Only Ants for Andy

“Only Ants for Andy” is a charming picture book about a young anteater who is resistant to try new things. He only likes playing with trucks, listening to his favorite song, and eating ants. However, a sleepover with his best friend Sam Sloth challenges him, albeit gently, to move a little outside his comfort zone and try new activities (and new foods!) There is no criticism of Andy’s narrow interests, but there is a very powerful scene when Andy realizes that he can try new things, that he has that agency. I think this is a book that will help many parents and teachers impart that same lesson to children.

Only Ants for Andy by Jashar Awan has unique, colorful artwork that will catch the eyes of children looking for a picture book. Andy's eyes draw the reader into the book, and the lessons Andy learns when he visits his friend Sam Sloth and begins to enjoy new experiences are clear and easy to understand.

So cute! Andy likes what he likes and doesn't see the need to try other things when he knows he has the best. Then, at a sleepover with his best friend, he's thrust into a new world with different toys, different songs, and especially different food!

What I love the most about this book is no one is shamed. No one tells Andy he's wrong or bad for sticking to his preferences and what he likes. When Andy starts to bend and expand his horizons, it's because he wants to be a gracious guest and considerate friend, not because he was forced or punished. No big deal is made of his trying new things either--the reward is simply finding something new to like.

This has a great message for kids and will be super relatable. I'm sure it's going to be a hit at circle time in my pre-K class!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Andy the anteater loves trucks, one song-"Daddy Long Legs;" and ants. What happens when his friend Sam invites him over to play and stay for dinner? Andy learns to try new things at Sam's and learns that he likes them. This would be a great book for preschool and young children! Talk about trying new things-you might like them!

I really liked Awan's first book What a Lucky Day, and i'm happy that this one is just as good. The art style is bright and cute, and the amount of words on the page makes it easy for young readers to follow. Andy the anteater is a very picky eater, and that tends to spill into his other choices as well (he only listens to one song, only plays with toy trucks, etc). This all changes when he spends the night at his friend's house and tries all sorts of new things. Andy's excitement at realizing he actually likes these new things translating into a new bravery towards trying new things is a good lesson and done well. This is a great story time type of book, and I can see it appealing to parents and kids alike.

Only Ants for Andy is a pure delight from start to finish. Anyone who has had a picky eater in their life will recognize the particularity Andy has for all his things. He only likes one kind of toy, one song, one friend and of course, only one food. But when he gets the chance to spend time at his friend’s house, he has to make some choices about how to deal with new things.

One of the wonderful things about this story is there is no parental coercion related to expanding Andy’s choices or the battle over dinner that so many parents face. The story is told by Andy who is matter of fact about what he likes and why. In the end the choice to expand his options comes from within himself. He realizes he needs to try something new for the sake of his friend Sam, who has a severe allergy to his favorite food. He thinks about the options and decides he can take the risk to try something new because the new things he has tried up to this point have all worked out okay.

This clever, witty book gives children the opportunity and visuals to learn that they can like or try something new! The pictures help demonstrate this story tremendously.

Only Ants for Andy is an adorable story about an anteater who discovers that it’s okay to like what you like but that trying new things can be great too.

The art in this is fantastic, it really captures your attention and holds it. I also loved all of the little details like the car lineup behind the Sloth’s car. It just added an extra element that made this book such a joy to read.

Highly recommend this one!

5/5⭐️

I read this book with my 5 and 7 year old sons. They loved Andy and his story. They are such picky eaters and always hesitant to try new things so this was a perfect book to talk about how they can be like Andy and try new things. They thought it was funny and liked the characters and illustrations. I thought it was well done with the perfect amount of compassion for friends, trying new things moral and humor.

Thanks to NetGalley along with W.W. Norton & Company, and Norton Young Readers for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Highly enjoyable book about Andy the Anteater and his friend Sam the Sloth. Andy is a very happy and particular young anteater who likes music, toys and food, but only certain music, toys and food. He LOVES ants and can eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. One day he is invited for a sleepover at his friend Sam the Sloths house. When he arrives he discover Sam likes different things than him, and Andy learns to like them also. Be it spaceships or even grubs!! Yep, Sam only eats grubs and Andy shows his support for Sam's ant allergy by eating slugs and finding out they are pretty good!
A good story about friendship, differences, trying new things and not being picky! Fun illustrations, and the one with Andy sitting back and burping after a hearty meal of ants made me laugh out loud. Very good book for parents to read to children and helps explain why everyone has different likes and to try those things might very much prove to be a delightful experience!

