Snap! Crunch! Munch! by Diana Castillo

Oh, I shouldn’t have read this while I’m hungry, now I’m craving Cuban food!

This delightful picture book* tells the story of a young boy whose relatives come over for family dinner. As they all sit around the table and dig in to the various dishes that they’ve contributed, the narrator begins to imagine everyone as a kind of animal, based on their dining preferences a/o eating habits. As he himself loves all the food on the table, he imagines himself as an omnivore, and thus turns into the cutest fox as he tucks into his meal.

There’s really not much else to this story but there doesn’t need to be, as the point is just to talk about things that will engage beginning readers — in this instance, animals, family and food — in simple enough language that they’re encouraged to follow along, whether with a more seasoned reader or by themselves. It’s what goes unsaid and is, instead, depicted in the illustrations that really sets this lovely book apart from the crowd.

As a supporter of the We Need Diverse Books movement, I love how Snap! Crunch! Munch! showcases Diana Castillo’s Cuban culture in all its diversity. Whether showing off its people, food, clothing or decor, Ms Castillo’s loving attention to detail makes this book feel vibrant and lived in. Cute and colorful, this is a terrific book for beginning readers to either learn a bit more about another culture, or to feel the comfort of seeing their own so warmly depicted.

*Technically, this is classified as a graphic novel, but I really can’t tell the difference.

Snap! Crunch! Munch! by Diana Castillo was published April 15 2025 by Holiday House and is available from all good booksellers, including