The Apple Pie that Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson

 The Apple Pie that Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Jonathan Bean

Rating: 4 stars

There's something so very special about the bond between father and daughter, and books that showcase this oh-so-important relationship are welcome on my shelf.  In this book, the father is a gentle and strong (such an important mix) farmer, who can both drive horses and bake a pie.

Using a cumulative rhyme, Lauren Thompson lists the ingredients of apple pie.  But it's not the obvious ones that my kids could list after baking pies for years with me--cinnamon, butter, lemon juice, cornstarch, apples.  Nope.  The ingredients in the book go deeper.  Here's what I mean:

This is the rain, cool and fresh,
that watered the roots, deep and fine,that fed the tree, crooked and strong,
that grew the apples, juicy and red,
that went in the pie, warm and sweet,
that Papa baked.

The wonderful illustrations by Jonathan Bean add a whole lot--the smiley sun shines down on the apple tree, the girl, and her father.  They are warm, comforting, beautiful--in a not-so-traditional way.  The story and illustrations make me think of John Steinbeck's novels, and the descriptions of farming in them.

Just a simple tale about a man baking for his daughter--and a little reminder that a gift from the heart, made with your hands, and shared with one you love, is definitely the best.

(And in case you now want to bake apple pie, click here for the best recipe around.)

Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna

Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna, illustrated by the one and only Loren Long

Rating: 3.5 stars

I searched high and low for a picture of Madonna with this book of hers, just because I thought it'd be funny--but somehow appropriate--to have a picture of her on a blog about children's books.  Of course, I only have so many minutes in the day to devote to blogging to my imaginary friends about books they might never read, so I only went through the first dozen pages from my not-so-exhaustive Google search. This is the only one I can find, and it's definitely not of this book, but...I couldn't resist! 

Let me get to the book, because it is surprisingly good--though surprisingly serious.  I'll say it's for 4-year olds, but only if they are mature and ready to really learn lessons from books, and not just lessons like "share your toys" and "poop in the potty." 

Mr Peabody wonders where everyone is.

Mr. Peabody is a beloved teacher and baseball coach of a Little League team that always has a good time losing.  After a game, he walks home and passes a fruit stand, where he takes an apple.  Without, it seems to one of his players from across the street, paying.  The little lookout tells everyone that Mr. Peabody is a thief, and soon no one shows up for a game.  Mr. Peabody shows that he has an arrangement with Mr. Funkadeli, the grocer; he takes an apple after the game but pays for it on Saturday, when he picks up his milk.  The little lookout boy feels pretty badly, as he should, and asks what he can do to make it all better.  Mr. Peabody tells him to meet him at the baseball field in an hour, and bring a feather pillow.

Once there, Mr. Peabody instructs the boy to cut open the pillow and let the feathers fly.  The boy is confused but eager to win back his coach/teacher's respect, so he does it.  Thousands of feathers fly everywhere.  "Now pick them up," Mr. Peabody says.  The boy is surprised and confused and states that that is impossible.  Mr. Peabody says quietly: "It would be just as impossible to undo the damage that you have done by spreading the rumor that I am a thief."  The last picture, shown here, is the pillow, restuffed, all sewn up.

Loren Long shines, of course.  Any book he's touched is worth reading a few times, or at the very least looking at and talking about the pictures.  This isn't my favorite of his book, but I love his drawings.  I love how the cover states "art by Loren Long" rather than illustrated by Loren Long.  So fitting.

A book by a pop star.  Not a home-run or chart buster, but a good one, and I think it's a good one with which to introduce the word "rumor."  Hopefully all our kids will understand the word and the damage done by them by middle school...before they get caught in one themselves.

Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss

Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Roy McKie

Rating: 5 balanced stars

Obviously, I have two kids.  So I'm constantly juggling their needs and interests and snacks to try and keep things interesting and balanced.  Sometimes I succeed.  Books like this one help--both Lorelei and Ben love it equally.  Many of the I Can Read By Myself Books are great like that; the text is simple enough for the beginner reader (Lorelei, 3 1/2) but also silly enough with fun illustrations for the younger listener (Ben, 20 months).

I should go buy this book we've checked it out so much, but the few times I've done that the book suddenly becomes less special.  Just like when a toy at a friend's house is much more interesting than when your mother buys it for you at home.  Humph!

This is my favorite Dr. Suess book, and has been for decades.  I prefer the more tamed, more succinct Dr. Suess (I can't get over how long Happy Birthday To You and If I Ran the Zoo are!)...but that could be just a phase.

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins

Rating: 4.5 stars

This book reminds me that children's books don't have to be cool.  I mean, as much as Fancy Nancy now permeates our days (Lorelei: "Mommy, can I play with your fancy shoes?" or "What fancy dress will I wear today?"), my kids cheer when they find this simple book on our library stack. 

Personally, I find it a tad annoying, but just because I don't go around saying "Fiddle dee fee" when I get frustrated.  I usually spell out a word or two.

Anyway, Pat Hutchins (think Rosie's Walk or The Wind Blew always produces read-aloud classics with intricate drawings, and this is a good example of why children from all over for so long have appreciated her books.  It's a long poem that is simply counts down the apples on a tree--one by one they are picked and eaten by animals on the farm, with the farmer insisting that they leave one for him.  He gets the last one, but then his wife comes up and wants one.  Oops!  Luckily the farmer, his wife, and all their animals spot another tree and everyone ends up happy. 

It's charming in a dusty sort of way, but Lorelei and Ben just adore it, and grandparents seem to be a fan of it, too.  In the picture is beloved Grammy, who --sniff, sniff-- left us yesterday.  At first I was going to write in this review that I couldn't get the right rhythm to the book, but on the third or fourth read I figured it out.  My mom got it on the first try.  Humph.