The Apple Doll

June 18, 2007
Ashy girl named Lizzy uses her love of apples to assuage her fears about starting school in Kleven’s (The Wishing Ball
) latest. Lizzy adores the apple tree on her family’s property throughout the year, particularly in the fall when it offers “apples for crunching, apples for munching, apples for applesauce, cider, and pies.” Nervous that she won’t have any friends at school, she picks her favorite apple to bring with her, giving it an “apple-twig body.” drawing a face on it and naming it Susanna. However, her classmates tease her about her unusual doll (“Her brains are apple seeds!”) and the next day Lizzy leaves Susanna at home, making her feel quite lonely. As could be expected, Susanna’s organic nature soon makes her less than “fresh” and Lizzy’s mother offers a solution—they peel the apple and soak it in lemon juice, resulting in a wrinkly, well-preserved doll (“She looks like a little grandma!” Lizzy excitedly exclaims). Lizzy proudly brings the new Susanna to school and inspires the entire class to make dried apple dolls of their own. Youngsters may be moved to do the same, and Kleven provides detailed instructions for parents and children to craft friends of their own to conquer heading-to-school fears. Ages 4-8.

August 1, 2007
K-Gr 2-Lizzy loves applestheir crunch, their shape, their smell. She loves playing in the big apple tree in her family's backyard. As she approaches her first day of school, she selects a special apple to keep her company, adding a twig body to make it into a doll. "Susanna" accompanies Lizzy to school, but after the teacher explains that toys must stay at home and Lizzy's sister points out that Susanna will not last forever, the child becomes lonely. Seeking a new way for the doll to remain in her life, she and her family come up with a plan: drying Susanna. The transformation pleases everyone, especially Lizzy, who takes the doll to school on sharing day. Instructions on how to make an apple doll are included. Kleven's lovely mixed-media collage illustrations, especially those that depict the four seasons and Lizzy's neighborhood and school, are filled with eye-catching detail and activity. A sweet story about accepting change, working together, and forming new friendships."Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2007
Through every season, Lizzy loves the apple tree outside her window. On her first day of school, she uses it to create a new friend to take along with her: Susanna, a doll with an apple for a head and twigs for its body. When children make fun of Susanna, Lizzy leaves her at home for a while. Lizzys mother shows her how to make Susanna into an apple-head doll by peeling the fruit, carving her features, preserving her with lemon juice, and letting her smiling face wrinkle as it dries. Newly aged but rejuvenated, Susanna accompanies Lizzy to school again and becomes the model for a class craft project. A plot summary does little to re-create the charm of this delightfully well-written picture book. Like the first illustration of theapple tree, where Lizzy lies happily on a branch surrounded by birds, cats, and squirrels, thepictures teem with life and intriguing details, but have at theirheart the clear expression of the characters emotions. Created in mixed media with collage elements, the illustrations vary in size and complexity, from small winsome vignettes to detailed, double-page spreads that carry the eye from the main character to the outskirts of her neighborhood. For children, parents, and teachers inspired by this inviting picture book who want to make their own apple dolls, Kleven appends instructions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)