I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato

ISBN: 9781846168864

A fun read, I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato is the first in the Charlie and Lola series of children’s picture books by this brilliant author/illustrator. Lola is an energetic, imaginative little girl; Charlie is a patient and kind older brother who is always willing to help his little sister, Lola, learn and grow.

In this book, Lola is a very fussy eater. Carrots are for rabbits, and peas are too small and too green, and tomatoes are a definite No-No! Charlie “plays a trick” on Lola, making creative associations with Lola’s food – carrots are orange twiglets from Jupiter, and peas are in fact very rare green drops from Greenland, and even the “cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji” (mashed potatoes) suddenly seem appealing to Lola.

It is an innovative and fun-filled look at the problem of fussy eating, and a funny, endearing look at how children’s tastes can be based more on preconception than taste buds – sure to infuse levity into the daily dinner-table struggle.
The lightness of the story is represented by a playful arrangement of type in a variety of fonts and sizes, and the mixed-media art that overlays photos on fanciful, childlike drawings mimic Charlie’s very optimistic attitude.

The author’s dedication?
“This book is for Soren
who is crazy about tomatoes
but would never eat a baked bean
with love from Lauren
who is keen on Marmite
but would rather not eat a raisin

The Charlie and Lola series was introduced in 2000 as picture books, and was later adapted for animated television.
For this beautifully produced, award-winning, classic, first ever Charlie and Lola picture book, Lauren Child won the 2000 Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association.