Go, Go, Grapes!: A Fruit Chant

PreS-Gr 1--This companion to Sayre's Rah, Rah, Radishes! (S & S, 2011) introduces another important food group. Short, catchy rhyming phrases line nearly full-page photos of fruits, ranging from the familiar, like apples, oranges, and, of course, grapes, to the more exotic rambutans, lychee, and persimmons. All of them are pictured in baskets or bunches, the way they would look in the supermarket. This approach presents the types of produce as kids are likely to encounter them. The rhythm of the text and the size of the images make this book a good choice for sharing with a group. However, readers should note that sometimes two fruits share a picture, and it isn't always clear which one is which, so a little bit of pre-storytime research might be in order. The book ends with a page on fruit facts and a spread of fruit faces proclaiming: "Fruit is fun!" Kids are bound to agree.--Heather Talty, formerly at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, New York City

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Sayre follows up her salute to vegetables (Rah, Rah, Radishes!, 2011) with this rousing chant in favor of fruit.

"Rah, rah, raspberries! / Go, go, grapes! / Savor the flavors. / Find fruity shapes!" With these staccato rhythms and cheerleading words, Sayre sets the stage for one long chant that will have kids clamoring for a fruit snack. Going well beyond (but including) the standard apple, orange, banana, grapes and berries, she entices readers with such exotics as tamarillo, kiwano, guava, rambutan, currant, durian and the wonderfully named dragon fruit. In piles, baskets and boxes brimming with fruit, Sayre shows off the colors and textures, yet she does not shy away from depicting even those specimens that are not completely perfect.... Taken primarily at farmer's markets, mom-and-pop stores and fruit stands and often including hand-lettered signs proclaiming their farm of origin, her photographs send a subtle message to support local farmers and businesses.... Ah, would that readers could pluck Sayre's art right off the page and savor its juiciness....even picky eaters are sure to be tempted."

—Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2012