Lola is a very fussy eater. Carrots are for rabbits and peas are "too small and too green." One day, after rattling off her long list of despised foods, she ends with the vehement pronouncement, "And I absolutely will never not ever eat a tomato." Not convinced, Lola's older sister Charlie has an idea. She tells Lola that the orange things on the table are not carrots, but "orange twiglets from Jupiter" and peas are in fact "green drops from Greenland." Mashed potatoes, when pitched as "cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji" suddenly seem appealing to Lola. And in the end, might she even eat a tomato?

Lauren Child's wacky, expressive sketches of Lola and Charlie (much like those in Clarice Bean, That's Me) are cut out and superimposed on all sorts of textures and patterns from wallpaper to wood. Fuzzy, enlarged photographs of bowls of peas, or fish sticks, or big carrots are pasted right on top to great effect. This funny, endearing look at how children's tastes can be based more on preconception than taste buds is sure to infuse levity into the daily dinner-table struggle. The author's dedication? "With love from Lauren / who is keen on Marmite / but would rather not eat a raisin." (Ages 3 to 8) --Karin Snelson


From Publishers Weekly
Child (Clarice Bean, That's Me) here serves up a delectable variation on the picky-eater-themed tale. Charlie's parents give him the formidable task of feeding dinner to his fussy younger sister, Lola. The clever boy cajoles his sibling into eating foods that she insists "I do not eat." The girl lists such forbidden fruits as carrots, peas, potatoes, fish sticks andAthe most dreadedAtomatoes, all of which her brother is dishing up for the meal. "These are not carrots. These are orange twiglets from Jupiter," maintains Charlie when Lola turns up her nose. He devises similarly tempting pseudonyms for other edibles: peas are rare "green drops" from Greenland that fall from the sky; mashed potatoes are cloud fluff from "the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji." A playful arrangement of type in a variety of fonts and sizes combined with mixed-media art that overlays photos on fanciful, childlike drawings provide a feast for young readers' eyes and mimic the boy's upbeat attitude. Finally, Lola herself follows her brother's example and asks him to pass the "moonsquirters my favorite," otherwise known as guess what? Apt not to be satiated with one serving of this appetizing fare, youngsters will neverAnot everApass up a second helping. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-Child has created two likable, winsome siblings with spunk and imagination. Charlie, who has been asked to give his little sister dinner, narrates this delightful tale. Feeding Lola proves to be a difficult task because she, like many kids, is a fussy eater. She promptly lists the foods she absolutely will not eat, and Charlie cunningly uses a little reverse psychology. He introduces her to items that most certainly look like those on her "will not eat" list, but have unusual names such as, "orange twiglets from Jupiter" (carrots), "green drops from Greenland" (peas), and "ocean nibbles from the supermarket under the sea" (fish sticks). Despite Lola's initial disinclination, Charlie's creative scheme works. While this story is a bit predictable, the book is funny and clever enough for readers to overlook this minor flaw. Child's mixed-media artwork (primitive cartoon characters, photographs, fabric swatches, and wallpaper remnants) enhances the innocent tone of the book. The illustrations resemble a child's cut-and-paste collage and the text often dances across the pages in a variety of fonts. Even finicky youngsters will enjoy this tasty treat.Holly T. Sneeringer, St. Mark School, Baltimore, MD Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Card catalog description
A fussy eater decides to sample the carrots after her brother convinces her that they are really orange twiglets from Jupiter.

ANNOTATION

A fussy eater decides to sample the carrots after her brother convinces her that they are really orange twiglets from Jupiter.

SYNOPSIS

Lauren Child, creator of the beloved Clarice Bean, That's Me cooks up a delectable new picture book treat. In this quirky, clever, fantastically funny story, Charlie uses his imagination to convince his little sister Lola -- who is a very fussy eater -- to eat. She won't eat her carrots -- until Charlie reveals that they are really "orange twiglets from Jupiter." She won't eat her mashed potatoes -- until Charlie explains they are "cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji." And Lola will never -- not ever -- eat a tomato. Or will she? Children (and parents!) will recognize determined young Lola and cheer for inventive Charlie in this fabulous smorgasbord of fun!

