Eden Ross Lipson (1943–2009)

Have you ever sat through a really boring story told by a really boring person, and you thought, "Maybe, at least, at the end of this, there will be something interesting," then there isn't a cool twist or worthwhile insight? That's this book all over, friends. I sniffed out that this was another celeb writer offering, though Booklist, SLJ, Horn, and Kirkus all crowed about the excellence of this snore fest, which is the baby of a now-deceased New York Times children's book editor. Yes, I show more like the matte quality of the illustrations, but matte does not a tale make. show less

A young boy narrates the tale of his urban family and their autumn tradition of applesauce making in this appealing picture-book, which features three generations who all get in on the act. Beginning when school opens, and apples become available at the farmers' market, the boy and his grandmother go shopping, hauling home six pounds of the fruit, and as many more for "eating out of hand." Then the applesauce-making begins in earnest, using all different kinds of apples - MacIntosh, Macoun, show more Ida Red - and drawing in all the members of the family.

A celebration of family traditions and gatherings, Applesauce Season is a lovely autumn-themed tale, one of the few such titles I have encountered that is set in the city, rather in more rural environments. Lipson's narrative is engaging, and Mordicai Gerstein's illustrations appealing - for some reason, I particularly liked the thick red glasses worn by the boy and his grandmother! I rather wish I had waited for the fall to read this, as it has such a feeling of the season! Recommended to young apple-lovers, and to children looking for autumn stories. show less

An absolutely delightful book! The illustrations are vibrant. The text flows easily. The story is simple but beautiful. There's a subtle message about eating with the seasons, about eating locally, that comes through, too.

Genre: Fiction/Informational
This is a good example of informational/fiction because it is a fun little story of a sweet family, who is not real, but shows a functional family working together as a team to create memories and amazing applesauce. The applesauce part is the informational part of book because by the end of the book you could make your own applesauce with out even a recipe. For easy access the author printed the recipe to make your own homemade applesauce on the back so you will show more not need to flip through the book to figure out how to make it like they do.
Art Media: Crayons pen, and possibly water colors were used. The illustrator is my author for my author study but he did not right the book just illustrated. Mordicai Gerstein's style was very appropriate for this book because he uses bright fall colors and protrays the unity of the family. show less