Kyle Lukoff

Chester goes to the community garden to pick vegetables for a salad, but all the vegetables tell Chester that they aren't! A gleeful leaf of kale says, "I hate to be the one to tell you, but there's no such thing as vegetables." Broccoli is a flower, Potato is a root, Kale is a leaf. Eggplant, Cucumber, and Pepper are all fruits. Chester tries to define what a vegetable is ("Vegetables are good in salads?" "Bacon is good in salads but that doesn't make bacon a vegetable"), but ultimately cannot do it. "If there's no such thing as vegetables, why do people call you vegetables?" Turns out, it's a made-up category, just as money and lines on maps are things that humans made up. An author's note explains social constructs and invites readers to consider and question them.

See also: Avocado Asks What Am I? by Momoko Abe… (more)

Plant and food science come across in a delightful way with humor and some serious food for thought.

Chester's mother sends him to the garden to pick vegetables for their salad. Of course, he isn't going to pick anything without asking first (how rude would that be?), but when he tells each 'vegetable' what he's looking for, they send him away with a solid explanation of why they aren't a vegetable. Cauliflower, lettuce, and even the peas send him away, but with such a huge garden, there must be veggies somewhere.

While talking vegetables/fruits/leaves/roots/stalks/whatnots could border on cliche, this book branches off in a great mix of humor and facts. It's hard not to smile as Chester heads out to the garden with his mother's orders and a basket in arm because it's clear that things aren't going to go smoothly. And he has such good intentions! His politeness and kindness makes him sympathetic, and it's hard not to hope he can find a few veggies for the salad. As each veggie/fruit/...well, you get the idea...explains why they don't fit into the veggie category, they never come off as rude or snarky. Their arguments are simple, clear, cute and make sense, and these are supported with just the right amount of scientific facts for readers to understand exactly what's going on. There's a little bit of botany , but it remains basic and flows seamlessly into the humorous tale.

The illustrations are bright and playful, making each item easy to identify while bringing it to life. The scientific aspects are clearly portrayed, when needed, to aide in understanding, but these stay fun, too. Some of the veggies/fruits/etc will be familiar, while others might need to be identified, which is another learning chance for young readers.

It's a cute read to use for story time and also works well as an original way to lead into the theme of fruits versus vegetables for groups settings. It promotes critical thinking and opens up the chance for discussions and, maybe, even the first hints of debate. For a seemingly simple, humorous book, it packs more than is obvious at the first glance. I received a DRC and found this to be very well done.… (more)