Apples, Apples, All Year Round!

This deceptively simple story celebrates a year of Jewish holidays using apples as the through line. With sparse, rhyming text, each spread celebrates a different Jewish holiday, beginning with Rosh Hashanah and continuing through Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Tu B’shevat, Purim, Passover, and Shavuot. While the minimal text doesn’t explain much, each short rhyme includes something about the holiday, whether it is the apples and honey eaten on Rosh Hashanah or the trees planted on Tu B’Shevat. The illustrations are collage style on solid white backgrounds. A fox, bear, and raccoon are depicted fairly realistically, with a slightly cartoony feel. They wear no clothes, but do sit at tables and wave flags. The simple, bold illustrations pop on the white backgrounds and will catch and engage the attention of toddlers and preschoolers. The sparse text and bright illustrations would work equally well for a story time or a one-on-one reading. The lack of explanation makes this book most effective for a knowledgeable Jewish adult to share with a child; the general appeal of food and holidays will speak even to the uninitiated. Brief back matter includes a short author’s note on the back cover. VERDICT This will be a welcome addition to Jewish schools and libraries looking for holiday books for their youngest readers. Public libraries will benefit from including this title as well.  PreS-K–   –Amy Lilien-Harper, School Library Journal 

Apples join the joy of Jewish holiday celebrations in this rollicking, perfectly rhymed journey through the Jewish year. Traditional apple treats include apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, apple decorations for the Sukkah, applesauce to accompany Hanukkah latkes, apples in the Passover charoset and more, making this a book to share all year long. The artwork is bright and cheery, with lots of holiday symbols. Lively animal characters celebrating the special days will have young readers turning pages and coming back for more. Yum!

This book is eligible for Sydney Taylor Book Award consideration. The book has literary merit with its spot-on, smoothly rhyming, memorable text. Bright, lively digital art with adorable animal characters and bold clear text style make this a perfect fit for children ages one through six. With its connection to many Jewish holiday traditions, it has positive Jewish cultural content, making it valuable for the Jewish community as well as a wonderful introduction to Jewish holidays for children of all backgrounds. --The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Apples, apples all year round

juicy, fresh, and yummy.

Apples, apples, sweet new year,

apples dipped in honey.

This tasty tour through the Jewish holidays introduces young children to Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, and Shavuot. Colorful collage illustrations feature a variety of friendly woodland animals enjoying each holiday.

From the Authors:

"Apples have been special to the Jewish people since ancient times. Sweet and juicy, apples are part of Jewish holiday celebrations throughout the year, from apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah to apple blintzes for Shavuot. Sharing holiday meals and preparing recipes together creates meaningful family traditions."

Activity Sheet

Download your free activity guide here for using the book with preschoolers. 

About the Authors

Barbara Bietz is an award-winning author and the creator of the website www.JewishBooksforKids.com where she interviews authors, illustrators, editors, and more. Barbara is a former chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Awards committee (Association of Jewish Libraries). When she isn’t writing, Barbara enjoys playing guitar and building dollhouses. She lives with her family in Southern California.

June Sobel loves picture books for the way they awaken the wonder of words in children and keep the child alive in adults. Creating books for very young pre-readers is her passion. She is the author of more than 10 picture books, including the best-selling The Goodnight Train series. June enjoys exploring the world, hiking, and photography.