Review by Booklist Review
In rhyming text, a diverse pair of kids, along with a cat and a dog, demonstrate the many things they could do with a banana. Their ideas range from realistic actions, such as grip, unzip, smash, mash, share, squeeze, and freeze, to the fanciful suggestions of using the banana as a spaceship or a boat. Digitally drawn, brightly colored cartoon illustrations add to the fun. The book design creates a sense of rhythm. The first part of the book features two-page spreads. Two pictures and suggestions on one side are followed by another page with one larger illustration. In the middle, the format switches to full pages for narrative emphasis, and then flips back to the earlier pattern. The book encourages creativity by asking readers to think about an ordinary object in new, uncommon ways. Furthermore, the conclusion of the story reminds children to eat fruit! This book would be valuable in an educational setting as part of a unit on healthy eating, as a writing prompt, or as part of a fruit-themed storytime.--Whitehurst, Lucinda Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Young children and their pets use their imagination in these rhythmic stories about the fun that can be had with everyday objects like a piece of fruit. Pizzoli gives readers colorful cartoon illustrations that match Singer's simple, rhyming texts. In the first title, children use bananas in a variety of innovative ways: "You can share it./You can wear it-/it's a funny yellow hat!/You can squeeze it./You can freeze it./Please don't throw it at the cat." In the second book, the different ways to eat and play with an apple are described in the same type of singsong rhyme: "You can pick it./You can kick it./You can throw away the core./You can toss it./You can sauce it./You can roll it on the floor." Each selection ends with a proclamation that the item is a fruit and we should eat it, but readers will enjoy the creative uses of the fruit more than the nutritional advice. VERDICT These are recommended additions to any picture book collection, as they will delight parents and young children and catch the interest of newly independent readers.-Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Using rhyme and wordplay, two children, a dog, and a cat highlight different things you can do with the titular fruit in each book. While many of the descriptions are clever and creative, others are peculiar and force the rhyme (e.g., "You can snuggle it [an apple], or juggle it, or put it in a pile"). Still, the inventiveness and cartoonlike illustrations should engage young children. [Review covers these titles: What's a Banana? and What's an Apple?] (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
