We Harvest Apples in Fall

April 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-Learning about fall is fun with the strong content in this series that supports early literacy and the Common Core State Standards. The simple sentences are presented in a large font surrounded by plenty of white space. Vocabulary words ("hibernate," "harvest," etc.) are set apart in a bold font and defined in a glossary. The large, bright color photographs correspond well to the texts, helping emerging readers clarify the meaning of words and sentences. Each book contains a "Home and School Connection" page, which provides parents and teachers with a word list to reinforce literacy and activity suggestions. "What Do You See?" sidebars invite students to engage with the photos and texts. For example, in Halloween, readers are asked, "How many ghosts do you see?" in a photo of spooky treats-an activity that underlines the relationship between numbers and quantities and supports math literacy. A welcome addition for early-reader units.

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2013
Preschool-G The Let's Look at Fall series serves beginning readers, offering texts consisting of 75 to 100 words. The eight-book series focusing on autumn has kids look at different aspects of the season. We Harvest Apples in Fall discusses how apples grow, what a harvest is like, describes apple picking, and the end forms the apples can take: Apples are used to make many foods. Apple cider is made from pressed apples. The short sentences and appealing color photographs, many featuring children of the intended reading age, will attract the designated audience. The back matter is short, perhaps listing only one title or website, but there are suggestions for parents and teachers about ways to use the books. Solid reading for a brisk fall day.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)