Apples, Apples, All Year Round! - by Barbara Bietz & June Sobel (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A tour through Jewish holidays, with apples as the lens"--

Book Synopsis

A colorful year of Jewish holidays, with apples as the central theme.

"A welcome addition" --School Library Journal

From the Back Cover

Whether dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah . . . or baked in blintzes on Shavuot . . . celebrate special times with apples ALL YEAR ROUND.

Review Quotes

This deceptively simple story celebrates a year of
Jewish holidays using apples as the through line. With sparse, rhyming text,
each spread celebrates a different Jewish holiday, beginning with Rosh Hashanah
and continuing through Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B'shevat, Purim,
Passover, and Shavuot. While the minimal text doesn't explain much, each short
rhyme includes something about the holiday, whether it is the apples and honey
eaten on Rosh Hashanah or the trees planted on Tu B'Shevat. The illustrations
are collage style on solid white backgrounds. A fox, bear, and raccoon are
depicted fairly realistically, with a slightly cartoony feel. They wear no clothes,
but do sit at tables and wave flags. The simple, bold illustrations pop on the
white backgrounds and will catch and engage the attention of toddlers and
preschoolers. The sparse text and bright illustrations would work equally well
for a story time or a one-on-one reading. The lack of explanation makes this
book most effective for a knowledgeable Jewish adult to share with a child; the
general appeal of food and holidays will speak even to the uninitiated. Brief
back matter includes a short author's note on the back cover. VERDICT This will
be a welcome addition to Jewish schools and libraries looking for holiday books
for their youngest readers. Public libraries will benefit from including this
title as well. PreS-K- -Amy Lilien-Harper, School Library Journal