Easy as Apple Pie

Harry and Emily Adventures #4

by Karen Gray Ruelle

Emily says "Yuck" whenever apples are mentioned, but when she and her older brother, Harry, sleep over at their grandparents' house, they all pick apples and make them into delicious pies.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

I'm a professional writer and illustrator, with 23 children’s books published so far and several others in the works. I write for all ages, from toddlers to adults, and enjoy working on my own, as well as in collaboration with other authors and illustrators.

In terms of style, my illustrations tend to be more whimsical than realistic, and I've worked in watercolor, oils, pastels, pen and ink, and collage. Lately, I've been experimenting with layering colors in oils and using the resulting swatches to create collage. It makes me happy to work with so many gorgeous, rich colors.

My writing ranges from extensively researched, powerful non-fiction narrative to humorous fiction and poetry, with some folktales and other stories thrown in for fun. I write things that move me or make me laugh, and I hope that my readers will enjoy them.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ha! Poor little Emily. She's just one of those kids who doesn't like to try anything new. I always feel bad for kiddos like that. They miss out on so much! The story here is very cute, with nice, short chapters perfect for those second graders starting to edge into chapter book realm. While I found the whole book pleasant, I especially liked the empty pie crust subplot. In my family, my mom baked a lot of pies. And she always used the crust trimming to make what we called "crisp." She'd roll it thin, sprinkle it with a cinnamon-sugar blend, and bake until golden. I like pie, and all, but the crisp was always my favorite part of pie-baking. My sisters and I always quarreled for the biggest piece. Good memories.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Emily was not a likable character.

[Jasmine]

I think this book taught the importance of trying new things before you say that they are nastey or you dont like them.