The Fruits We Eat

by Gail Gibbons

Berries, apples, melons, and grapes; oranges, grapefruits, bananas -- yum! This scrumptious picture book, a companion to The Vegetables We Eat, offers youngsters an inviting, information-packed cornucopia of favorite fruits. Gail Gibbons combines a clear, simple text with her signature illustrations to present fruit facts galore: the parts of fruits, where and how they grow, harvesting, processing, where to buy them, and how to enjoy them as part of a healthy diet.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Food, Childrens, Science, Nature, Health

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

From gailgibbons.com: I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together. I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions.

Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 170 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to familiar fruits, geared toward primary students. The information is basic and the illustrations are quite busy; mostly in panels--4 to a page or 2 to a page. The main part of the book discusses the different ways fruits grow and are harvested, focusing on more familiar fruits such as berries, apples, peaches, bananas, melons, grapes, and citrus fruits. The penultimate page shows some other fruits including avocado, plums, kiwis, apricots, figs, etc. A couple of websites are listed on the final page.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too busy for the intended audience - the simple text at the bottom doesn't always work without the context of the smaller, factual, non-narrative text up with the pictures. The pictures are on the distracting side; the entire page really *needs* to be read and studied, but the kiddos who are actually going to study the whole page with all the notes are too old for the simplistic sentences that form the "actual" text.

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All about the fruits we eat!

Another great children's nonfiction picture book by Gail Gibbons!


Read for 2nd -grade Science unit on fruits and veggies.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Updated from its original publication in 2015, this picture book contains so many colorful watercolor images of fruits, my favorite food group, that it's hard to resist the urge to run out to the grocery store or farmer's market right away and choose some of them. A helpful introduction to the topic, the book explains how climate affects certain fruits, making it possible for them to flourish in particular environments. It also describes how fruits grow in different ways--on plants, bushes, vines, and trees. There are also snippets of information about pineapples, not included in the original volume, harvesting on large fruit farms--it's neat to see cranberry harvester, for instance--and follow the fruits from the field all the way through the fruit-processing center. As always, the last page in the book contains bite-sized facts about the topic, including which state and Canadian province produce the most apples and how much water is in the always-delicious watermelon. The fact that tomatoes are considered fruit vegetables will be of interest to youngsters, who may want to debate this classification. From cover to cover, this book is a visually attractive, informative package from which even older readers can learn something interesting about fruits.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has a large font which is used to explain the different parts of fruits and how they are grown, harvested and eaten. Text has two levels so that caregivers can modify the information based on the age group. Unframed panels and full page spreads get a lot of information in. Gibbons’ signature brightly colored drawn cartoons show familiar foods that kids will recognize. Two websites are given for further reading.

Gibbons’ work traditionally has skewed white, and I would have thought artwork could have been modified in this new edition to reflect more racial diversity, but it wasn’t. I feel that this book crams too much information onto each page, making some pages too busy.

[Krista Ginnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fruits We Eat is a very educational book. It taught me new things about the fruits. There are many kinds of fruits here are some to name a few strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pineapples, melons, oranges, peaches, and bananas. Fruits come in various colors, and sizes. The fruits we eat come from many different climates such as on plants, bushes, vines, and trees. Most are grown on farms. However, some are grown at home. I love the illustrations in this book it is very colorful, and really allows you to study the different fruits. This book would be perfect for teaching children their fruits.

[Lorelei Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Gibbons details many of the different types of fruits that people eat and where they grow from, whether or not they are good for you and how we get them. I liked this book because it explains in great detail all the different trees, bushes, vines, and roots that fruits come from while also describing how many fruits are similar. I thought this book was okay, it could be engaging to a younger audience, and would use it to teach about the different kinds of fruits or an introduction to being healthy.

[CasitaSavage · Rating 5 out of 5]

🍎
For #nationalchildhealthday we read “The Fruits We Eat.” This is worth buying because it’s one of those books that can be read many different ways. Books like this are worth it because you get all the bang for your buck 😉
I’d recommend going through this book on your own first to figure out which direction you want to take while reading it.

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a TON of words. Most of it is facts about different types of fruits, which is useful, but I think it would be better for a class that knows how to read on their own. I think using it as a read aloud book in class would take way too much time. It has wonderful pictures and diagrams and is very informative though.

[Courtney Henley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informational
K-2
I liked that there was a lot of information on the page about the inside and outside of the fruit and where it grows. Throughout reading the book I thought the pages could easily be copied and given to the students to look over and read.

[Hailey Vittrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book as a DRC. This is a good educational book! It is interesting and informative, and I learned some facts about fruit that I didn't know before reading this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about fruit or other related fun facts.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers the different types of fruit that we eat. The details how and where the fruits grow. This book is very informative and an excellent resource for anyone who wants to know more about this important food resource.

[Henry Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like how this book shows page by page the different categories of fruits and how fruits that are grown industrially go from farmers to our tables.

Read Along With Me On YouTube

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overwhelming - too much in the illustrations, too much information. I love the idea, but I can't read this book to my intended audience.

[Tenessa Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned something new about the fruits we eat. But all I could think of is carbs, carbs, carbs!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book to read about fruit and how they grow.

