Lindsay H. Metcalf (Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm) dissects the question of whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable in her alliterative, pun-filled nonfiction picture book, Tomatoes on Trial. Metcalf, referencing a 19th-century Supreme Court battle over produce taxes, lays out the evidence on both sides of the argument with humor and panache. Her playful text and the "blotted line and color wash" illustrations crafted by Edwin Fotheringham (Those Rebels, John and Tom) together make a deliciously fun historical "food fight."
In 1886, "produce king of New York" John Nix wanted to beat his competition and bring in the spring's first tomatoes. Bringing tomatoes from Bermuda to the United States resulted in a 10% vegetable tax. However, the U.S. government taxed fruits lower than vegetables--the Customs House collector believed that "farmers grew fine tomatoes all over the United States every summer. If Nix wanted to haul them in from overseas, he would have to pay up." Nix argued that the tomatoes should be considered fruits: "Exhibit one: fruits have seeds (ahem, tomatoes). Exhibit two: fruits grow from flowers (yep, TOMATOES!)." Neither side would budge, so Nix sued the collector. "The Nix v. Hedden case simmered slowly through local and state courts.... After six years of stewing, the case boiled over into the US Supreme Court" where both sides made their arguments for the proper definition of a tomato.
Fotheringham's delightful, realistic illustrations, executed in the blotted line technique created by Andy Warhol, depict a competitive atmosphere of culinary amusement as figures and produce contrast against solemn background images of government buildings. Metcalf's poetic prose ("Nix burned red. These imported morsels were fruits!") banters and blusters as it renders this fascinating history about one of the country's most popular foods. Back matter offers readers additional information on the practice of debate, fruit and vegetable definitions, other words pertinent to the story, and additional tomato fun facts, such as Arkansas having the tomato as both its state fruit and state vegetable.
Regardless of which team readers find themselves on--Team Fruit or Team Vegetable--Tomatoes on Trial serves up a healthy portion of legal process with ample sides of entertainment and insight. Future debaters, lawyers, or simple tomato lovers will find plenty to enjoy here. --Jen Forbus, freelancer
Shelf Talker: The Supreme Court battle over the definition of a tomato plays out in a humorous children's picture book which is most certainly guilty of being a remarkable read.