Picture Book of the Month: Fruits

May 2009
FRUITS
By ValerieBloom
Illustrations by David Aztell
Publisher: Macmillan Books, 32 pages
THIS delightful poem, written in West Indian dialect, must be read aloud for maximum effect. A young girl and her baby sister discover a whole lot of fruit - starting from "half a pawpaw" and ending with "ten banana" - and gobble up as much as they can - with the girl taking the lion's share. The bananas finally get the better of her: "Mek me lie down on me bed, quick. Lawd, ah feeling really sick." The children's expressions are a joy to behold, and the whole book, from the jaunty rhythm of the poem to the vibrant colours of the illustrations, just oozes a sunny vibe - it's guaranteed to put a huge grin on your face.