Apples [Paperback]

Gail Gibbons (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

All about apples, from pollination to picking and eating.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-In her characteristic, easily understood, and straightforward style, Gibbons gives an overview of apples. She traces their history in America, shows their parts, and explains their growth, harvest, and uses. Three pages illustrate many different varieties, and a concluding page lists interesting facts. Betsy Maestro's How Do Apples Grow? (HarperCollins, 1992) delves more thoroughly into the fertilization and growth of the fruit as does Bruce McMillan's Apples, How They Grow (Houghton, 1979; o.p.). Dorothy Hinshaw Patent's Apple Trees (Lerner, 1997) is more complex as is Charles Micucci's The Life and Times of the Apple (Orchard, 1992). Gibbons's own The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree (Harcourt, 1984) has some of the same information found here. The recipe for apple pie is essentially the same, and both have a diagram of a cider press. However, the focus of the two books is very different. With its cheerful, bright illustrations and clear, simple presentation, this title will be the perfect pick for the perennial fall apple-book requests.
Louise L. Sherman, formerly at Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Using her familiar appealing, color-washed drawings and minimal text, Gibbons spotlights a favorite fruit. Plenty of information appears in both words and images, including identification of the basic parts of the apple; some historical scenes of the apple in America (including both Johnny Appleseed and a picture of smiling Native American and Pilgrim families sharing a large bowl of shiny reds); and the apple's progress through the seasons, from blossom to fruit to harvest to Halloween bobbing and caramel coating. The final pages include pictures of different apple varieties; instructions on how to plant and care for an apple tree, bake a pie, make cider; and a back page of random fun facts. Although the book lacks organization and cohesion, there is still plenty here for young botanists who may be encountering clearly explained words such as dormant and pollination for the first time. Teachers putting together elementary science units about growth cycles and food production may also find this useful. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823416690
• ISBN-13: 978-0823416691
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Agriculture
  • #19 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Agriculture
  • #29 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( G ) > Gibbons, Gail

More About the Author

Gail Gibbons has published close to fifty distinguished nonfiction titles with Holiday House. According to "The Washington Post," "Gail Gibbons has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other children's writer-illustrator." She lives in Vermont. Her website is www.gailgibbons.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Apple Pick for Children, August 7, 2004

By 

Tracy Robert (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apples (Paperback)

I purchased this book last fall for our kindergarten "apple and pumpkin" theme of learning. The short text and big, colorful pictures make this an excellent choice for 4 to 8 year olds. Yet, I was surprised by how much I learned from this book! This non-fiction text covers the growth of the apple tree and it's fruit with plenty of labels and a simple definition for each new word.

A brief history of apple trees in America is explained, but I found the labels and the sequencing from flower bud to fruit to be the most educational part for myself and my 5 year old students. The information about how a flower bud becomes a fruit also applies to pumpkin growth, which became a handy opportunity to reinforce the new knowledge.

In addition to the short history lesson and the description of apple growth, the book includes illustrations of different apple varieties, the fall activities of caramel apples and apple bobbing, and some general information about the apple tree. Overall, this book rates 5 stars and an A+ with this teacher.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great apple book for teachers and parents, July 29, 2008

By 

Teaching with Books - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apples (Paperback)

Apples by Gail Gibbons is educational and entertaining. This book is best for kindergarten through third grade students. It has lovely, colorful, full page pictures. The text is mainly found at the bottom of the page. Elementary age students will need some vocabulary words and phrases defined for them such as grown commercially, bushel, stamen, pollen, stigma, pollination, harvest, tart, prune, and fertilized. As another reviewer pointed out, Gail Gibbons' Apples book introduces ideas that are revisited in another of her books, The Pumpkin Book. Apples is a great book for September and The Pumpkin Book is great for October. Parents and teachers will find this book useful and enjoyable - so will the kids.

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review, November 3, 2011

By 

Cabby - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Apples (Hardcover)

As a substitute teacher I'm always looking for books that complement a classroom's unit study, but that is different from what the class has already heard read to them. This books offers some great detail and pictures which help the lower elementary students understand and enjoy the whole apple orchard experience.