Introducing Fanny

In this sweet first chapter/picture book, Fanny, a pear, is concerned about her physical appearance. She constantly compares herself to her best friend Margarita, a banana--``slender and yellow,'' not ``plump and green'' like Fanny. Fanny's anxiety gradually dissolves as other matters take precedence--buying buttons to make a doll for her sister, wondering if mermaids eat jelly doughnuts. In one zesty installment, her mother's best friend Harriet (a pineapple) comes for an overnight visit and the family has great fun singing rounds. The lack of a single story pivoting on one outcome turns out to be one of the book's strengths, as simple living is celebrated by this family of fruits. Spohn's ( Ruth's Bake Shop ) softly colored pencil drawings successfully echo the text's tender, quirky tones and draw the reader into this engaging collection of easily digested chapters. Ages 4-7. (Mar.)