Let Your Freak Flag Fly!

I’m excited to tell you about a project of mine I think you will appreciate and enjoy. Roughly eight years ago I was working at a small Italian restaurant in Boston when our mushroom man came in with his latest foraged fungi. These large, beautiful, bright orange mushrooms were calling to me from the basket. When I learned they were called chicken mushrooms an image popped into my head almost instantly. A chicken with feathers made of chicken mushrooms! How fun?! He would have vegetable friends, the garden gang, and go on wild adventures. The vision expanded slowly, and over a lot of late night wine Charlie came to life. I wrote anecdotes and stories all based on events that have happened to me.

I’ve always been an energetic person who goes at her own speed. This wild side, especially as a kid, has put me in some compromising and funny situations. Each of The 9 lives of Charlie the Chicken Mushroom stories are based on events that took place throughout my childhood and adult life. I draw from funny experiences and give credit to the friends I have. Without “my garden gang,” I wouldn’t be who I am today! These stories have many messages.  

At its core it is about friendship and surrounding yourself with a group of friends who accept you no matter how silly you might be. It’s also about friends who are willing to bail you out when you take things a little too far, as Charlie sometimes does.

The series is also meant to open up a world of vegetable variety for kids. As a nanny I realized kids eat what they know and don’t want to try new, exotic produce. Kids are picky. This is nothing new. But how could I help solve this issue? These books familiarize them with other healthy vegetables and makes them start to wonder: “Why have I never eaten a beet?”

My love of cooking started young and I can still remember making apple sauce for the first time. Leaving the red peels on, I watched it turn pink as it simmered and I thought it was the coolest thing ever! Each book has a kid friendly recipe that incorporates one of the featured vegetables- Mushrooms, Beets, Eggplant, Onion, Artichoke, Rhubarb, Green Beans, Jalapeno and Figs. I want kids to get excited about new ingredients and expand their repertoire for food. I want to challenge their palates and introduce them to a world of flavor and variety. We all know that healthy habits start young.

The books are meant to grow with the child and I want it to be entertaining for adults to read to their little ones. It’s a reading tool when they start to piece it all together as well as a book they can bring off the shelf when they are ready to help in the kitchen!

One dollar from each book sold is going to the No Kid Hungry Campaign and Share Our Strength Foundation. Their mission is to end childhood hunger in America and together we can all do our part! The more books I can sell the more we can help a great cause.

Thank you for your consideration of Charlie and me. We hope to do great big things!