The Apple Pie Tree

Where do the apples in your pie come from?

This simple nature story, told from the point of view of two young sisters, describes the changes that occur in a backyard apple tree. The story begins in winter with the tree bare and brown, and moves into spring when two robins build a nest and lay three blue eggs among the leaf buds and pretty pink apple blossoms. The robins guard their eggs by chirping loudly at intruders, and just as the flower buds open, so the baby birds break through their eggshells. As the blossoms grow on the tree, so do the feathers of the birds.

While the petals are falling to the ground, the robins teach their babies to fly. When it rains, the tree gets water to help it make small green apples in place of the blossoms. In summer, the robins fly off, the apples get bigger, and the girls have fun playing in the shade of their tree. Finally, in autumn, the girls pick the ripe apples and help their mother and father bake a delicious apple pie.

At story's end, author Zoe Hall has included a factual, step-by-step description of how bees help apples grow through pollination. Also included is an easy recipe for apple pie. Shari Halpern's collage illustrations are a bold and colorful complement to the crisp text. This story provides an excellent primary science lesson as well as a great read aloud for autumn days.