A day without sugar = Un día sin azúcar

A unique bilingual picture book for kids that addresses diabetes in a non-didactic way. Ages: 7-10

Tía Sofía’s nieces and nephews love to spend the weekend at her house. She lets them camp out on mattresses and in sleeping bags in the living room, where they play games and watch TV in their pajamas. But best of all, they love eating at their aunt’s house, because she’s the best cook in the family.

So the kids are sad to hear that this weekend is going to be sugar free. It turns out that cousin Tito is at risk of developing diabetes like his abuela and Tío Pedro. Tía Sofía tells them that on Saturday “we’re going on a sugar hunt.” The kids are confused, but she explains that they are going to find all of the sugar—especially hidden sugar—in their food.

The next morning, their oatmeal doesn’t have any added sugar, but each bowl has plump raisins and a naturally sweet surprise: strawberries, banana, peaches, peanut butter or cinnamon and vanilla. One taste and they scoop their bowls clean. At lunch, the sugar hunt continues. The kids learn that much of the food they eat without thinking contains sugar, like the catsup, mayonnaise and relish they usually put on their burgers. So, instead, they paint their hamburger buns yellow with mustard, pile on slices of fresh tomatoes from their aunt’s garden, and bite into crunchy dill pickles.

When their parents pick them up at the end of the day, they’re all thrilled to see Tía Sofía holding a plate with a delicious surprise to take home: apple empanadas … cooked without sugar, of course! In this bilingual picture book for children ages 7 – 10, cousins share time with family and learn fun and delicious ways to eat less sugar.