Oliver's Vegetables by Vivian French, Alison Bartlett, Alison Bartlett (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

With a bit of help from his grandfather, Oliver soon discovers that life exists beyond french fries. This fresh and funny book, with immensely appealing artwork by a talented newcomer, will delight young readers. It may also get them to eat their spinach.

Publishers Weekly

Even french-fry-aholics can enjoy fresh vegetables, according to this optimistic tale of a boy and his adventures in produce. When Oliver spends a week at his grandfather's house, he makes a deal: ``If you want french fries,'' said Grandpa, ``You must find the potatoes. If you find something else, you eat that and no complaints.'' Oliver digs in Grandpa's garden and finds carrots, rhubarb, and cabbage, but no potatoes. Yet he never mutinies-quite the opposite, in fact (``They had spinach for supper. `That was good,' said Oliver''). French (A Song for Little Toad) makes an enthusiastic effort, and perhaps agreeable readers will accept her try-it-you'll-like-it approach. But when Oliver pronounces beet salad ``Very, very, very good,'' even certain adults may raise an eyebrow. But debut illustrator Bartlett makes the lush, leafy plants look eminently palatable in her sunny, full-spread acrylics. Her splendid varieties of green and her broad strokes of paint-piled layer-on-layer, with details like the outlines of flowers scratched on the surfaces-set the stage for a garden's victory rather than just a victory garden. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)

Children's Literature

Oliver's grandfather has the most wonderful garden; he grows his own vegetables. Oliver is visiting for a week, and announces that the only vegetable he eats is french fries. Oliver and his grandfather strike a deal that satisfies both of them, but leaves Oliver's mom mystified. A gently humorous tale brought to life by full-color paintings.

School Library Journal

PreS-K-On a visit to his grandparents' house, Oliver wants to eat only French fries. Grandpa tells him that he may look in the garden for potatoes, but that he must eat what he finds, whatever it may be. On the first evening, Oliver pulls up carrots and discovers that he likes them. On successive days he discovers spinach, rhubarb, cabbage, beets, and peas-all of which he eats with unexpected enjoyment. On the last evening, he finds the potatoes at last and as he is sitting down to supper his mother arrives. Oh dear! Too bad! She thinks Oliver is still eating only fried potatoes. Oliver and his grandparents laugh delightedly at the irony, and so will small listeners. Bartlett's paintings are abstract, yet quite understandable for young children who are still visually inexperienced. Odd perspectives and proportions add to the pleasure of looking-as when the vegetables in the garden seem to be larger than the humans. Lush colors of growing things seem splashed on the pages with a carefree joy. Have some fresh veggies ready for snacking.-Ruth Semrau, formerly at Lovejoy School, Allen, TX

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