OLIVER'S FRUIT SALAD

Oliver, who didn’t like vegetables in French and Bartlett’s Oliver’s Vegetables (1995), returns to express his opinions on fruit. The canned and packaged fare offered by his mother makes him unhappy; none of it measures up to the fresh garden goodies he saw while staying at Grandpa and Gran’s. So they go to the market and load up on fresh fruit, which Oliver also turns down: “No, thank you. I just helped Grandpa. I didn’t eat any of the fruit. I don’t like fruit.” Then Grandpa and Gran come for a visit and they whip up a fruit salad, which is so eye-pleasing that Oliver digs in. This story doesn’t have the clever twist or the narrative strength of Oliver’s introduction to vegetables, which involved discovery and connection—this time he decides to eat the fruit because it looks nice. But French’s story is never didactic, and perfectly reflects many children’s feelings about fruit. Bartlett’s artwork is as lush and electric as ever, demonstrating in the selection of fruit an act akin to picking jewels. (Picture book. 3-6)