One Green Apple - Eve Bunting

Illustrator: Ted Lewin
For: Kids
Published: June, 2006
Rating: 5
Endpapers: Christmas green

The combination of Bunting and Lewin have created a wonderful book to make kids think about diversity and tolerance, and sets it right here in our own backyard. Although Farrah doesn't speak or understand a word of English and feels very different than the other children in her class, this book is the story of HER thoughts, HER point-of-view in this strange new world where no one else wears a dupatta and boys and girls are in class together. On this, her second day in an American school, the class goes to an apple orchard. Although all the other kids choose a red apple, she chooses a small green apple. As they are being tossed into the cider grinder, a few of the students try, too late, to protest her green apple - but they find that the cider is still delicious. So the book becomes an incredible METAPHOR! An especially cool way to teach metaphor to older students - just read this aloud and the imbedded message will be right there with the lesson. Love it, love it.

Ted Lewin has to be one of my very favorite realistic illustrators. His edge-of-page paintings capture expression and sunlight and sound so well - so when Farrah says her very first English word, APPLE, his full-page-head-shot captures the way she feels - tentataive, but proud and happy.