A delightful and thought-provoking picture book that challenges conventional wisdom, perfect for fans of quirky storytelling and playful illustrations.
Synopsis
Chester plans to have a salad for lunch, but in order to do that, he’ll need vegetables. So, off he goes to the community garden, except he quickly learns that he won’t be dressing a salad anytime soon. Instead, the vegetables start dressing him down. According to them, “vegetables” don’t exist!
I know what you are thinking: What the bell pepper? Vegetables are totally real! But here’s the thing: Kale is just a leaf, broccoli is a flower, potatoes are roots, and celery…well, stalks. Thanks to a lively, sassy cast of talking “veggies,” Chester learns a valuable lesson about categories and how they shape our understanding of the world.
#MelAndNikkiReview
There’s No Such Thing As Vegetables takes readers on a whimsical journey through the world of produce. With playful illustrations by Andrea Tsurumi, Lukoff challenges our assumptions about what constitutes a vegetable.
The story follows Chester, a young character with lunch plans involving a salad. But when he heads to the community garden to gather veggies, he encounters a sassy cast of talking vegetables. Broccoli insists it’s a flower, potatoes claim to be roots, and kale proudly declares itself a leaf. In fact, they all argue that there’s no such thing as vegetables!
Lukoff weaves humor and clever wordplay into this tale. Chester tries to defend the concept of vegetables with facts, but each argument falls apart. The book playfully explores how humans categorize and label the natural world, highlighting the arbitrary nature of our definitions. Andrea Tsurumi’s illustrations bring the veggies to life, infusing them with personality and defiance. From irate tomatoes to cheeky carrots, Tsurumi’s art adds depth to the story. The dialogue-heavy text, presented in speech bubbles, keeps the pace brisk and engaging.
There’s No Such Thing As Vegetables is not just a fun read; it’s also a gentle lesson about the power of categories and how they shape our understanding. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, this book will leave you chuckling and questioning your salad ingredients.
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About the Author
Kyle Lukoff is the author of the Newbery Honor-winning, National Book Award finalist, Too Bright to See, the Stonewall Award winner When Aidan Became a Brother, among other titles for young readers. While becoming a writer, he worked as a bookseller and school librarian. He lives in Philadelphia, and hopes you’re having a nice day.
About the Illustrator
Andrea Tsurumi (they/them) is an author, illustrator and cartoonist originally from New York who now lives with their spouse and dog in Philadelphia. A gigantic text and image nerd, they studied sequential storytelling for an English BA at Harvard and an illustration MFA at the School of Visual Arts. While working in publishing for several years, they dove into their two big loves: indie comics and children’s books. Their first book, Accident! was an NPR Great Read and their second book, Crab Cake, won the Vermont Red Clover Book Award. When they’re not inventing croissant-based animals, they like reading about ordinary and ridiculous history.
Until next time…Happy Parenting!
~Momma Braga
*Please note that this book was provided in exchange of an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.
