Books

Publishers Weekly, starred review
When Olivia heads to the farmer’s market, she has a goal: “I want to fill my basket./ What will fit just right?” A beet is too small—“There’s so much space around it that it rolls”—and the apple is, too. An eggplant “is not wide enough,” and a zucchini isn’t right, either: “When I turn it, it’s too tall.” Then a display of pumpkins catches her eye: “Yay! Just the right size.” Lin’s clear, simple language describing how Olivia solves the problem is amplified in her perceptive artwork, which cannily mixes painterly textures and captivating details (Olivia’s pink polka-dotted socks; a green blanket spread with decorative corn) with graphical simplicity to show a small Black child as she ponders, puzzles, and experiments with placing different things in the basket. Includes a brief explanation of the importance of spatial sense, and three suggested learning activities to expand the book’s impact.

 School Library Journal, starred review
At the Farmers’ Market, Olivia wants to find an object that will fit perfectly into her small wicker basket. Some produce is too large, some is too small, some is too long. Olivia must use her budding spatial reasoning skills to find a fruit or veggie with a just-right fit. Most sentences have a simple construction. Illustrations have a sketchy quality, but their deliberately unpolished look adds to their appeal, like an heirloom tomato in a pile of genetically modified perfect red spheres. The page that introduces the Farmers’ Market shows it bustling with shoppers. Subsequent illustrations focus only on Olivia and her veggies. Olivia is a young Black girl with natural hair and a brightly eye-catching pink hooded sweatshirt. Olivia has an expression of pleasant curiosity throughout the book. Even when facing complex problems, she doesn’t get frustrated. Near the end, she concentrates on a large spread of veggies, which may prompt young readers to try and guess what will fit. The corn? The potato? The squash? Spoiler alert: It’s a baby pumpkin that fits snugly in the basket. Back matter gives tips on how to help children learn and grow beyond the book. VERDICT Part of the “Storytelling Math” series, this perfect little book features a Black protagonist and gentle teaching of complex spatial skills and is recommended for all pre-K collections.