Felix is an extremely picky eater, preferring to keep to a few plain dishes that he knows well. So when his close friend Fiona says they are going out to a restaurant for her birthday celebration, Felix is more than a little nervous, even if he tries to hide it. Will he be able to expand his food horizons like Fiona suggests?

Trying new foods can be a difficult task to take on, but Felix shows readers how the result can be less negative than you imagine – and maybe even a positive thing! This book is a little longer/wordier than your standard early reader, but it still holds the attention of young elementary school-age children when read aloud to them. It might be a little more difficult for some beginning readers to tackle on their own, but at least it's an age-appropriate challenge for some of those more advanced students.

Typically, I am not the hugest Rosemary Wells fan but I think she does an excellent job with this particular story. Her illustrations are still not my favorite style, but they work fine for this title. ( )