Friday, June 6, 2008

Friday Book Review: The Apple Pie Tree


Zoe Hall
illustrated by Shari Halpern

The book begins, "My sister and I have a tree that grows the best part of an apple pie. Can you guess what that is?" This is my favorite book about seasons (ok, to date...my favorites are always changing). You follow a girl and her sister through the seasons, watching their apple tree (and the robin's nest inside the tree) go through the progression that occurs with the seasons.

The pictures were made with bold colored cut paper, adding dimension to the pages. That paper technique makes the large pictures both simple and intricate at the same time.

This book comes complete with a simple illustrated explanation of bee pollination at the end, and a recipe for apple pie!

Enrichment: This is a great book to read before you visit an orchard...and then make an apple pie!
Another Idea: No orchard nearby? Teach your child a memorized poem with actions (progress down to 0 apples in the apple tree). Could be sung to the tune of "This Old Man"

Way up High in the Apple Tree
(hands up)
Five little apples smiled at me
(5 fingers, followed by pointer fingers twisting at the cheeks)
I shook the tree as hard as I could
(like you're shaking a tree)
Down came the apples
(lower hands)
Mmm, were they good
(pat tummy)
-Author unknown

Buy It: Available in hardcover from Amazon for $12.71 with free Super Saver Shipping. Find it in their used and new section for as low as $5.55.

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1 comment:

Holly said...

Thanks for the book review- I want to eat apple pie now. Thanks also, for the hand rhyme. I can't wait to try it out in our little Roosevelt Island Toddler Music Group. I love new hand rhymes and songs.