9 Children’s Book Characters Who Really Love to Om Nom Nom

Sam I Am (Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss)
Sam I Am is so very much in love with his breakfast of choice that he is desperate to share the news. He is the telemarketer of food passions and will not take no for an answer, no matter how much you tell him you’re not interested.

Cookie Monster (Cookie Monster’s Busy Day, by Sesame Workshop)
Everyone’s favorite blue monster wears his deepest food passion on his sleeve, Or, well, in his name. If there is a cookie in his general area, you know it doesn’t stand a chance. He did try to teach kids about self-control once, but we know that lasted about as long as a New Year’s Resolution.

Mouse, Pig, Moose, Dog, Cat and others (The If You Give… series by Laura Numeroff)
The charming little mouse who just wants a cookie (and then a few other things) has spawned a series of books about wildlife that want to come in and eat. Pig wants a pancake, Moose would like a muffin, Dog digs donuts, Cat’s keen for a cupcake, and I want a nap. These well-meaning yet ravenous little critters will raid your house in the quest for the perfect snack, and then some.

The Caterpillar (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle)
Just like most growing kids, Caterpillar eats until he’s sick and then blooms into something beautiful. This little caterpillar is so pro food that you can even get a growth chart to compare happy full kids to the happy full caterpillar.

Pigeon (The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, by Mo Willems)
Pigeon spends this entire book explaining the amazing qualities of a hot dog to a sassy duckling, who is, by the way, is working his own angle to get food. Only Cookie Monster and his beloved chocolate chippies rival Pigeon’s love for that hot dog.

Strega Nona and her Magical Pot (Strega Nona, by Tomie dePaola)
Big Anthony may be the hungry star of the book, but it is really Strega Nona and her magical pot that takes the food lover’s cake. Only a woman who truly loves food would own a pot that could make endless amounts of pasta. (Also, where can I get one?)

Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl)
Charlie Bucket loves Wonka bars, and Augustus Gloop loves everything edible, but Willy Wonka loves sweets so much he decided to build a factory just to produce them. To turn a love of food into your entire life’s work shows true dedication.

Ron Weasley (Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling)
When talking about characters who love food, Ron Weasely’s name always comes up. Ron loves his mom’s cooking. He loves the Hogwarts feasts. He also gets very crabby if he goes without a meal. At one point he even nicks candy from Harry and then accidently overdoses on a love potion. Ron loves food to the point of nearly asking out Romilda Vane; he clearly has a problem.

Merry and Pippin (The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien)
In both the Lord of the Rings books and the movies Merry and Pippin have a healthy respect for food, as do most good Hobbits (second breakfast, anyone?). We should all take a page out of Pip’s book and remember “The road goes on forever, but I can’t without a rest. It is high time for lunch.”
Who are your favorite food-obsessed kid’s book characters?