Mimbly loves crisps

Mimbly Loves Crisps is a funny and heartwarming picture book about a loveable creature who only eats crisps, until things start to get a little… starchy.

Mimbly is an adorable imaginary friend with a big belly, a big heart, and an even bigger appetite for crunchy snacks. He refuses fruit, turns his nose up at vegetables, and keeps crisps in his pillowcase, just in case. But when his crisp obsession starts to change him in surprising (and potato-shaped) ways, Mimbly must decide if it’s time to try something new.

Told in bouncy rhyme and brought to life with rich illustrations, this story is perfect for ages 3–7. It’s silly, sweet, and quietly encourages children to explore a wider plate, without ever sounding preachy.

Because real change, like real food, starts one small bite at a time.

I’ve spent years exploring what food really means, how it shapes our bodies, our childhoods, and our futures. I’ve written serious books (Real Food Matters, It Stops With Us) about nutrition, systems, and healing. But sometimes, the most powerful message is the simplest one.

Mimbly Loves Crisps came from that truth. It’s a story not about rules, but about rhythm. Not about shame, but about curiosity. I wanted to write something children would love, laugh at, and remember, not because it lectures them, but because it sneaks truth in with a grin.

Mimbly is the creature we all know. Fussy, funny, stubborn and totally loveable. This book isn’t about banning crisps. It’s about what happens when we only eat the same thing again and again, and how good it can feel to try something new.

It’s also a thank you to the parents, teachers, and carers who try, every day, to offer the banana.

Scott Pettifer

Mimbly Loves Crisps may be packed with laughs, but underneath the crunch it offers real lessons for children and adults alike:

1.     Healthy Curiosity
The story gently encourages children to be curious about food, not afraid of it, not forced into it. Just curious enough to try.
 

2.     Balance, Not Bans
Mimbly still loves crisps by the end of the book. The message isn’t about removing joy, but about finding balance in what we eat.
 

3.     Consequences Without Shame
When Mimbly starts to turn into a potato, it’s silly and playful but it also reflects what can happen when we eat only one thing, all the time. The lesson is clear without ever being heavy-handed.
 

4.     Parent-Child Connection
Mimbly’s journey back to balance is made possible by a gentle nudge from someone who loves him. The book celebrates the quiet persistence of parents and carers everywhere.
 

6.     Trying New Things
From the first nibble of a carrot to the surprising taste of a blueberry, the book reminds children that change starts with one small bite.
 

7.     Imagination and Play
Above all, the book feeds the imagination. Mimbly’s world is playful, funny, and warm; the perfect space for big ideas to land lightly.