Recommended Reads: Apples

In the essential prose
of things, the apple tree
stands up, emphatic
among the accidents
of the afternoon, solvent,
not to be denied.
-- "The Apple Tree" by Wendell Berry

For this delicious time of year, we present some tasty reads about the tastiest of foods.  Enjoy!

Recorded cassette (RC), digital books (DB), braille (BR), and large print (LT) copies of these books are available from the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. Please contact the library to order any of these books.

Prepared by Patricia Ahern, Reader's Advisor
Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library

All the World Loves Apple Trees by Norma L. Schecter.
BRM 1248
Jumbo Braille. A collection of short stories, poems, songs, and recipes about apples.

Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears by Cynthia Rylant.
RC 40958
Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, love the fall. There are lots of juicy things growing in Mr. Putter's backyard -- juicy apples, juicy tomatoes, and most of all juicy pears. Mr. Putter is looking forward to having some pear jelly, but when he tries to get the pears out of the tree, he has some big problems. For grades K-3.

Johnny Appleseed: A Pioneer Hero by W. D. Haley.
RCM  706
This profile of Jonathan Chapman first appeared in Harper's New Monthly Magazine in 1871. Jonny Appleseed started life near Boston in 1774. By 1801 he was traversing Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, planting and caring for apple trees, and spreading the gospel of the Christian mystic, Emanuel Swedenborg. He died in 1847.

The Life and Times of the Apple by Charles Micucci.
RC 45527
Covers the life cycle of the apple from planting the seed through harvesting and eating. Discusses pollination by honeybees, the change from flower to fruit, the parts of an apple, and how apples are picked. Includes historical information and the story of Johnny Appleseed. For grades 2-4 and older readers.

The Tree of Life by Hugh Nissenson.
RC 24286
Told in the form of a diary by Thomas Keene, a Harvard-educated reader of Hebrew and Latin and an artist, as well, this novel takes place on the Ohio frontier of 1811-1812, during a time of Indian uprisings. Keene, who renounces his faith and pastor's life in Maine, ends up in a frontier cabin making and selling whiskey and fighting his own addiction.

Folks Call Me Appleseed John by Andrew Glass.
RC 42557
Fictionalized account of John Chapman, a young man from Massachusetts who planted and sold trees to settlers in the wilderness. In this story, John has sent for his younger half-brother, Nathaniel, to help him with his work. Nathaniel doesn't take to the rugged outdoor life as well as John does. An overview of John's life follows the story. For grades 2-4.

A Tree is a Plant by Clyde Robert Bulla.
RC 57883, BR 15347, DB 57883
Follows an apple plant from seed to sprout to tree, explaining the functions of roots, trunk, branches, leaves, and blossoms that lead to fruit. Also describes the cycle of seasonal changes. Includes two simple science projects. For grades 2-4.

Down the Road by Alice Schertle.
RC 42465
Sometimes Hetty has walked down the dusty road with Mama and sometimes with Papa, but never all by herself. Finally one day she is given the chance to go down the road alone to get some eggs from Mr. Birdie's store. On the way she practices walking smoothly so she won't break the eggs. But on the way back, she forgets about the eggs when she sees the apple tree. For grades K-3.

Apples to Oregon: Being the (Slightly) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes, and Cherries (and Children) Across the Plains by Deborah Hopkinson.
BR 16035
Print/Braille. A tall tale about a pioneer family headed to Oregon. Delicious, the daughter, knows that her father loves his wagonload of fruit trees -- maybe even more than he loves the family. So she does all she can to make sure the plants survive the journey. For grades K-3.

All the Way Home by Patricia Reilly Giff.
RC 53791
In 1941 Brick, a boy from New York state's apple country, meets Mariel, a young girl made shy by her bout with polio. They journey upstate together from Brooklyn to help Brick's elderly neighbors save their apple crop and to learn about Mariel's past. For grades 4-7.

Rooted in America: Folklore of Popular Fruits and Vegetables edited by David Scofield Wilson and Angus Kress Gillespie.
BR 13740
Ten essays exploring the cultural impact of various fruits and vegetables on society. Apples bring to mind Halloween and Johnny Appleseed. Bananas inspire visions of Carmen Miranda wearing a fruit-bowl hat of bananas.  Hot peppers make one think of bowls of chili. Also mentions corn, oranges, tobacco, and tomatoes.

Apples by Peter Wynne.
BR 3061
Traces the history of this popular fruit from prehistoric times to the present.  Includes sections on apple cultivation, the folklore of the fruit, and more than eighty recipes.