Tomatoes on Trial: The Fruit v. Vegetable Showdown

Gr 1-3–With more puns than a tomato has seeds, this title will have young debaters ready to take on the challenge of “Fruit or Vegetable?” This is the historical tale of John Nix, the “Produce King” of New York City, who in 1886 wanted to import tomatoes to best his competition. Levied with a 10 percent tax that was placed on vegetables, Nix took his case to court to prove that tomatoes are a fruit rather than a vegetable, thereby avoiding the tariff. A mighty argument ensued. Full of evidence and rebuttals, the book exposes readers to the arguments on both sides of the issue and by the end, they might find their opinions have changed. No matter the outcome, readers will have learned a great deal about legal reasoning and how to make a convincing argument. Fotheringham’s blotted line and color wash illustrations brim with humor and history, adding to the appeal of this engaging title. By the end, readers will be ripe and ready to make the case for the tomato’s classification one way or another, will have learned some interesting facts, and gained a basic understanding of how to build a logical, fact-based argument.