Peanut Allergy Picture Book Review: The Princess and the Peanut

When my daughter was younger, she used to question her food allergies and ask why she had this problem when others didn't. I used to explain to her that people have many things that make up who they are and her allergies were just one aspect of her. I explained that people are a mix of good things and sometimes, not so good things, but that didn't mean that the bad things had to drag her down. I told her if she didn't have her own unique mix of traits, she would be someone else and I didn't want her to be anyone else, allergies or not.

So when I read the new picture book "The Princess and the Peanut" by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and with beautiful illustrations by Micha Chambers-Goldberg, I could really identify with the sentiments expressed.

This "royally allergic fairytale" (as it says in the subhead) follows the original "Princess and the Pea" story but with a twist. Instead of a pea, a peanut is placed under the many mattresses of the princess and she suffers an allergic reaction.

The reaction is handled well, with medical accuracy and a non-scary approach that children won't find off-putting. Since I believe it's crucial that children are not afraid of epinephrine autoinjectors, I was really heartened to see the clever way it was handled in this book.

Once the princess undergoes testing, the castle then needs to be cleared of peanut and tree nut products, but best of all, the other castle inhabitants admit to their own allergies that they struggle with, showing that everyone deals with something. In the end, the prince decides he loves the princess better than peanut butter (and who among us parents hasn't decided that we love our "princesses" and "princes" better than peanut butter)and everyone learns to live a happy life with food allergies.

I loved this book and so did my two daughters who are well beyond the picture book stage, but who will probably always love princesses. They thought it was charming and gave a positive portrayal of food allergies. My youngest who doesn't have allergies was enchanted by this book because it shows how the people supporting those with allergies have to give things up sometimes, but they do it gladly and with love. She certainly does all of that and more for her big sister.

Kids and adults will love the richly drawn illustrations and charming characters, not to mention the useful allergy information and glossary in the back of the book.

To buy The Princess and the Peanut (a great holiday gift!) and to learn more about this book, visit the book's website.

Let me know how you and your kids like this book!

FTC note: no compensation was received for this review other than a sample copy of the book.

Food Allergy Book Giveaway: We Have a Winner!

I'm happy to announce that the winner of our Allergic Girl book giveaway is Karen! Congratulations! Karen will receive a copy of this upcoming food allergy book by author and blogger Sloane Miller. Thanks to all who entered and shared their heartwarming stories of how they approach food allergies with love. You all make me proud!

Karen, I now need to reach you so I can send you your prize. Please e-mail me at nut-freemom@sbcglobal.net with your contact info so your copy of Allergic Girl can get on its way to you immediately!

Here is Karen's story:

"Karen said...
The first Christmas after my 14 month old had her first reaction to peanuts was extremely difficult. Family members still were not very accepting of her allergy, brushing it off as not being very serious. Some even insisted that the traditional Christmas salad still have almonds in it even though we were told to avoid other nuts as well. It's been over 2 years since then and all of our family is extremely supportive of our now 3 year old. It's amazing to see how they go out of their way to make sure she's safe when she's over at their houses, at holidays and anytime! Their love and support mean so much to us and I can always count on them to think about reading labels and calling companies, etc. It takes time and a lot of learning to know what it means to be "nut/peanut free" and they have really come a long way!"

Since this giveaway got a great response, I will be doing more of these in the future. Keep reading this blog for more details.

Note: This winner was chosen at random via a computerized process.

Food Allergy Resources Make Great Holiday Gifts!

For those of you looking for holiday gifts for the allergic people in your life, (or if you would like to drop a few hints for your spouse or family), here's a short list of some of the best food allergy books/magazines out there.

I've had the pleasure of meeting all of the authors below, either in person or online, and I can tell you that they are completely devoted to helping food-allergic people and their families enjoy a better quality of life.

The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book by Kelly Rudnicki. Just awesome. Kelly provides delicious recipes for things like apple doughnuts, birthday cakes and a myriad of cookies and quick breads that are egg-free, dairy-free and nut-free. If you ever thought it was impossible to bake without eggs, dairy or nuts, Kelly will set you straight! Your kids will be the envy of their friends with these yummy treats. Full-color photos accompany each recipe. You also get to see Kelly's cute kids hard at work baking! You will love this book! Check Kelly's website to order. I've also found this book available at my local Borders book store.

The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. Martha Stewart featured this book as one of the best baking books out there and once you flip through it you will see why. This book is so gorgeous and filled with delicious-looking photos that make you want to roll your sleeves up and get baking. Cybele offers dozens of recipes free of all top 8 food allergens and gluten. A simply beautiful book! You can visit Cybele's website to order or visit your local bookstore. I got mine at Borders!

Food Allergy Books by Linda Coss. Linda Coss is a pioneer of food allergy parenting and cooking. She has wonderful cookbooks as well as a book of advice on how to live with food allergies. Her cookbooks are also free of dairy, egg, peanut and tree nut and she has some really awesome family-friendly meals. Don't miss her books! You can order them by visiting her website.

Enjoy Life Foods: Cupcakes and Sweet Treats for Everyone! and Enjoy Life Foods: Cookies for Everyone! Enjoy Life Foods offers great baking ingredients free of the top 8 allergens and then some. They bring their delicious approach to allergy-friendly eating to you with two beautiful books that will solve your allergy-free baking problems. I've found these at my local bookstore but you can order them from their web site, too.

Allergic Living magazine. I highly recommend a subscription to this amazing lifestyle guide. Besides tackling food allergies with wit, wisdom and tons of practical advice, editor Gwen Smith and her talented team also address seasonal and environmental allergies. Published 6 times a year, you will wonder how you ever got along without Allergic Living. Visit the website for subscription details.

I hope you'll check out each of the resources above. And thanks to the talented people behind them. You make a difference!