Don't Eat Me! the Almost True Story of Belladonna - by Kate Finney (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From award-winning illustrator Esmé Shapiro and debut talent Kate Finney comes the unforgettable story of Belladonna, a spunky, beautiful plant who must learn to survive--even though she can't flee from those who want to devour her!

One of New York Magazine / The Strategist's Best New Books for Kids Published in 2025!
One of Betsy Bird's Top Funny Picture Books of 2025!

Everyone in the forest knows about Belladonna--that tall, beautiful plant whose berries are so delicious that they're forever being gobbled up. Day after day, poor Belladonna is nibbled at until there's almost nothing left of her. But unlike the animals who can leap, climb, or fly away, Belladonna, being a plant, is firmly rooted in place. So what's a plant to do to survive?

This is the story of how Belladonna learns to harness her own chemical powers to protect herself and her descendants . . . and how she learns from a great cast of plant and animal characters--culminating in a dandy pheasant--that no one ever survives alone.

This one-of-a-kind picture book is gorgeously illustrated by Esmé Shapiro with wit and humor, and has an astonishingly epic framing that carries Belladonna across eons into her final, powerful form!

Review Quotes

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! "A beautifully illustrated and entertaining story of the belladonna and the way that it (probably) got its poison."--Michelina, Bookseller, Book Love (Plymouth, MA)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! "Beautifully bizarre! The illustrations are vibrant and expressive, matching the whimsical, educational story. A fun way to teach kiddos about poisonous plants and animals coexisting on our planet!"--Emma, Bookseller, Content Bookstore (Northfield, MN)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! "Hand this one to all of those elementary science teachers trying to make adaptation understandable and interesting!"--Chris Kaiser, Librarian, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School (Omaha, NE)

One of New York Magazine / The Strategist's Best New Books for Kids Published in 2025! "Beautiful, poetic, and captivating."

--Youngna Park, The Strategist

One of Betsy Bird's Top Funny Picture Books of 2025! "Meet the poster child of informational fiction! This little beauty (and it is a surprisingly lovely, funny, AND informative book) comes to us via Enchanted Lion Books. Essentially, this title is tailor-made for science units since it follows the experiences not of a single flower, but of a flower species... Shapiro, for the record, is the ideal illustrator to pair with this since her images of animals gnawing on Belladonna's leaves (there's a deranged frog in particular that makes me happy every time I see it) is downright hilarious. It's written like a fairy tale, but there's some serious information to be found here, particularly in the info at the end 'About the Belladonna Plant.'"

--Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production (A School Library Journal blog)

"Esme's artwork is breathtaking, rich with folk-art touches and intricately hand-painted natural details. You can see every brushstroke on each blade of grass. The plants, animals, and insects all seem curiously alive, their bright eyes and funny little teeth full of personality."

--Artist, author, and illustrator Julia Rothman, The Strategist

"In this fairy-tale retelling of evolution, Belladonna is a delicious plant that keeps getting eaten by all manner of beasts and has to evolve to survive... The artwork is fantastical and gorgeous... The text is told in the form of a fairy tale of roughly 50 words per spread; however the concepts introduced are scientific and could lend well to a science class as an introduction to evolution. VERDICT: Purchase for libraries for a whimsical take on evolution, which is also a great read-aloud."

--School Library Journal

"The artwork is stunning--modern folk art in woodland tones that feels both fresh and timeless--and will certainly invite readers to pore over the illustrations... An original concept paired with beautiful artwork, this book will appeal to readers who enjoy botany-inspired fables."

--Rachel Joiner, Librarian, Advent Episcopal School (Birmingham, AL)

"Adaptation and survival take a front seat in this intriguing tale of a forward-thinking flower. This intriguing bit of informational fiction follows the personal journey of a plant from delicious to deadly... Accompanied by lush art that imbues the various flora with expressive faces, the book also gets a great deal of comic mileage out of the different animals munching on Belladonna with gleeful abandon."--Kirkus Reviews

"An original and wholly charming pourquoi tale."--Booklist

"Original, unique, imaginative, special, and a fun read from cover to cover, Don't Eat Me! The Almost True Story of Belladonna is a distinctively memorable children's picture book by author Kate Finney which is superbly illustrated throughout by the museum/art gallery quality artwork of Esme Shapiro. Especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 6-9."--Midwest Book Review

"Sumptuously illustrated... Shapiro draws on folk art motifs, botanical art, and classic fairy tale aesthetics to portray a forest where, via debut author Finney's extended text, everything is not only alive but eager for deep conversations about the paradoxes of adaptation and interdependence."--Publishers Weekly

"This book has key nonfiction STEM themes, yet is told in a lyrical and narrative story/fable style. This is a textbook case of informational fiction."--Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production (A School Library Journal blog)

About the Author

Kate Finney grew up among familiar trees on the outskirts of Philadelphia. She is the recipient of Vassar's Ann E. Imbrie Prize for Excellence in Fiction Writing. She splits her time between Brooklyn and an island in Maine. Esmé Shapiro grew up in Laurel Canyon, California, and Ontario, Canada, and is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Her previous picture books include Ooko, which was nominated for a Governor General's Literary Award in 2016. Shapiro also illustrated Yak and Dove by Kyo Maclear, Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Margaret McNamara, and A Garden of Creatures by Sheila Heti. Shapiro lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Daniel, and their two dogs.