I read two books today that have been on my list recently: Where Oliver Fits, by Cale Atkinson, and Nothing Rhymes With Orange, by Adam Rex. While I didn’t mean for it to happen, I recommend these two as a pair for reading aloud to children. 

Where Oliver Fits is the story of a puzzle piece trying to find his perfect place. He is blue, orange, and round, and everywhere he looks, it seems that he will not be able to fit in. Oliver thought that he should change. Maybe he should be more red, more square, or more fancy. He changed until “he was nowhere to be seen.” The reader wonders (and discovers) that maybe Oliver will find the perfect fit — some day, some way.

Nothing Rhymes With Orange is a long poem-in-progress. Of course, the reader already knows that nothing rhymes with orange. So how can Orange fit in to the poem? As Orange moves from page to page, trying to get out of the way, he realizes that he’s meant to be alone. But, alas! He is a fruit. Could that help matters?

After reading these titles back-to-back, I realized that neither book should be read alone. Read them together to find the deeper enjoyment (and meaning) of the texts. These two are an unlikely, perfect pair!