Apples and Pumpkins

After 12 years of parenthood (including with a current 2-year-old), I still rate this as one of my very favorite board books to read to toddlers. The story is gentle and straightforward, with crisply drawn illustrations friendly enough to appeal to little ones but realistic enough to impress discerning grown-ups. The shiny red-and-green apples in the wicker basket look good enough to eat. The old apple trees are gnarled and leaning. The big, fat turkey has gorgeously detailed feathers and a red and blue wattle. And the girl's excitement for their family tradition shines through every page.Younger toddlers will enjoy being asked to point things out on each page (where are the ducks? Do you see the ghost?) Older ones will enjoy imagining themselves on the farm: which pumpkin would you choose? Would you eat an apple right away, or wait until you get home? Which Halloween costume would you choose?That's why I love this book - despite its simplicity, it is a masterpiece on so many levels. In that regard, it's similar to "I am a Bunny" by Richard Scarry, another of my favorites. It evokes joy, nostalgia, beauty, and family bonds. My only regret is that I can't justify reading it quite so often in the winter, spring, and summer as I do in the fall - but I like it so much that I'll get it off the bookshelf at any time of year!

The illustrations are so cute and the story is simple and relatable. My 2 year old loves it and it holds his attention. Great for our fall book rotation

Very sweet and simple book. My two and four year olds love it, especially my two year old. It’s very Montessori friendly because it’s based in reality. We do several, if not all, of the activities written about. They are not overboard or written to be more exciting than they actually are; they give children realistic expectations and ideas for what the activities will be like, such as picking out pumpkins, carving them, and trick or treating. My four year old enjoyed memorizing portions of it. I know we will enjoy reading it again for fall time next year!

Great little seasonal picture book! Excellent for younger elementary students who can decode basic words in sentences. Fun, colorful pictures with just enough detail to make the story interesting. As a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist, this fits my need for a seasonal read-aloud to foster thinking and discussion based on pictures/text. Will use to target wh- questions, story retelling, vocabulary development, and syntax. Thank you for the digital bonus feature of enlarged text when the reader double clicks. Very useful for both students and aging readers like me!

Truly this is a very sweet book about the fall. It’s a simple read and my 2 yo loved it. My daughter likes to feel very prepared for everything so we got her this book to prepare her for her first visit to the pumpkin patch this October. And I’ll just say, reading the book was honestly a sweeter, more perfect experience than the one we had at our local pumpkin patch. I recommend it highly for the fall season. It’s a great addition to a child’s library. I know we will enjoy pulling it out again next fall!

I bought this book for my toddlers seasonal board book display/collection, along with several others and this is probably our favorite one! My four year old reaches for it daily. The illustrations are sweet and beautiful and give those autumn vibes I was hoping it would. It’s a sturdy book, the pages on the inside are matte and not glossy. I hope this author and illustrator team makes more board books!

The main character is a girl. We named her after our granddaughter, who is just less than two years old. She loves the book. It is a wonderful introduction to the fall season. Lilly is pretty sure the farmer is actually her beloved Poppy. Worth every cent.

Classic must have for your autumn book collection! Simple story with beautiful art. My toddler reaches for this every day! She is 22 months. Great way to introduce the season to a little one.