The Adventures of Peanut, Butter, Jelly, and Banana by Mariela G. George is a delightful tale about the origins of peanut, butter, jelly, and banana. Every morning, this quartet, who are bound together by human intervention, find themselves at the breakfast table, where they sing their “good morning feel-good” song. This group has no recollection of how they met, but their special song tells of their loving relationship with each other. One night, the group sits around a fire under the open sky, musing about their origins. Their conversation attracts several animals, including a wise white owl who educates them on the importance of knowing their origins as far back as where their ancestors came from. This meeting sends Peanut, Butter, Jelly, and Banana on a self-discovery mission.

The Adventures of Peanut, Butter, Jelly, and Banana by Mariela G. George is a lovely picture book with likeable characters and a very educational narrative. I was impressed with the ingenuity of the characterization and with the interesting information on the origins of the named foods. I had never given these foods more than a passing thought, so I was impressed to learn about them in a fun and amusing way. I liked the beautiful and expressive illustrations by Gergana Mladin; they added so much life and color to the story. I also liked the glossary and quiz sections because they helped me remember important facts from the story, and I think they’ll make a great exercise for young readers.

The Adventures of Peanut, Butter, Jelly, and Banana by Mariela G. George is a charming children’s story that is playful and colorful. Four friends enjoy embarking on epic adventures that take them far from the kitchen counter as they face life's questions. Children are introduced to a variety of characters, most of whom are personified food products. They gather around a campfire where they share stories about family roots and contemplate the big question: Where do they come from? This is explored in a fun, illustrated adventure that teaches children about family roots, where their food comes from, and why curiosity is a good thing. A glossary is included to help children with learning new words.

The four friends are common kitchen items with large personalities, making for fun characters. The core lesson is that curiosity is the way to learn new things and is a good way to encourage children to ask questions. The structure of the story captures the feeling of sharing stories around a campfire, which helps children and parents to engage in stories about family and each other. Ancestors are a key topic that will inspire children to ask about where they come from and also teach them how to share about themselves. This lesson has a clever double meaning, with each character having a moment in the spotlight. These include interesting facts such as peanuts aren’t nuts, how jelly is made, and the ancient origins of butter. Mariela G. George makes learning about where food comes from engaging and creative. The story features songs with simple lyrics that children can remember, and with feel-good beats that make them easy to sing along to. The Adventures of Peanut, Butter, Jelly, and Banana is a unique story with bright illustrations, lessons that encourage curiosity, positive messages that inspire imagination, and silly songs that children will enjoy.