Apples, Apples, Apples [Hardcover]

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2000 | Age Range: 4 and up

On a day perfect for apple picking, the bunny family heads to Long Hill Orchard. Mr. Miller takes them to the trees on his wobbly farm wagon and tells them all sorts of fun facts about fall's favorite fruit. Nancy Elizabeth Wallace has painstakingly glued in place simple cut-paper shapes to give her illustrations their bold colors and three-dimensional quality. Her story includes a recipe, an apple-print project, apple sayings, and an apple song for parents and children to share.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cut-paper illustrations trace this educational tale of a bunny family's outing to an orchard and its aftermath. Wallace shoehorns in useful information on apple culture, from selected varieties and their uses to planting, grafting and proper picking technique. Readers learn that the apple is actually a member of the rose family and discover the parts of an apple when the farmer cuts one in half. Later, when the bunny family of four return home, they are treated to applesauce (the recipe, with step-by-step illustrations, is included). Also included are instructions for making apple prints, a list of apple maxims and an apple song. Wallace's artwork excels in the instructional sections, with clear labels of the proceedings, and a lively spread of the orchard. Less successful are the characters themselves, which show little personality or differentiation. This title will likely be of most interest to teachers. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-This story about a family outing is packed full of useful facts. As Minna, her brother Pip, and their parents enjoy a day at Long Hill Orchard, readers learn a little bit about different varieties of apples and their characteristics and uses, as well as how the fruit is picked and grown. A brief mention of Johnny Appleseed, a recipe for applesauce (complete with suggestions to seek adult help), instructions for making apple prints, a list of related sayings, and a song are also included. Wallace presents information clearly while maintaining the narrative flow of the story. The cut-paper collage illustrations, which feature a cast of colorfully clad rabbits, are deceptively simple. Bold shapes and monochromatic backgrounds keep the pictures clean and uncluttered. At the same time, the artist combines different textures and juxtaposes and layers various objects to make the scenes look three-dimensional. In addition to showing Minna and her family, the artwork supports the text with charts and diagrams that are both helpful and visually appealing. The endpapers, which feature full-page images of an apple tree in each of the four seasons, are particularly eye-catching. Pair this with Gail Gibbons's The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree (Harcourt, 1984) for a good introduction to a popular topic.
Joy Fleishhacker, formerly at School Library Journal
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Winslow Pr; 1 edition (August 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890817198
• ISBN-13: 978-1890817190
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,162,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I love being out in Nature in all seasons - hiking, camping, star gazing, playing in the snow, gardening, beach combing - looking... listening...touching... being filled with WONDER. Nature is where many of the ideas for books come from. I love doing research and having those - WOW! I didn't know that - moments. I also paint seascapes... and love going to art museums. Guess which of my books that inspired! I write and illustrate books about what I love to do and what I care about. I love sharing with children and adults, my writing process, how I create my artwork and sharing what I have learned about visual literacy. Happy me, lucky me, being a children's book author and illustrator.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A picture book with facts and activities rolled into one July 17, 2002

By christinemm - The Thinking Mother TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

This is a great picture book with interesting cutout paper illustrations. It is a story of a (rabbit) family that goes apple picking in the fall. This is a New England tradition that I have enjoyed so the book is especially appealing to me. The family goes picking apples and the farmer goes along. The farmer explains some factual things such as how many seeds are usually in the apples and how they grow the trees from rootstock.

Each member of the family wants a different type of apple for a different purpose. The family cooks applesauce and the recipe is included. There is a song with music notations and directions for doing an apple printing craft.

This family enjoys learning about the apples and there are some factual pictures such as how the apple tree is grafted onto a root and a labeling of the parts of a bisected apple. I especially like how the story illustrates the children and parents as being interested in learning about the apples.

This is a fun storybook, a good mixture of story and facts with a few activities! This would make a great book for preschool or Kindergarten teaches, perfect for reading in the autumn or combining with a real trip to pick apples!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Apples, Apples, Apples October 10, 2001

By Julie

Format:Hardcover

This is an amazingly illustrated book. The pictures are very captivating to young children.
The book not only offers a story, but great apple activities as well.
As a childcare provider, I highly recommend this book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A picture story and nonfiction in one book! February 18, 2001

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

This appealing book of pictures created using papercutouts tells The story of the bunny family's outing to the apple orchard. All the aspects of picking your own apples are presented. They get to ride out to the orchard on a wagon pulled by a tractor, have to choose which varieties to pick, and the farmer weighs the apples in the end. Information about apples is presented through the apple farmer. At home applesauce is made (recipe included), an apple craft is featured and an apple song is included as well. Should be perfect for before or after your next trip to the orchard or anytime of year. I think little ones will enjoy it as much as I did!