When Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie first hit the big screens, it was a BIG deal. I was in high school at the time, and it seemed amazing that a niche piece of my Evangelical Christian childhood was hitting the big screens. All of the Christian kids media outlets were promoting this. After all, Veggietales was going to be in movie theaters. Every 90s Christian Kid went to the movie the day it released.
Nostalgia aside, VeggieTales’ rendition of Jonah is still one of the better kids versions of this story. So Jonah kids’ books leave me wondering whether the author actually ever read the story. Many offer the lesson ‘pray like Jonah’ or liken Jonah to Jesus (you know, because he was in a whale’s belly for 3 days). But really Jonah is an antihero. Is he relatable? Oh yes, but only in the worst ways possible. Not someone I want to set as an example of Godly-living. As the VeggieTales sing, ‘Jonah was a prophet, but he never really got it.’
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
A key theme of Jonah is God loves the people we hate. Even when we can not bring ourselves to love our enemies, God is full of compassion and mercy. ‘How wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.’ -Ephesians 3:18
VeggieTales really does a fantastic job of exploring this theme for littles. Even in high school, this movie was the very first time I heard the part of the story where Jonah throws a fit when God chooses to save the Ninevites in the end. So few children’s resources actually go that far. They instead say ‘Jonah preached, and Nineveh was saved. Hurray!’ But that isn’t how the story ends, and if we keep reading it gives us a fuller, more complex narrative. VeggieTales challenges us that even children can contemplate these hard themes in age-appropriate ways.
As we go into a couple of weeks reading about Jonah, this 90’s church kid classic is the perfect family flick.
Mr. Twisty’s Twisted Cheese Curls
Mr. Twisty’s Twisted Cheese Curls are an Iconic Snack in this movie. All of the characters love them, and turns out they’re a product of Niniveh in the movie. To me, they look a bit like puffy Cheetos, so I made up a Mr. Twisty’s Twisted Cheese Curls Bag template to wrap around snacksize bags of Simply Cheetos (you could also wrap them around Bugles or another chip of choice).
The bag wrappers feature characteristics of God we see throughout the movie, Ephesians 3:18, and a little whale illustration (of course). They also match these bilingual Valentines.
Sharing is caring, so here is the snack bag wrapper. Just print and wrap around a bag of cheese puffs:
Mr. Twisty’s Twisted Cheese Curls Bag
More Food Ideas
We kept our snacks basic with the cheese puffs and sparkling water. However some other ideas I thought would be fun were:
- Taiyaki: These fish-shaped Korean snacks would make a perfect pairing for this movie! After all, a big fish plays a big role in the plot. If you’re super creative, you could maybe try to make your own, or make a waffle version with this Taiyaki Maker.
- Swedish Fish: Swedish fish are another fun movie pairing for Jonah. We are big fans of the Smart Sweets alternative.
More Fun
The VeggieTales Website has official Coloring Pages for their shows, including Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie.
I also stumbled upon a Vintage VeggieTales Super Fantastic Fan Club Issue on the Internet all about the Jonah movie. The internet archive has the issue documented, and you are able to download the images and activities to share with your children. Check it out here:
Veggie Tales Super Fantastic Fan Club Newsletter. Volume 1, Issue 4
Baby Devotions 
