Saturday at the Food Pantry By Diane O’Neill Illustrated By Brizida Margo

Back of Book:

Molly and her mom don’t always have enough food, so one Saturday they visit their local food pantry. Molly’s happy to get food to eat until she sees her classmate Caitlin, who’s embarrassed to be at the food pantry. Can Molly help Caitlin realize that everyone needs help sometimes?

My Review:

I received a copy of this picture book from Albert Whitman Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday At The Food Pantry by Diane O’ Neil is a heartfelt and thoughtful story about a little girl and her mother as they embark on a trip to the food pantry.  

 Molly makes her first visit to a food pantry when her mom is having trouble finding work and, as a result, affording food. Her mom explains that “everybody needs help sometimes.” When Molly sees her classmate Caitlin, she is excited to see a friend. When Molly realizes that Caitlin is embarrassed, she wonders if there’s something wrong with accepting help. With the help of the people at the food bank, both girls come to realize that receiving food, and friendship is okay. The illustrations by Brizida Magro are warm and showcase a diverse group of people. The back has a note from the author about the importance of normalizing visiting food pantries. This is A tender, important story about a sensitive subject. 

Ages 5 and up

32 Pages