The Red Fruit

Beautifully transcends its seeming simplicity.

PreS-K--Children follow a baby bear on an adventure to find more of the delicious red fruit that has fallen to the ground. The book's minimalist text seamlessly complements the simple illustrations of a vast forest where the search takes place. The monochromatic digital illustrations, resembling charcoal or perhaps bamboo brush and deep black ink, are broken up by a glimpse of vivid red, piquing curiosity--did the little bear find the fruit or not?--helping to keep readers engaged. The bear finds a caterpillar, a red squirrel, even the sun. Although the text maintains a deliberate pace, young readers will relish joining in the journey. The tale lends itself to an easy storytelling session, particularly in libraries, as the text follows the bear's movements and can be played out using puppets and simple colors. Will the chosen color scheme cause confusion for some readers? The wintry sense of the landscape implies hibernation and a natural scarcity of fruit. Still, the hunt is compelling, and the curiosity of the child will be well understood. It helps foster the development of early inferencing skills by encouraging children to figure out what things a small bear encounters along the way. VERDICT Appealing for a younger audience or for a parent or librarian seeking a simple read-aloud.--Jessica Clark