
Tomatoes on Trial
The Fruit v. Vegetable Showdown
Lindsay H. Metcalf(Author)
Calkins Creek (Publisher)
Published on 12. August 2025
Book
Hardback
32 pages
978-1-6626-8053-3 (ISBN)
Description
NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Title
Eureka! Nonfiction Gold Honor Award (California Reading Association)
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? The US Supreme Court takes on the case in this juicy history picture book for kids ages 7 to 10.
In the late 1800s, American produce king John Nix just wanted to sell tomatoes. But when import taxes on popular vegetables impacted his profits, he knew he had to remedy the situation. Nix set out to prove that tomatoes, which have seeds and grow on vines, were clearly fruits. That was the claim Nix argued all the way to the US Supreme Court. With Nix on Team Fruit, and the US government on Team Vegetable, both sides slung definition after definition in an epic, legal food fight. This little-known agriculturally-based story from American history will fascinate young readers and encourage them to take a stand and defend their opinions.
Eureka! Nonfiction Gold Honor Award (California Reading Association)
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? The US Supreme Court takes on the case in this juicy history picture book for kids ages 7 to 10.
In the late 1800s, American produce king John Nix just wanted to sell tomatoes. But when import taxes on popular vegetables impacted his profits, he knew he had to remedy the situation. Nix set out to prove that tomatoes, which have seeds and grow on vines, were clearly fruits. That was the claim Nix argued all the way to the US Supreme Court. With Nix on Team Fruit, and the US government on Team Vegetable, both sides slung definition after definition in an epic, legal food fight. This little-known agriculturally-based story from American history will fascinate young readers and encourage them to take a stand and defend their opinions.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Astra Publishing House
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Second Grade to Fifth Grade, Interest Age: From 7 to 10 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 282 mm
Width: 232 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
446 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6626-8053-3 (9781662680533)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2025
Calkins Creek
€11.49
Available for download
Persons
Lindsay H. Metcalf; Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham