Nothing Rhymes with Orange

This book is a romp of a rhyming party serving up a big fruity word salad, and though Orange isn't initially included since he doesn't rhyme, kids and parents are invited for the fun. Readers are always in good hands with author-illustrator Adam Rex, who goes all-out in Nothing Rhymes with Orange. The fruits in the art are photo-realistic, making them easily recognizable for kids just learning the differences, and Rex draws expressive faces and arms and legs to animate them. There's lots of wordplay: A pear that gets bitten by a wolf becomes a "pearwolf." And the book gets sillier and sillier with each page, even including a joke referencing Nietzsche, making sure adults feel included, too: "I think cherries are 'the berries' and a lychee is just peachy. Thus Spoke Zarathustra in a book by Friedrich Nietzsche."

Adding to the fun are the snide comments by Orange, who observes dejectedly from the sidelines. "This book's sorta gone off the rails. I'm glad I'm not a part of it." But Rex also has a warm heart, and makes sure we feel for Orange as he grows more and more disheartened. Kids will recognize the feelings and cheer when another fruit notices and pulls him into the festivities. This book is both silly and a warm story about feelings and friendship, making it a very fun party indeed.