Just as the title says, Andy only likes ants. No other foods will do. Unfortunately, he is sleeping over at his friends house who is allergic to ants. What will Andy do? This cute story is perfect for your own little picky eater. Maybe they will listen and learn from Andy. I especially loved the amazing and amusing illustrations. I laughed out loud when the jogging turtle passed the sloths driving slowly in their car. Kids of all ages will enjoy it. Thank you to NetGalley for providing the free eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was such a great book!
Andy acknowledges from the beginning that he is picky. He only likes certain things - trucks, ants; and his friend, Sam. One day he goes to visit Sam who is a sloth. Sam doesn't eat ants. He eats grubs. In fact, Sam is very allergic to ants! Oh no! Can Andy broaden his horizons and learn to eat new things?
Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who know what they like and don' t want to deviate from their favorites, this book also does a great job of including kids that are allergic to certain foods. I also really enjoyed how slowly Mrs. Sloth was driving. You don't realize it until you turn the page - but there is a line of traffic behind her and the even the jogging tortoise is faster than she is.
I think this would be a wonderful book to pair with Every Night is Pizza Night by J. Kenji López-Alt for story time..

Thank you to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for an advanced e-ARC to review. I adore "Only Ants for Andy," from its fun and absurdly cute illustrations to its incredible positive messaging about giving things a try.

The vibrant illustrations are so precious and engaging that the whole story comes to life on the page. Andy the Anteater is a delight, and so is his friend Sam the Sloth. But I'm so thrilled with the overall theme of this book. Andy's obviously an Anteater, so he thinks he likes eating ants and that's about it. He's never even thought about branching out until he shares a meal with a friend, and realizes that not everyone's exactly like him. He thinks he likes his own toy trucks until he encounters his friend's toy spaceships, and decides they're pretty cool. So why wouldn't food be the same thing? He decides to try out grubs, something very new for him, since Sam has an ant allergy (precious!!) and isn't let down. But the best part of this book is there's no parent intervention or any guilt-tripping about the food choices. No one is forcing Andy to clear his plate, he just hesitantly decides to give new things a go to support his friend. (After all, he can always go back to eating ants at home if he doesn't like it.) He also doesn't have to have an epiphany moment where he forever incorporates grubs into his life as an anteater - it was just nice to try. That decision-making is all Andy, and it offers a strong message that I'm totally behind.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for this review.

Only Ants for Andy is a book about a young anteater pretty set in his ways. He likes what he likes and that is that.
He is perfectly happy with his preferences and feels no need to branch out, until.... until he is invited for a sleepover and has to try new and unfamiliar things.

This book was a delight. The story flows nicely, the language used is appropriate for the audience, the illustrations are adorable and the message is on point! This will go into my classroom library the day it is released!

Brilliant story with awesome illustrations! The concept is relevant for kids who are picky about what they love (food, clothes, textures, games, etc.): What happens when two things you love conflict with one another? A simple story, yet brilliantly told, and the characters are sure to draw you in. I highly recommend this book for any strong-willed, anxious, or conscientious kid, or for any kid at all, for that matter!

This is a children's book that I read to my twin boys. This book is great for any kids that does not like to try new things. I love this book, and my boys really loved this book. The pictures was so cute, and I think the pictures made the story come to life. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Norton Young Readers) or author (Jashar Awan) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on October 26-2021.

Andy is a very particular young anteater. He only likes one certain song. He only plays with trucks, and he definitely only ever eats ants.
But when he is invited to his friend Sam Sloth's house, he discovers that Sam likes different music, plays with different toys, and definitely doesn't eat ants! Why? Because Sam is allergic!

This is a cute little book that helps children learn to try new things and to develop empathy for others. The illustrations are simple and effective, and the text is clearly written for younger readers.
It addresses food allergies in a simple, easy to understand manner for kids, and teaches them, gently, what could happen if they come in contact with the allergen. Living in a household with food allergies, I feel this does a good job of explaining consequences of allergies to kids who haven't had to manage them.

*Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*