this book is about a girl who moves too America and we get to see the inside of what a day looks like going on a field trip. She gets to go to the apple orchard and is too scared to speak, but at the end of the book she says apple. I would us e this book to show kids a good way of being friends to people that had to move away from their home, along with that I would use it to show the beautiful art work that is shown on these pages. This is kindergarten and up.

The author explains how the main character speaks a different language and has recently moved to the U.S. and feels like an outsider in her class. She talks about how her language and words are different from English, but she sees similarities in what she and her classmates enjoy. The author wants the reader to believe that even though people come from different countries and cultures, human values of friendship and kindness stay the same. This book would be best for students from second through fourth grade. ( )

Shows a story of the experience of a Muslim American student. Recommend for 4th grade and above as it deals with themes such as prejudice. ( )

Primary; Realistic Fiction; This was a good book about a young girl's experience on a field trip on her second day of school in America. Unable to speak English, she sits quietly, but gradually becomes comfortable with two students. She learns their names and they learn hers, but her teacher treats her as if she does not know anything, over simplifying instructions and humiliating her. The author does a good job of speaking against this action through the unspoken thoughts of the main character, but it seems unnecessary as that is not the most emphasized part. This is a good book, but I think there are others that would be better in teaching about immigration and culture. ( )

Really great book for students about different cultures and immigration. ( )

Farah is the new kid at school and she feels like she does not fit in. She just nods her head and does not speak. But when the class goes on a field trip to the apple orchard she changes her mind about fitting in.

Farah listens and gestures, but does not speak - she feels alone, even when surrounded by peers at school. But on this field trip to an orchard, Farah notices many similarities between her old and new homes, and when she is invited to participate in cider making with her classmates, she comes to realize a sense of belonging and connection with others. The reader is transported into the shoes of a young, Muslim immigrant in this relevant and timely examination of what it means to be the 'new kid in school' when you come from halfway around the world.

This book is about a migrant girl from the middle east, who just arrived to the US, and is getting used to the the culture and social norms of her classmates. She rides a bus with a bunch of strangers, to a farm where they were allowed to pick apples from a tree. She began to feel like she could fit-in after she found an apple that fit perfectly in her hand. She knew everyone was different, yet something deeper within her sensed that everyone was ultimately the same. This book can help migrant students, or socially isolated individuals, overcome social anxiety from being labeled as "different" and to help them see that everyone is ultimately the same, and their uniqueness is special. In this book, Eve Bunting conveyed a message of acceptance and cooperation in the shared experience that they had in putting the apples in a grinder. ( )

Farah is going to a new school, in a new country with a new language. She wears a dupatta on her head, or a traditional headscarf and she does not speak English. With simple and un-adorned language Bunting takes us into her nervousness and through the unfamiliarity, offering Farah's thoughts on a field trip with her new classmates, "I am tight inside myself."

She is unsure and looking for what she knows. Eventually Farah finds it, in a potential new friend bridging the distance to share names, in working for apple cider, and in the familiarity of sounds. She pushes through the wariness and the unease to pick and apple, the titular green apple, and put it into the cider. The class discover that all the apples together make a balanced cider, savoring the juice together, and riding back in the hay wagon with a new outlook.

This story is beautifully illustrated with moving watercolors and stunningly expressed emotions. On the way back Farah shares a daring attempt at a new word, Apple, with some other children, "it is my first outside-myself word." The message that one is different but that together it is balanced is a bit heavy-handed. Might be a bit too sweet of a resolution for older children, but the emotion apparent in taking linguistic first-steps, working in an unfamiliar language, and in pitching in are all very appealing. ( )

One green apple tells the story of a little girl from the middle eastern region. She is new to her school and initially encounters behavior that makes her feel uncomfortable. She feels unwanted and unliked, but something as small as a field trip to an apple farm brings to life the commonalities of children. This is a great read for children to teach empathy and just familiarizing students with how to treat people regardless of their nationality. The author did a great job with bringing out the likenesses in the kids rather than the differences. ( )

"One Green Apple" is about young girl who feels alone in this new world. The author shows how it can be difficult for new students to start school especially from a different country. Farah was on a field trip with her classmates at an apple picking farm and she was being observant of the things around her and how different things are in other countries. I love the use of the metaphor of Farah to the green apple, and the message of no matter how the outside looks we are all the same on the inside. ( )

The challenge of being an immigrant child in a brand new school is frightening and overwhelming. The confusion and fear is expressed in this story as well as the beauty of those around that embrace someone that is different from them. I appreciate that this story is told from the experience of a little girl within the setting that is so challenging. Those that are immigrants themselves can relate and those that are not can get a peek into what it feels like. The illustrations are so realistic that they look like pictures providing imagery to go along with the powerful and yet simple language. ( )

