Growing Up:  A children’s book written and crafted with the purpose of inspiring young children, specifically ages 4-6, to start eating more healthily.  

In the U.S. today, more than one third of adults and almost 20% of children suffer from obesity, a condition that often leads to serious health effects and lifestyle limitations. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S., accounting for about 23% of all U.S. deaths. Through Growing Up, a book written with 4- to 6-year-olds in mind, young children can be inspired to take on a healthy diet and start asking their parents questions about what they eat. 

Growing Up is the story of a young boy named Jimmy who wants to grow so he can play basketball with his older sister. Jimmy promptly eats junk food and feels bad when he goes to bed, but the next day he tries some healthier foods, and starts to grow. By the end of the book Jimmy feels great and is  playing basketball. Through this story kids would be able to see how healthful eating correlates to two things young children are motivated to do: growing and being able to play with the "big kids." The other important pieces of this project are the illustrations and the interactive aspect. The illustrations in this book vary from page to page. For example, on a page where Jimmy is making good decisions about his diet, there is a colorful, bright, vibrant approach, but on a page where he is eating unhealthy foods the color scheme is darker. Lastly, the book comes with a toy plate, tray, and removable vegetables for children to play with.