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

PW said of this story in which a clever boy cajoles his fussy sister into eating foods she says she hates, "Youngsters will never not ever pass up a second helping of this appetizing fare." Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Child (Clarice Bean, That's Me) here serves up a delectable variation on the picky-eater-themed tale. Charlie's parents give him the formidable task of feeding dinner to his fussy younger sister, Lola. The clever boy cajoles his sibling into eating foods that she insists "I do not eat." The girl lists such forbidden fruits as carrots, peas, potatoes, fish sticks and--the most dreaded--tomatoes, all of which her brother is dishing up for the meal. "These are not carrots. These are orange twiglets from Jupiter," maintains Charlie when Lola turns up her nose. He devises similarly tempting pseudonyms for other edibles: peas are rare "green drops" from Greenland that fall from the sky; mashed potatoes are cloud fluff from "the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji." A playful arrangement of type in a variety of fonts and sizes combined with mixed-media art that overlays photos on fanciful, childlike drawings provide a feast for young readers' eyes and mimic the boy's upbeat attitude. Finally, Lola herself follows her brother's example and asks him to pass the "moonsquirters my favorite," otherwise known as guess what? Apt not to be satiated with one serving of this appetizing fare, youngsters will never--not ever--pass up a second helping. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Charlie's problem with his little sister Lola is a familiar one. When he has to give her dinner, she has a reason for not eating anything he offers, especially tomatoes. Charlie's marvelous imagination builds a tale around each food that lures her into eating it, from "orange twiglets from Jupiter" better known as carrots to "cloud fluff from Mount Fuji," or mashed potatoes. Our smiles grow even broader as Lola makes her own sly imaginative leap into the dreadful tomatoes. The illustrations are equally imaginative in their combining of sketchily simple cut paper children, photographed food, and patterned backgrounds. There is sense of "the real thing," the world as youngsters might perceive it, about the simple but psychologically sound rendering of the children with the few props. Even the letters of the text join in the fun by changing character for emphasis or being set in meandering lines for rhythmic appeal. This might even change the mind of a really picky eater with a sense of humor. 2000, Candlewick Press, $15.99. Ages 3 to 8. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Child has created two likable, winsome siblings with spunk and imagination. Charlie, who has been asked to give his little sister dinner, narrates this delightful tale. Feeding Lola proves to be a difficult task because she, like many kids, is a fussy eater. She promptly lists the foods she absolutely will not eat, and Charlie cunningly uses a little reverse psychology. He introduces her to items that most certainly look like those on her "will not eat" list, but have unusual names such as, "orange twiglets from Jupiter" (carrots), "green drops from Greenland" (peas), and "ocean nibbles from the supermarket under the sea" (fish sticks). Despite Lola's initial disinclination, Charlie's creative scheme works. While this story is a bit predictable, the book is funny and clever enough for readers to overlook this minor flaw. Child's mixed-media artwork (primitive cartoon characters, photographs, fabric swatches, and wallpaper remnants) enhances the innocent tone of the book. The illustrations resemble a child's cut-and-paste collage and the text often dances across the pages in a variety of fonts. Even finicky youngsters will enjoy this tasty treat.-Holly T. Sneeringer, St. Mark School, Baltimore, MD Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Poster child for Picky Eaters of the World, Lola declares that she won't touch carrots, peas, potatoes, fish sticks, or, most especially, tomatoes, until her brother Charlie sets her straight. Those aren't carrots, they're orange twiglets from Jupiter; not peas, but green drops that fell from the sky in Greenland; not mashed potatoes, but cloud fluff. Intrigued, Lola tries a nibble or two, and by the end she's even asking for some round, red "moonsquirters." Child (Clarice Bean, That's Me!, 1999) lays clipped, handtinted photos of food, and drawn, cutout cartoon children over backgrounds of fabric, patterned paper, and brightly colored monochrome in various combinations. The effect is cleverly postmodern but not busy, with plenty of open space and bitesized blocks or wriggles of text. Funny bits of design will provoke a giggle: a smiling pea in the middle of a bowl of them or a Martian sharing the carrots. Would the subterfuge work in real life? Perhaps not, but even younger readers who find Lola's stance perfectly reasonable will join her in this engagingly playful head game. (Picture book. 58)