Apple Picking Time (Dragonfly Books) [Paperback]

Michele B. Slawson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 11, 1998 | Age Range: 3 - 7 years | Series: Dragonfly Books

In the rich, warm colors of autumn, here's a slice of American history as we watch Anna and her extended family help with the town's traditional fall apple harvest. Now available in paperback.  


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Every year, Anna's extended family helps bring the apple harvest in, and so far she hasn't been able to fill a whole bin herself. Now, she's determined to do it, and, sure enough, she reaches her goal. This quiet story is a celebration of family and community; taking time off from work and school, everyone turns out to pick the fruit before it spoils. The text conveys the rhythm of the day-early-morning enthusiasm, dancing to the radio at lunchtime, and afternoon combat with the sharp sun and weariness. The sense of bustle and labor, as well as Anna's determination and satisfaction, are effectively portrayed in Ray's slightly impressionistic, watercolor-and-acrylic paintings. Especially pleasing are the use of light and shadow to mark the changes of the day. White spaces frame the pictures and contribute to the book's quiet mood. It's not clear if the setting is contemporary or historical, but-especially if it's current-the lack of ethnic diversity in the illustrations is jarring. Nonetheless, paired with Arthur Dorros's Radio Man-Don Radio (HarperCollins, 1993) this offering will give a good picture of how kids help bring in the harvest.
Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 4-8. When the apples are ready for harvesting, everyone in town knocks off from jobs and school to work in the orchards. Recalling apple-picking times in her Washington State childhood, Slawson uses the present tense to tell the story of a young girl's day in the orchard. Before daybreak, Anna's family sets out for the orchard. She plays among the trees with the other children, but when work begins, Anna's determined to fill a whole bin of apples for the first time. There's a strong sense of family and community here, but the focus is on Anna, her observations, her experiences, and her sense of satisfaction. The first-person narrative is simple and concrete enough to be convincing. Ray's artwork, pastels with watercolor washes, gives the book strong visual appeal. The orchard seems suffused with golden light, and the children's faces are as round as the apples they pick. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 7 years
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dragonfly Books (August 11, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517885751
• ISBN-13: 978-0517885758
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 0.2 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #688,529 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical Writing April 23, 2001

By Judy M.

Format:Paperback

Upon reading the book to my 3rd grade class my students were mesmerized. They loved the pictures, the writing was easy to understand, and the story line came alive. Ray does an excellent job with the illustrations - they complement the author's beautiful words. Benoit Slawson's writing is absolutely wonderful - my students could not get enough of this book. In fact, we continued our storytime by following the book up with a trip to the local apple orchard (insisted upon by my 8 year olds!). I just wish Benoit Slawson would come out with her next book; although, it will be hard to follow the perfection of "Apple Picking Time". I will be the first one to buy her next book, and I am positive my students will love it as much as their beloved "Apple Picking Time". The book is both poetic and informative - such a wonderful combination for this brand-new, highly talented author!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Apple Picking Time October 27, 2008

By Moira Warmerdam

Format:School & Library Binding

Absolutely wonderful illustrations for an apple/harvest theme storybook. Very realistic - makes you think you're right there participating in the life cycle of an apple.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Our last bedtime story every night September 10, 2008

By Charles Randall

Format:Paperback

My oldest son has always had a hard time getting to sleep. We struggled for his first 18-24 months until a friend who is a fourth grade teacher (Hi Amy!) gave us this book and we started reading this at the end of our bedtime routine. Now, 6 years and one little brother later, this is still the last book we read before going to bed.

I'm absolutely biased as I think I've read this book about 2000 times now. The story line is wonderful, the pictures are captivating, and the rhythm of the (now well-rehearsed) sentences is mesmerizing. Now, if I could just find a real orchard to visit nearby...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Apple Picking July 1, 2008

By Book Reader

Format:Hardcover

This is an excellent children's book with fabulous pictures. It is just the right book for teachers to use during the fall to compliment a unit about apples. Delightful book.

3.0 out of 5 stars Better for kids older than K April 5, 2013

By E.O. Life Coach

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Wanted to use as mentor text for K writer's workshop personal narrative but in the end chose not to. Story and illustration not accessible enough for 5 and 6 year olds.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected December 15, 2010

By Victoria H.

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I wasn't at all impressed with this book for a few reasons. Although the pictures were beautiful and tried most desperatly to pull us into the story, we just couldn't get to the same place that the author must have been while writing the book. Maybe after reading just the first sentence: "Sometime after summer is spent but before jack-o'-lanterns are lit, it's apple picking time.", which seems to assume that everyone is interested in celebrating Halloween.

In addition to this, the book speaks twice about "the purple ticket" that gets punched with a half moon. I still can't figure out what that is for. There are no explanations about the meaning of this and that is frustrating because it seems important but only the writer knows why. The sad part is that he kept this detail to himself and it's annoying.

We tried to enjoy this book, but at this point its end will be in our Goodwill pile.