Read and Shine

Apples are one of the most iconic fruits of fall, becoming the centerpieces of pies and scents as the weather gets colder. Like many other fruits, apples grow on trees and are harvested to be sold at supermarkets and farmers’ markets worldwide. Green, pink, red, or yellow, apples come in various shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. This book list includes titles for children that detail the science behind apples: how they grow, how they are harvested, and how to cook with them. The next time readers enjoy a mug of hot apple cider, they will know more details about the process each apple went through to make their delicious drink.
Contributed by: Mary Lanni

	Apples By: Gail Gibbons Explains how apples were brought to America, how they grow, their traditional uses and cultural significance, and some of the varieties grown.
	Apples A to Z By: Margaret McNamara Illustrated by: Jake Parker Fox, Bear, and their friends lead young readers through an apple alphabet—from apple buds and blossoms, through nutrition and orchards, to the X on an apple pie. Along the way, apple lovers will pick up a windfall of apple science and lore, as well as fun facts and child-friendly information. And twenty-six apple varieties are introduced, even ones for X, Y, and Z
	Apples and Butterflies By: Shauntay Grant Illustrated by: Tamara Thiébaux-Heikalo A rhythmic poem describes the sights and sounds of Prince Edward Island in autumn.
	Apples in Fall By: Mari C. Schuh Visit an apple orchard and learn how apples grow, how cider is made, and what foods we make with apples. Color photos and easy-to-read text tell about this favorite treat in the season of fall.
	An Apple Tree’s Life Cycle By: Mary R. Dunn The process of a new life starting is fascinating! Watch an apple tree grow from a seed to a fruit-bearing tree. Young readers will learn about the stages in an apple tree’s life, as well as its appearance. The life cycle of an apple tree is a beautiful thing to see!
	Apple Trees and the Seasons By: Julie K. Lundgren Presents the seasons through the ways apple trees grow and change over a year.
	Blossom to Apple By: Sarah Ridley Apples are a tasty food, but do you know where they come from and how they end up on supermarket shelves? Follow the story of an apple from the first pink buds on an apple tree, through the farming process to packing houses and eventually to your fruit bowl! Large, attractive photographs accompany the simple text.
	How do Apples Grow? By: Jill McDonald Hello, World! is a series designed to introduce first nonfiction concepts to babies and toddlers. Told in clear and easy terms (“Apple seeds start to grow when they are planted in soil and given sunlight, water, and fresh air”) and featuring bright, cheerful illustrations, Hello, World! is a perfect way to bring science, nature, and culture into the busy world of a toddler, where learning never stops.
	Let’s Cook with Apples!: Delicious & Fun Apple Dishes Kids Can Make By: Nancy Tuminelly Make cooking super simple with these Super Simple Recipes. This book features a delicious main ingredient kids will love—apples! With step-by-step instructions on how to make easy and tasty recipes like crispy apple chips and sassy apple salsa, young cooks will jump at the chance to prepare their favorite food in new ways. Includes measuring guides and tools and ingredients lists to help enhance early learning.
	Secrets of the Apple Tree By: Carron Brown Illustrated by: Alyssa Nassner Who lives around the apple tree? Shine a light behind the page and see … Explore a tree up close and you will find a small world filled with great surprises! From worms wriggling among the roots to birds nesting high in the branches, the hidden wonders of this amazing habitat are revealed.
	Turning Apples into Applesauce By: Wendy A. Reynolds Learn how apples on trees transform into applesauce in this book for emerging readers.
	Watch Apple Trees Grow/Mira como crece el manzano! By: Mary Ann Hoffman Briefly introduces the life cycle of the apple, from planting a seed through harvesting and selling the fruit. Bilingual text.

There is so much changing in spring. Follow this thematic reading list to find out about nature in spring, from plants to animals, and all the growth that happens during this blooming season.

	It’s Spring! By: Linda Glaser A child observes the arrival of spring and its effects on plants and animals. Includes suggestions for nature study projects.
	What Happens in Spring? By: Sara Latta Answers the following questions: What is spring? Why do we have seasons? When is it spring? Is spring the same everywhere on Earth? What are the first signs of spring? What do animals do in the spring? Why do animals migrate in the spring? Describes outdoor work and play, and includes how to make your own rainbow.
	Wiggling Worms at Work By: Wendy Pfeffer Explains how earthworms eat, move, and reproduce and how they help plants to grow.
	From Caterpillar to Butterfly By: Deborah Heiligman While watching a caterpillar brought to school in a glass jar slowly change into a beautiful butterfly, the class and the reader learn the basics about the mystery of metamorphosis.
	In the Small, Small Pond By: Denise Fleming Illustrations and rhyming text describe the activities of animals living in and near a small pond as spring progresses to autumn.
	Counting in the Garden By: Kim Parker Invites the reader to count the inhabitants of a garden, from one to ten, such as four bunnies and nine inchworms.
	My Garden By: Kevin Henkes After helping her mother weed, water, and chase the rabbits from their garden, a young girl imagines her dream garden complete with jellybean bushes, chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes the size of beach balls.
	And Then It’s Spring By: Julie Fogliano Simple text reveals the anticipation of a boy who, having planted seeds while everything around is brown, fears that something has gone wrong until, at last, the world turns green.
	Growing Frogs By: Vivian French A mother and child watch as tadpoles develop and grow into frogs.
	Blue Sky Bluebird By: Rick Chrustowski Follows a family of bluebirds from the completion of a nest at the beginning of spring through the migration of the parents and eight fledglings in autumn.
	How Do You Know It’s Spring? By: Ruth Owen Describes some of the signs of spring, including changes in light and temperature, plant growth, buds on trees, baby animals, and other differences, and suggests related activities.
	Spring By: Jill Kalz Introduces spring, discussing the colors, flowers, holidays, and springtime animal babies.
	Dandelion Adventures By: L. Patricia Kite Follows seven dandelion seed parachutes which the wind blows into the air and which land in different circumstances as an example of the way in which a common plant regenerates.
	The Tiny Seed By: Eric Carle Text and illustrations relate the growth of a small seed that survives the winter cold to become a beautiful spring flower.
	Growing Vegetable Soup By: Lois Ehlert Boldly colored illustrations and a simple text celebrate and explain the vegetable garden, from seed to soup.