A funny exploration of classification, with a touch of botany thrown in for good measure. When a tomato insists that he belongs in the fruit bowl every bit as much as the bananas and peaches, everyone learns about both inclusion and what makes a fruit a fruit.

Note: I received an F&G of this book at an ALA conference. ( )

When is a veggie not a veggie? When it is a fruit of course. In this book, a young boy has the job of helping his mother put away the groceries. Fruits go into the bowl and veggies go into the crisper. However, much to the chagrin of the fruit, Tomato would like to go into the bowl and it turns out that he is not alone. He and his friends make a good case as to why they should be included in the fruit bowl as they help the boy explore the actual differences between fruits and vegetables.

Despite my having a personal aversion to anthropomorphic food, this book to me is adorably drawn and quite punny. It is also filled with fun facts. It would make a great jumping off point for a botany lesson a unit on nutrition or even a jr. science fair project. I recommend reading just for the fun of it. I am sure your kids will agree. ( )

The fruit bowl is the place to be. Unless of course you are tomato and the fruits do not think you should be in the fruit bowl. Tomato must convince the fruits that yes tomato is indeed a fruit. It takes the help of Old Man Produce hidden in the back of the refrigerator. I would recommend this for any collection. The illustrations are brightly colored and the word bubbles are humorous. It is also a good introduction for children showing which produce items are actually fruits that we always thought were vegetables. ( )