Rex, Adam. Nothing Rhymes with Orange. Chronicle, 2017. $16.99. unp. ISBN 978-1-4521-5443-5. Ages 3-6. P8Q8
Rhyming puns about fruit fill the pages with colorful collaged photos of the different kinds of fruit on a white background as the nonrhyming orange feels increasingly isolated. Rex adds inked limbs and faces to match the constant refrain that “they’re healthy happy colorful and cute!”
Verdict: Some of the humor might be a bit sophisticated for very young children, such as “well, that was a bit forced,” and the terminology could be a bit old—rhyming Nietzsche with lychee and peachy. Yet the book provides food for thought in its message of inclusiveness as the pitiful orange is finally accepted by the fruits. Adults will enjoy using the book as a read-aloud with variations in typefaces to show the orange’s dialog and the narrative.
November 2017 review by Nel Ward.
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