One Green Apple

Title: One Green Apple

Author: Eve Bunting

Genre: Non-fiction, informational, diversity, biography

Summary: A girl is new to a school in a new country. She usually has lessons in school about speaking English, but one day, there were no lessons because mothers drove them to an orchard where they got on a hay wagon. She realizes that her clothes are the same as the other boys and girls, but she had a dupatta covering her head. She is surprised when boys and girls sit next to each other. Everyone knows each other, but they don’t know her. She didn’t know how to speak to them and she didn’t understand them. The girl sitting next to her introduced herself as Anna and she said “Farah!” Farah is her name. Farah looks out on the fields and she sees three dogs, which reminded her that she one had a dog named Haddis. The truck stopped where the apple trees were. Farah feels lost, but she does understand some of what her teacher explains to her. Farah finds a tree, a small one that is alone, like her. There were a few hard green apples hanging from the branches and she pulled one off. It fit perfectly in her hand. The class ran down the hill and saw a little crooked house made of wood. She wondered what was inside. They lined up and put their apples into a machine. Farah was the last, and just as she dropped hers, a boy shouted “Hey!” as if to tell her not to drop it in. It was too late. Anna let Farah help her and a boy moved over so she had space to stand. She was happy. They were making apple cider with the apple juices from the machine! On the way back, Anna sat next to Farah again. On her other side was a boy, who introduced himself as Jim. Farah says she will blend with the rest of the class, just like her apple blended with the cider. “App-ell,” Farah says out loud. Anna clapped and they both smiles.

Characters: Anna, Farah, Jim, teacher

Plot: Farah is new to the country and can’t really speak English. She tries to communicate with her classmates and makes a new friend who she can somewhat understand

Theme: Diversity, communication

Setting: apple orchard

Opinion: I liked reading this book because I thought it made a good point. As one thing, the class didn’t make fun of her. She felt out of place, but when Anna made the first move to introduce herself, Farah felt welcomed. I think it is important to teach your class that no matter what someone looks like or acts like, they need to feel just as welcomed as every other student in the class.