I am delighted to introduce you to “Meir Carrot and the Happy Shopper – A Food Bank Tale”.
Proceeds go to Meir Panim Food Banks in Israel.
Join a boy named Danny, a magical carrot named Meir, and a bunch of other entertaining characters on an adventure that begins when Danny goes to volunteer at his local Israeli food bank.
Written for reading (or singing aloud), I hope you and the children in your life will be both touched and energized by this bright, boisterous, and timely tale of sharing and caring.
So what’s Madelaine doing publishing a book about a magical talking carrot and his friends?!
Well, it popped into my head after a morning spent volunteering the Meir Panim food bank in Or Akiva, Israel.
I was inspired to share a taster of this model of resilience in our Land of Milk of Honey, to raise funds for the food bank, and to try to change the labeling of “receivers”/ “clients”/”people in need” to something more egalitarian and respectful. After all they are simply “shoppers” who are not required to pay for the food they receive.
Together with children’s illustrator Shirley Waisman – one of Israel’s most popular and talented children’s book artists- we have created a colorful cast of characters based on the real people I encountered at the food bank, along with personified talking and singing vegetables.
Please enjoy visiting the book’s website
Buy copies online for your family and friends.
Snuggle up to read this story, and enjoy precious moments of joy and education, together.
Also available from
ספרים בקטמון/ Katamon Books – 45, HaPalmach Street, Jerusalem
/ספרים בעמק רפאיםEmek Refaim Books- 21, Emek Refaim, Jerusalem
With Love from
Madelaine
Inspired by the shining example of a caped carrot, Madelaine sets a rhythm to her message of positive actions, and how being kind and thoughtful matters.
This is a perfect way of promoting all food banks which support communities.
Nigel Canin, Director 2Simple
Creating powerful Educational Software for schools since 1999
“A cool, fun story about a boy like me, that I want read again and again.
And I love those Little Onions!”
Yonatan Weis aged 8 ½
Confronting Covid with a Cape Wearing Carrot
The Corona crisis brought so many different challenges to so many people. From the tragic loss of a loved one or job, to being plain bored for months on end, or suffering daily desperation to have your hair roots colored.
When people ask me “how did you cope with the Corona year?” the truthful answer is
“I spent much of it with a talking, cape wearing carrot, and his friends!”
“What?!”
One Tuesday morning in July 2020, I went to volunteer sorting and packing at the weekly Food Bank in the yard of the Meir Panim community center in the town of Or Akiva, Israel. The Corona crisis was hitting Or Akiva hard, and Meir Panim Food bank was coming to the rescue.
What I experienced that morning was so inspiring. It took my breath away, and it has changed my life.
I arrived to a market atmosphere, but with a homely intimacy about it. The shoppers were lined up with their shop carts, waiting to receive a warm, personal welcome and bags of fruit, vegetables and other food essentials to take home for the week.
They were served as regular market customers, yet they did not have to pay for their wares. There are around 500 registered shoppers who come each week, although I have even witnessed that number rise to 700 during one of the worst periods of the pandemic’s economic reverberations.
The mixture of volunteers who were industriously sorting and packing donated and rescued produce included school leavers, members of the local police, some unemployed chefs, and a random collection of individuals like myself, some of whom had children or grandchildren with them.
I noticed that some of the local volunteers were either inconspicuously taking produce for themselves, or discreetly asking the Manager, Ilanit- known as a “Professor of Kindness”- if they could do so. Either way, they had felt compelled to choose the perceived dignity of volunteer status over literally being “on the other side of the fence”.
The sights and sounds and energy. The colors and textures of the crated produce. The sense of togetherness and love and relief in the air. The buzz and chatter and sociability of the atmosphere ignited so many emotions and thoughts in me.
I knew that I had to do something in order to share this experience. To give a taster of this model of resilience, this tango being danced between people in need and people who give, in our Land of Milk of Honey. I also felt that there was a need to change the labeling of “receivers”/ “clients”/”people in need” to something more egalitarian and respectful. After all they were simply “shoppers” at the market. The fact that they were not required to pay for the food they received was a detail that should not be defining their status.
Not long afterwards, Meir Carrot was born.
A symbol of hope and unity. An ambassador of the wonders that can happen when nature’s bounty and the majesty of man interact in the Start-Up Nation, to effect systems for kindness and nourishment. Raw love. Brightness and optimism. Rescue.
“Meir Carrot and the Happy Shopper” was intended not only as a tale, but as a tool to raise awareness and funds for the food bank.
Once I had the storyline mapped out, I wrote the first draft. I could see the scenes and the characters in my mind, and I put together an illustration brief.
Finding children’s book illustrator Shirley Waisman to bring the scenes and characters to life so beautifully has been such a pleasure and a privilege. Working together with this talented and loveable lady brought charm and sweetness to my vision. Seeing her illustrations was a game changer.
Reading the finished piece to my grandchildren for the first time was a particular highpoint.
Creating Meir Carrot, Danny, Mrs Onion and their adventure at the Food Bank has filled my Corona year with meaning and vitality. Yet our journey together is only just beginning.
Up, up and away…!
And looking forward to the next book in the series.
Madelaine Black
