December 1, 2003
K-Gr. 1. Part of the All Aboard Science Readers series, this simple book includes the familiar account of kids picking yummy apples off trees that have grown from tiny seeds. But there's more. Not all the apples are the same. There are many kinds, and sometimes the seeds "play tricks." A seed from a Rome apple may produce a tree that bears sour apples--or has no apples at all. Then the apple-grower uses his trick; he grafts a branch from the tree onto a sapling, which grows and eventually bears yummy, crunchy Rome apples. The surprising twist adds to the story of seed growth, making this an exciting way to bring botany to beginning readers. An outline of the basics that opens up questions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2004
A simple, conversational text provides interesting information about how to graft branches to grow a specific type of apple. Repetition in the text and clues in the pictures help with word predicting, but a pronunciation guide for one word ( "blossom" ) is awkwardly inserted into the text. The illustrations are colorful and clear.
(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)