Review by Booklist Review
PreS-Gr. 2. In this lovely Swedish import, two impish children introduce the changes each season brings to their apple tree, beginning with bare, snow-covered boughs in winter. When spring arrives, the tree's riot of glorious blooms begins the cycle of flower, fruit, and harvest, until winter arrives again. In spare, elegant language, just two or three sentences per page, Naslund presents very basic facts about the growing cycle: "Pink buds and white blossoms show that the tree is ready to make apples again." Children may want fuller explanations for some concepts, such as the roles that bees and pollen play in the process. But the text and evocative and whimsical artwork, which showcases many varieties of apple, will surely encourage kids to wonder about the miracle of growing things and the incredible diversity found in such an everyday fruit. For more detailed information about a plant's life, suggest Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! 0 (2004). --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-A Thumbelina-sized boy and girl who live in an apple tree follow its progress and enjoy its fruits. The illustrations capture subtle characteristics, from the lichen on the bark to the many colors and varieties of fruit. However, after the pollinating by bees, the text refers to "the tiniest apples, all soft and downy." These small beginnings of apples are usually very hard and not at all edible, and readers may be confused by this description. The lovely pictures and in-demand topic make this title a good choice for libraries needing to refresh their apple-tree storybooks. In addition, the author mentions several things that one can do with apples: make art, applesauce, and a pie.-Genevieve Gallagher, Murray Elementary School, Charlottesville, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Two children in a tree use one voice to describe an apple tree's life cycle, from its leaf-free winter state to its blossomy spring and fruit-bearing summer stages. In a wonderfully odd, unremarked-upon touch, the delicate and meticulous art shows the children in miniature so they can more closely observe the blossoms transform into fruit. An apple crisp recipe is appended. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This import from Sweden provides a quirky look at the life cycle of the apple, told through the eyes of two tiny, elf-like children. Digman's paintings have an appeal all their own, with her solemn, tiny subjects and flattened perspective suggesting a folk-art style. The boy and girl apparently live right there in the apple tree, along with some birds, and they present the year's cycle of the apple tree from one winter to the next. In simple, direct language, the children describe the apple tree's blossoms, the role of bees in pollination, the growth of the fruit, seeds and apple products. The text is simple enough for preschoolers, but the art and the tone of the text are sophisticated enough for the early elementary grades, where apple stories are a perennial favorite in the fall. (recipe) (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
