Amelia McInerney (text) and Adam Nickel (illustrator), Who Fed Zed?, Allen and Unwin, July 2021, 32 pp, RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760524432
Friends Ned, Ted, and Fred are looking after Fred’s fish, Zed (who can’t eat bread), while flea-ridden Jed (the dog of Fred) has been banished to the shed. So starts a hilarious mix-up amongst a motley group of friends that also touches on the importance of food allergies and reading labels.
I love everything about this book: the inventive mono-rhyme, the eye-popping design, the appealing typography, the colour palette, the nuanced illustrations (the eyes say it all!). The highly original story strikes a deft balance between message and entertainment. Subplots and a surprise ending add to its charm.
Author McInerney has five funny picture books under her belt – the most recent being Mary Had a Little Lamb: What REALLY Happened – and more on the way. I can attest to the fact that she’s funny in real life, too!
Children love to see themselves in stories. My review copy of Who Fed Zed? is on its way to my (highly allergic) young niece and nephew, who I predict will read it over and over and over again.
If you haven’t already read this zany book, grab a copy today!
For ages 3+ years.
Reviewed by Maura Pierlot
Read Maura’s interview with Amelia McInerney here.