[dsmith7272 Gwinnett Tech · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a detailed book about fruit. I liked the illustrations and information. It may be hard for children to sit through it though because it is very long and detailed.

[Nolan Brendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it because I learned about fruits.

[Kaitlyn RItchie]

This scrumptious picture book offers young children an inviting, informational cornucopia of fruit facts and information.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing book all about fruits. It is very detailed with diagrams. Bushes , plants, trees and vines. Nice illustrations.

[Margaret]

A classic nonfiction book (new and updated) for another generation of readers to enjoy

[Regina L · Rating 5 out of 5]

We eat so many different types of fruits. Sometimes just parts of the fruit, sometimes the whole thing, sometimes frozen or fresh. You can eat fruits raw or dried or frozen, or prepare them in all sorts of ways by cooking them. But have you thought about where all of this delicious fruit comes from? This book will tell the story of all sorts of fruit from start to finish! Fruit plants grow in different climates, and in different ways. We learn which fruits grow in the ground, in vines, in trees and on bushes. Fruits can be grown at home or on a farm, and can be found in the wild in nature of course. We learn the parts of fruits and the seasons they grow, how to pick or harvest. Then we follow the process for how the fruit leaves the farm, gets sorted and washed, packed and shipped and delivered to stores for us to purchase. There are suggestions for great ways to eat to keep your body healthy, how much fruits veggies grains and proteins you need, all based on USDA recommendations.

This is a bright and colorful illustrated book by author Gail Gibbons, and is a wonderful first glance for young children into where the fruit on their table comes from and how it gets there. Even as adults you’ll appreciate insight into the inner workings of growing fruits, farming techniques and much more. Next time you shop for fruit you should pick up a copy of this book to learn more about what you’re eating! Read more at www.diapers-and-daydreams.com !

[Yvonne Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail Gibbons never disappoints! The Fruits We Eat begins with a topic so important to young children…healthy eating and fruits are part of that. The book walks readers through the life cycle of fruit from pollination to harvesting and shipping.
This book has endless ways to be used the classroom:
• Introducing students to fruits, trying them and then writing a persuasive review on which fruit is best and why.
• Classify – how fruits are classified based on how they are grown (plants, bushes, vines or trees)
• Comparing and contrasting
o cultivated vs. wild
o annual vs. perennial
o sweet vs. tart
o fresh vs. canned/frozen
• Using a flow chart or timeline from pollination to harvest
• Understanding circle graphs and measurement
• Using diagrams and labels to teach
• Adding a facts page at the end of All About Books
I love how Gail Gibbons can write an informational text and use illustrations verses photographs to teach the reader. Young writers mostly draw their illustrations before they learn to use photographs. This helps students truly understand text features when they can use them correctly in their own writing and Gail Gibbons models this so effortlessly. This book teaches the reader about fruits/plants/growing cycle but can be used also as a mentor text to teach reading and writing skills. 5 stars

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail Gibbons always does great nonfiction, and this is no exception. What is a fruit? What defines it? How many types of fruit are there? These could be questions with rather dull answers, but vibrant illustrations and interesting text combine to make the subject fascinating. At the bottom of each page is regular information that could be read aloud to share with a class. Above it, the author expounds on the subject and provides additional information showing examples of everything from melons to grapes to berries to tree fruit and more. Labeled pictures abound. Interesting factoids pop up. Readers are shown how fruit gets from farm to market as well. The amount of information here is amazing, and it should be confusing, but it is beautifully organized and visually appealing. This would be a useful addition to school libraries. Oh, and a tomato? It's defined as a fruit vegetable. (I knew you'd ask.)

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would be a great recommendation for an early elementary school student. I think preschoolers might enjoy it with only the bottom of the page text. Each page gives a lot of information about the process of growing fruits and getting them to the stores. Many fruits have their own page which details their growth process. I found the pages a little busy and would try to simplify for storytime.

[Jason Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great way for young readers to discover and classify fruit. I thought it was a little dense on text and some of the interaction between various types of text got confusing. I love fruit, and I love the pictures, and I think it's important for kids to read, learn about, and see, but I think it could have been presented a bit more cleanly.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid info on fruits: how they grow, cross sections of different types of fruits, and how fruits are harvested and packaged for sale in grocery stores.

The watercolor and ink artwork is fairly dated looking and the ethnic characters have a strange gray undertone, but the text is solid. Recommended for PreK-2+.

[J. Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this book may be used as a quick reference read aloud story, or more in-depth for research purposes. Several fruits are described by their growth cycle and parts. Much terminology associated with fruit and farming is presented. Additional resources are cited throughout the book and at the rear. Fun facts are presented on the last page.

[Rykki · Rating 5 out of 5]

My little one really liked this book, though I think it would be a little better for a slightly older kid. We got to explore different kinds of fruits and how they grow. This is an excellent book to get kids learning about where their food comes from. Even better if you can read it along side a lesson on growing your own fruit!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Juvenile nonfiction, picture book
Format: Print
Plot: Gibbons gives an introductory guide to fruits, from how they're raised to harvesting and processing.
Readers advisory:
Review citation: SLJ, February 2015
Source: Author recommended in class
Recommended age: 4-8