, grandparents, and caregivers of picky eaters and fussy eaters ages 3–6 looking for a gentle, science-backed alternative to mealtime fights.

Toddlers and preschoolers with food refusal, food neophobia, food aversion, or repetitive eating patterns.

Families who want a children’s book about trying new foods, vegetables, and healthy eating without pressure or shame.

Occupational therapists, feeding therapists, pediatric dietitians, speech-language pathologists, and early childhood educators seeking a read-aloud resource for children with sensory processing challenges.

Also includes:

A Sensory Explorer Powers guide for applying Eagle Eyes, Bunny Nose, Finger Whispers, Ear Wiggles, and Tiger Teeth to any new food at home, in daycare, or at school.

A reframing guide for parents with five common food challenges and science-backed scripts for crunchy foods, small round foods, colourful vegetables, cauliflower, and soft textures.

A Note to Parents explaining food neophobia — why picky eating is biology, not behaviour — and the research-supported 8–15 exposure rule.

Whether you are searching for a picky eater book for toddlers, a vegetable picture book, a broccoli book for kids, or a children’s book about trying new foods — this story gives your family a new way to talk about bravery, curiosity, and food, one sensory step at a time.

Arlo and the Green Giant pairs beautifully alongside picky eating workbooks, try-new-foods charts, and other feeding therapy tools as a warm, story-driven way to reduce food anxiety and build adventurous eating habits in young children. It is a meaningful and educational gift for baby showers, birthdays, and new families navigating picky and fussy eating.

Available now in hardcover and paperback.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Panda Literature
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 12, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 29 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 106933717X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1069337177
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.35 ounces
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 – 6 years
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.07 x 8.5 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #2,057,874 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #632 in Children’s Diet & Nutrition Books (Books) #16,173 in Children’s Books on Emotions & Feelings (Books) #56,160 in Children’s Activity Books (Books)
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