Customer Reviews

What's So Terrible About Swallowing an Apple Seed? (Harper Trophy Books)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I saw this title recently and thought oh this should be fun so read it to my four year old daughter. She lost interest way before the end - as did I! What had the potential to be quite a funny story turned into such a tedious melodrama. Lerner was so heavy handed and clumsy with her moralising on the older sister's lying. Again, it had the potential to really show children how a joke can be taken too far and cause hurt and anxiety - but the story lost it's way and I agree with Kirkus - the sister was very flippant and unrepentant. There was no understanding depicted and the story finished in a confused and messy way. Boring!

I recently bought this book for my 5 year old grandson and he loved it. I think most children will love this book precisely because in its own whimsical way it is true to life. It tells a story about exactly the kind of thing that older children actually do - or at least wish to do - to their younger sisters and brothers. When Katie swallows an apple seed, Rosie, the older sister, makes up a 'worst case scenario' for younger sister Katie. Kids understand this all too well and appreciate the ridiculous potential. The people at Kirkus Review should lighten up, and remember what its like to actually be a kid.