Amber Aü introduces The Blue Tomato, her picture book about difference and inclusion
About Author
A small, blue tomato has big plans to become red like the others in Amber Au's new picture book, The Blue Tomato, about being comfortable with who we are.
Amber Aü began doodling in her food diary while healing her relationship with food, which led her to discover her passion for illustration. She now lives in Alsager, England, with her partner and two corgis, Tofu and Toro. When Amber's not drawing, you can find her wandering around grocery stores, chatting with a bunch of bananas or enjoying a pastry or two.
Interview
June 2026
Amber Aü introduces The Blue Tomato, a story about difference and inclusion
Author and illustrator Amber Aü tells ReadingZone what inspired her debut picture book, The Blue Tomato (Little Tiger), in which Blu searches for a way to become red like the other tomatoes. This story will encourage young children to explore feelings of difference and encourage discussions about being yourself and valuing your own identity.
Amber also shares ideas for activities connected with The Blue Tomato and in her short video,
Review: "Blu is desperate to fit in and The Blue Tomato offers a lovely starting point for discussions about feeling like an outsider and the importance of just being yourself." - Sue, ReadingZone
Creative Challenge from Amber Aü: Can you create a pair of friends - a vegetable character and a fruit character? They could be an apple and a broccoli, a banana and a pumpkin, or any other fruit and vegetable you can imagine! They can be any shape, any size, and any colour you like.
Q&A with Amber Aü: Exploring identity and 'fitting in' in The Blue Tomato
"Everyone is unique and different - just like all the vegetables and fruits. I hope they can learn to
accept and embrace the truest version of themselves!" Amber Aü
1. Your debut picture book, The Blue Tomato, has just been published, but which picture books do you turn to for inspiration when creating your books?
The Storm Whale by Benji Davies, The Tiger Who Cames to Tea by Judith Kerr, Professional Crocodile by by Giovanna Zoboli and Mariachiara Di Giorgio
2. What happens in The Blue Tomato?
Blu arrives at a new farm shop and realises he's the only one in blue. He feels isolated. He goes on a journey and tries EVERYTHING he can to turn himself red - he believes he would fit in better if he looked the same as his new friends. Until he realises he doesn't have to change himself to be accepted.
Images from The Blue Tomato
3. We love the idea of exploring difference through vegetables and fruit; what inspired your story?
Observing fresh produce in grocery stores is one of my favourite things to do! If you look closely at fruits and vegetables, you'll notice that each of them is unique, even among the same type. It feels like everyone has their own story to tell.
Have you ever seen a fruit or vegetable placed in the wrong basket at a grocery store? I often wonder how that misplaced produce would feel. Would it be trying to find its way back, or would it enjoy being somewhere different? That's where the inspiration for The Blue Tomato came from.
4. How did you develop your central character, Blu, and how do you make him so expressive? What is he (we're never told) and why blue?
Blu is a blueberry. This is never directly stated in the story because I want to leave it up to the audience to decide. Blu doesn't have to be a blueberry - the important thing is that he sees himself as different from others.
Blu was created mainly for artistic reasons. From the start, I knew I wanted to create a group of tomato friends (I love drawing tomatoes!). Then I needed another type of produce that creates a strong visual contrast with tomatoes in both colour and size. Since blue and red are complementary colours that work well together, I decided the character should be blue and small. Luckily, there aren't many blue fruits or vegetables to choose from, so I chose a blueberry! That's how Blu was created.
Blu is kind and determined. He is usually the quiet one in a big group, but he enjoys the company of others. Since his body shape can't change dramatically due to his nature as a blueberry, I have to make good use of his facial expressions and body language. Oh - and his hair (a.k.a. the leaves on top of him) helps express his expression too!!
5. Blue goes on quite a journey; can you tell us about mapping that out, and the clues you give readers at the start when he's planning his attempts to become red, like the other tomatoes?
On spreads four and five (see below), Blu is busy doing his research and gathering information for his big project - to become a red tomato! If you look closely at spread five, you'll find clues about the route Blu plans to take, who he wants to seek answers from (the spider and the ladybug), and even a photo he took on spread 4 while the tomatoes were sleeping. I love leaving little breadcrumbs throughout the story. It gives readers a chance to discover hidden details and have those "ah-ha!" moments when they spot a clue and connect it to something they saw on an earlier page.
6. What would you like young children to take from Blu's journey?
Everyone is unique and different - just like all the vegetables and fruits. I hope they can learn to accept and embrace the truest version of themselves!
Spread four from The Blue Tomato
Spread five from The Blue Tomato
7. Can you tell us about the style of illustration and why you decided on this approach for this story? How do you create your illustrations?
As this is a gentle, light-hearted story with a touch of humour, I felt that a warm and slightly muted colour palette suited it well. I usually start with rough sketches on paper, where I experiment with different poses and expressions. I like to imagine how the characters would react in different situations. Once I get to know them better - how they move, think, and interact - I create thumbnails and sketches digitally on my iPad, based on those early drawings. Throughout the creative process, I also make small dummy books to make sure the pacing of the story feels right and flows smoothly.
8. Do you have any favourite moments or spreads during the story?
I love this spread because it captures a crucial and heartbreaking moment in the story, when Blu shows just how determined he is to turn red. Even though these are simple spot illustrations, they reveal a lot about Blu's struggles and thoughts.
This is another one of my favourite spreads because I had so much fun illustrating Blu's study notes and plans about his tomato friends. Many of them contain hints and clues that connect to later parts of the story - a little detective mission hidden within the pages! I'm excited for readers to spot these details and make connections as they read.
9. Are you planning more picture books - perhaps more stories about Blu? What are you working on currently?
I don't have any more stories about Blu for now but I'm now working on another picture book project about marshmallows!
10. What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you're away from your studio? Do certain places or activities help inspire new ideas?
When I'm away from my studio, I love watching people in coffee shops, grocery stores, libraries, and parks. It's fun to observe the little interactions that happen every day. I often sketch in my sketchbook at the same time so I don't look like I'm staring at people! Spending time with children is another great source of inspiration. Seeing the world through their eyes helps me come up with new ideas, and it always reminds me how creative, imaginative, and brilliant they can be.
School Visits by Amber Aü: During school visits, I offer an interactive reading session followed by a draw-along activity, where we create some of the characters from the book together. To finish, the whole group works together to create a family tree (inspired by the book's endpapers). Children can add anything they like to the family tree, helping to reinforce the message that no matter how you look and what you're from - we are all one family
The Blue Tomato
