aw, nuts! vol 1 by Max beaudry

Illustrated by David Perry

Peanut and Jelly are humble workers at the Crumb Dump and members of the lowest social class at the bottom of the food pyramid. That doesn't seem to bother Jelly, who is constantly cracking jokes and making light of even the worst situations. But Peanut wants to social climb so that he can make it to the height of the pyramid and live a life of luxury amongst the Toppings. His chances become imperiled when one day they accidentally let out a Crumb Feeder, a giant, dangerous worm who begins hoovering up every edible thing in sight -- which is a lot in a place like Foodtopia! 

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This story is full of food puns and wise cracks at the expense of our titular characters, and there are plenty of jokes for all ages, including the adults who might be reading this with their kids. Only one pun receives an editorial note, and its explanation may still require readers to know the difference between nuts and legumes. Humor aside, the chemistry and camaraderie between Peanut and Jelly is as wholesome as Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc. -- friends supporting each other through lofty goals and working through difficult challenges as they arise. Perry's bright animation-style illustrations give characters lots of energy throughout and heighten the overall silliness without crossing into caricature. 

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 4-8

This review was made possible by an advanced digital reader copy from the author.

Publisher: Papercutz (Mad Cave)
Publication Date: Nov 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781545819685 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: Elementary School, Suitability: Middle School, Graphic Fiction, Humor, Culinary, Friendship, Action Adventure, Mad Cave