I bought “Apples for Everyone” (ages 4 and up) at Barnes and Noble the other day. What attracted me most to this particular book were the photographs (it’s made by National Geographic Kids so I wouldn’t expect anything less than fantastic) and its accurate descriptions of how apples grow and where they come from. I wanted to share a book with my children that described how apples grow, where you find them, what can be made out of them, how they taste, and how many different types exist. It also touches on the story of Johnny Appleseed, which can spark a whole conversation in itself. “Apples for Everyone” is an excellent book to have on your bookshelf year round, but especially in the Fall when apples are in season. With respect to language, it helps facilitate answering “wh” questions, expanding vocabulary, critical thinking, sequencing (learn the steps of how an apple grows), colors (variety of colors of apples), describing, actions (eating, picking, etc), shapes (apples can be a variety of different shapes such as round, ball or lumpy bottomed), and can open a discussion for many more topics (e.g. healthy eating, apple picking, history of apples, etc). This can also be a great time to discuss eating caramel apples on Halloween or having apple pie for Thanksgiving. It’s a yummy book in many ways!
Carryover baking activities: Low Fat Apple Cinnamon Bread, Apple Challah, or Applesauce