If you have noticed the “imperfect” fresh fruit and vegetables at the shops and wondered how they felt, this book might be for you.
Lane Cove local Gemma Jones noticed that “imperfect” fruit and vegetables in supermarkets were usually isolated in their own section. It seemed cute at first, but it represented something deeper to her.
“Just because some look different doesn’t mean it needs to be singled out,” Jones said.
Although Jones had never considered publishing a book before, her husband encouraged her to turn the idea into a written story. Soon afterwards, she came across a self-publishing children’s book course on Facebook, which led to the creation of An Odd Bunch.
“It took just over three years, though I was working full-time and had two babies in that stretch, so it wasn’t exactly a straight line to publication!” Jones said.
The story is told through a series of letters from a carrot, a potato, an apple, an avocado, a zucchini and a pear who do not meet supermarket fresh produce standards. Although the book is aimed at primary school children, its universal theme and beautiful illustrations allow readers of all ages to enjoy it.
The deeper message is about kindness, inclusion and accepting our differences. As the book puts it, “different isn’t so bad after all”.
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The book’s illustrator, Lita Rizqiani, is based in Indonesia and was given considerable creative freedom with the drawings. The process included researching why supermarkets reject certain fresh produce to ensure the characters’ feelings were accurately represented in the book.
Having worked in the education field for 10 years, Jones hopes the book will teach children “to accept our differences”.
An Odd Bunch is independently published under Sage Picket Fence and is available from the publisher’s website for A$26.99.
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