Apples, Apples Everywhere!: Learning About Apple Harvests

by Robin Koontz, Nadine Takvorian (Illustrator)

Autumn is apple harvest time. Come along on a trip to the apple orchard. Find out how apples are picked and stored. Learn which apples are best for munching. But watch out for the apple worms!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction, Food, School

24 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2010

About the author

Robin Michal Koontz has been writing and illustrating books for children since 1986. Her publications include novelty books, early readers, picture books, nonfiction, short stories for middle-grade readers, magazine articles, and classroom supplemental materials. One of her new books, LEAPS AND CREEPS, was a finalist for the 2012 Animal Behavior Society's Outstanding Children's Book Award. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BUTTERFLY AND A MOTH? was an International Reading Association Teacher's Choice Award in 2010. She lives in western Oregon.

Reviews

[Luisa Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was just ok.

Ages: 4 - 8

We had a little Johnny Appleseed/Apple celebration: watch my reel and see what apple books I recommend!

Content Considerations: nothing to note.

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[Mama Bearian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book with lots of simplified information about apples and apple harvests. There is only about one sentence per page, plus some speech bubbles, which is great for younger kids. However, I couldn't quite stomach the page about apple worms. If you can get past that (it isn't really that bad), then it's a good pick when looking for books about apples.

[Leigh Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book about apples and when they are ready to be picked. The book also talks about the variety of different things we use apples for once they are picked. It has pictures to follow the story along that show the wonderful colors of fall.

[Sarah Westgate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Realistic Fiction
This book is great for Kindergarten and up. One unique feature is the back of the book has a glossary, recipes and other resources to learn about apples.

[Paul Dilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids love picking apples and this is a dramatization of that - basically a solid book, though neither the writing nor the art is spectacular.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book because apple harvesting is everyone's favorite thing to do in Autumn.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short intro to harvesting apples. Short enough for storytime but older kids might enjoy too.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this book for playing preschool apple unit.

Ok book about going to an apple orchard, but not our favorite of the apple books we got.

[Kayla Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid nonfiction readaloud for storytimes!

[Kris Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apples, Apples, Everywhere: Learning about Apple Harvest was written by Robin Koontz and illustrated by Nadine Takvorian. This non-fiction children picturebook is intended to be read by the primary age group. There were no awards issued. I rated this book as a four.

Apples, Apples, Everywhere: Learning about Apple Harvest is about how apples are harvested. The setting is an apple orchard. The main character is a female teenager, who works at the apple orchard. The rest of the characters are parents with their children on a fall outing to learn about apple harvesting. The characters are multi-racial. This non-fiction story explains how apples are picked from the trees, different colors, the time of year to harvest (autumn), how to store apples, different ways to use/cook apples, how to locate a worm in an apple, and how to make cider from a press.

The full bleed cover design is illustrated in digital design and pencil. The colors are red, green, and brown as seen on an apple orchard farm. The cover design show the female teenager holding two baskets of apples. In the background, there is an orchard, man on a tractor, a country store, and many wheelbarrows filled with apples. The title “Apples, Apples, Everywhere” is large red lettering outlined in white. “Learning about Apple Harvest” is a white smaller text. The end pages are white. The full title page is the same exact picture from the cover design. All illustrations are full bleed and do not cross the gutter. There are two dialogues used in this story. There is a reader’s dialogue that explains the apple harvesting. This font is larger and in colors of white or black. The second dialogue is the character’s dialogue to each other. This type of dialogue is presented in white oval bubbles situated over the character’s head. Not only does the reader gain facts and insight to learning about apple harvesting, but the reader will witness what the characters are saying about their apple harvesting experience. In the back of the book, there is a page dedicated to how to make a Dried Apple Wreath. There is also a glossary, a list of more books to read about apples, an internet site for additional facts, and an index. This allows children to extend their apple research.

Overall, Apples, Apples, Everywhere: Learning about Apple Harvest is a good introduction to the autumn season for apple harvesting. The book provides a limited amount of information for primary readers. However, there are additional resources in the back of the book to support a child’s further curiosity. I wish there was more information on why apples are red, yellow, and green. Or maybe the author could have incorporated different names of the apples, such as Golden Delicious, Rome, Granny Smith, etc. This book could be shared with students by a librarian to start off the autumn season. A classroom teacher can incorporate numerous activities from this book, such as creating a poster on how many ways apples can be used, researching apple recipes, creating apple art by using fresh apples cut in half and paint, etc. An art teacher could have the children make the Dried Apple Wreath found in the back of the book.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through a you-pick apple orchard visit, children learn about the apple harvest. Working in and around the apple orchard biz, I was horrified by the two-page spread in the center of the book devoted to the coddling moth. True, some apples have them, but not very many if the orchard is using good Integrated Pest Management practices - and by all the pictures, this orchard is (not a plum curculio scar or stinkbug corked apple in sight, or evidence of apple maggots). As long as adults reading this book with children are ready to chat about how everything good to eat is desirable by other animals, including caterpillars, and how farmers work hard to keep as much food we grow as possible for people to eat, then I think this is fine book to read together. Afterwards, pick whatever's fresh and in season from a local farm, and make something tasty!

[Jessica]

This picture book would be great for a read aloud lesson with young elementary aged children. The pictures are bright and give the impression of Fall time with their browns and reds and yellows. The story itself is fun and easy to read so some children may be able to read this book by themselves. The process of harvesting apples is described from the point of the different colors and sizes of the apples hanging in the trees, to the people using ladders to pick the fruit. There are directions for how to care for apples to maintain their freshness and descriptions of the different flavors that apples can have. It is a silly story full of facts about apples that would be great to read to children before taking a tour of an apple farm!

[Mary Jo Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I selected this book thinking it was a concept book about apples, but it wasn't. It's really a nonfiction book about how apples are harvested. I like that in the back of the book, readers are given Internet links so they can continue researching the topic. The illustrations are striking as well.

[Edna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely illustrated and simple explanation of how apples are harvested and enjoyed. Good read aloud for young children.

[CFAITC]

Learn about apple harvests.

[Villa Park Public Library]

Come and pick your own apples at the apple orchard! Take a journey through the apple orchard and learn how to harvest apples and all of the foods you can make with them. This book has great pictures that show every part of an apple orchard and how it works. Great for reading before an apple picking trip!

Check this book out at the Villa Park Public Library:
https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/client/en_US/vpd/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:1925904/ada?qu=apples%2C+apples%2C+everywhere&lm=VPD