Skip to content

Living Books Project

  • Home
  • About Me
  • About this blog
  • Contact Me

One Green Apple

4 October 2020 by Shirin

We have our pet authors and Eve Bunting is one of them. We have enjoyed Fly Away Home, The Memory String, Gleam & Glow, Pop’s Bridge, Smoky Night and Whales Passing. One Green Apple is about Farah, a Muslim girl who is new to America. Her headscarf and inability to speak English set her apart from her classmates, some of whom are friendly and some of whom have mentioned her home country in less than friendly terms. Her father has told her, “Our home country and our new one have had difficulties.” We are not told where Farah is from, but I suspect it must be Pakistan or Afghanistan from the word “dupatta” that the author uses for the shawl she wears.

On this day, Farah and her classmates are visiting a farm. She enjoys the sights and smells but is very anxious and feels “tight inside”. When she goes to pick an apple, she chooses a small green one that fits right in her hand. Farah likes it even though the others choose the sweet, red ones … it is different, like her. When they make the cider, her classmates protest as she adds this green apple into the vat of ripe red ones.

The barriers begin to break, tentatively, but surely. At first, a friendly girl, Anna, reaches out and then she joins in making apple cider by helping to operate the press. On the way back, she enjoys a lighthearted moment with her new friends. She finally has the courage to say her first “outside myself” word – “App-ell” and her friends applaud her.

Eve Bunting’s subtle storytelling makes this story a joy. What wonderful message – that we really do have a lot in common and that our differences add colour and flavour to the world. I just adore the illustrations – Ted Lewin… need I say more? I cannot gush enough about his winning work! In One Green Apple, his pictures are gloriously sun-drenched and so full of hope! I think many of us can relate to Farah’s fears and awkwardness – I cannot help but beam along with her when she eventually flashes a confident, triumphant smile.

(Visited 71 times, 1 visits today)

Post navigation

Previous Post:

The Roses In My Carpets

Next Post:

Next Post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

About me

Hello, my name is Shirin. I'm a full-time bibliophile with a special place in my heart for children's literature and historical fiction. I'm a huge fan of the Volkswagen Beetle, the Mini and the 1960s. This is my blog, where I talk about good reads.

CATEGORIES

  • Chapter Books
  • Early Chapter Books
  • Historical Fiction
  • Musings
  • Muslim Characters
  • Picture Books
  • Quotes

Instagram feed

[instagram-feed]

Tags

adventure story Africa An Drochshaol An Gorta Mór best picture books for kids book review build your home library chapter books Charlotte Mason Children of the Famine Egypt geography through literature good chapter books historical fiction history through literature home library Ireland Irish history Irish Potato Famine kids book reviews literature-based unit study living book living books living books library Marita Conlon-McKenna muslim characters nature nature through literature newbery medal North Africa only the best books picture book review picture books read the world Rukhsana Khan science through literature social studies through literature Ted Lewin teen reads The Great Famine The Hunger Under The Hawthorn Tree Wildflower Girl YA fiction Young Adult
© 2023 Living Books Project | Built using WordPress and SuperbThemes