A Day at the Apple Orchard. Megan Faulkner. Photographs by Adam Krawesky. Toronto, ON: Scholastic, 2005. 32 pp., pbk., $6.99. ISBN 0-439-95713-3. Subject Headings: Apples-Juvenile literature. Orchards-Juvenile literature. Kindergarten-Grade 3 / Ages 5-8. Review by Stacie Edgar. ***½ /4

excerpt:

Apples arrived in Canada about 400 years ago. French settlers brought them to Nova Scotia. By 1850 apple trees could also be found in Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies and British Columbia.

This comprehensive picture book begins with the description of an early fall trip to the apple orchard for a group of young children. In A Day at the Apple Orchard, the bright, colourful images illustrate the life cycle of an apple tree from winter dormancy to buds and pollination to ripe delicious apples. After the children learn the proper picking technique, their guide teaches them how to make apple cider by using “an old-fashioned hand press.”

     Author Megan Faulkner includes a section titled “Amazing Apple Facts” that describes scientific information about Canadian apples, another section that includes trivia about the popular fruit called Apple Bits, as well as a page including the above excerpt on the history of Apples in Canada. In addition to all the technical facts, the author integrates a little fun by adding a recipe for Chocolate Covered Apples.

     Adam Krawesky's action photographs follow the children as they walk through the apple orchard, show them collecting and eating their harvest, and capture the cider dripping into the pail. He also provides snapshots that accompany the step-by-step instructions for mouth-watering candied apples with optional toppings such as chocolate chips or sprinkles.

          A Day at the Apple Orchard is Faulkner's second instructional text and follows her 2004 book, A Day at the Sugar Bush. The delightful storyline will entertain young readers while the information sections will provide additional notes for older children and adults to share when reading the text aloud.

Highly Recommended.

Stacie Edgar is a student in the Integrated B.A./B.Ed. Education program at the University of Winnipeg in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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