Farah, a recent Muslim immigrant, is on a field trip at an apple orchard with her English-speaking classmates. The students are allowed to choose one apple, and while the other children choose red apples, Farah chooses a green one. Together, the students drop their apples into a machine that presses them into cider. At the end of the trip, with help from a new friend, Farah speaks her first "outside-myself word": apple. A simple, yet effective, premise. Farah is a protagonist many students would relate to, and the story is a good lesson on the power of kindness and community. We discussed Islamophobia in an earlier class; our classroom libraries need more Muslim protagonists, and this is a good one to include. ( )

This book was a great insight into the mind of an ESL student. It follows Farah, a young girl from I can assume an Indian subcontinent. She is on a field trip with her school and the text is what is going on inside her mind. You see her make observations about differences between her home country and her new one like how boys and girls are sitting together, and girls and women aren't wearing dupattas. She also makes connections, like relating the dogs she sees here, with her dog from home, Haddis. I like the use of onomatopoeias like "crunch", "ka-chunk", and "drip" as all sounds sound the same regardless of language. She addresses how the teacher talks to her and wishes she could express that she understand the instructions and she isn't "stupid" she just doesn't know how to express that. It is nice to see the students introducing themselves to her and encouraging her to join in with the chopping of the apples. This would be a great book for students to get a glimpse into the mind of someone who speaks a different language than them. ( )

I really enjoyed the metaphor for Farah and the green apple amongst the red apples. The line, "I'll blend in like my apple in the cider" really sticks out and brings a pleasant close to the story. I feel that there were some filler sentences/pages that really didn't contribute to the story, which brings down the shore, but overall I really enjoyed this book. ( )

In the story, a young girl named Farah, who is from a different country, is on a field trip with her fellow classmates at an apple picking farm. Throughout the story Farrah struggles with the feeling of whether or not she belongs in this new place. Some of her classmates such as Anna are kind to Farah and try to include her, however there are others who aren't as willing to include Farah in their activities. Farah chooses to pick a smaller green apple which differs from the large red apples her classmates choose. But in the end, the cider all tastes the same and the students are all able to share it together. This book teaches students about the feeling of belonging. It teaches them about welcoming new cultures and differences that they may have with their peers. It has a very powerful message for young students that I think would be very good to include in teaching lessons about inclusion and other cultures. ( )

Farah is Muslim immigrant, and has recently moved to America. Her class is going on a field trip to an apple orchard, and she feels alone. There is a language barrier between Farah and her classmates, so she feels not included in the group. One young girl, Anna, wants Farah to be included so she begins to speak with her. She uses hand motions, and only speaks one word at a time so that she can communicate with Farah. When all the kids in the class pick red apples, Farah picks a green apple. She thinks the apple represents her. When the kids go back to the farm to juice their apples, Farah begins to bond with her classmates. Everyone begins to talk with Farah and introduces themselves to her. Farah begins to think that maybe America won’t be that bad after all.
The text was written in short sentences that mirrored a child speaking them. The illustrations were also colorful and realistic.
This book shares such an important message about students who move to a new country. This is a great book to share with students to show them the importance in being friendly to everyone. It also shows that just introducing yourself to someone new could change their whole perspective on a scary situation. ( )

Farah is a recent immigrant going on a field trip with her classmates. Given that she is new to the country and doesn't know the language yet, she is understandably shy. But she starts to come out of her shell when she notices that some things are the same everywhere -- friendship and laughter among them.

This is a lovely picture book designed to help young children learn about the immigrant experience. It gives native children an understanding of what might be going on in their new classmates' minds while providing an identifiable story for immigrant children. On a broader, universal level the book can also speak to any child (or person) who has felt out of place in a social situation. I loved the metaphor used in the book of Farah's green apple -- which looks different from the red apples her classmates picked -- being blended right into the apple cider they all make. What a lovely symbol of assimilation and how we may look different on the outside but inside we are the same.

The text is full of mostly simple sentences, so it can be easily accessible to young readers. The illustrations are a little too staid for my taste, but they do graphically depict the text appropriately. ( )

I greatly enjoyed this book. The author elected to tell the story through a powerful narrator: a young girl starting school in the United States without the knowledge of English to help her. Her thoughts in the book are incredibly articulate, and at one point she even thinks towards to teacher “I understand. It’s not that I am stupid. It is just that I am lost in this new place” (12). This statement serves as a reminder to any reader that just because someone is struggling with a language, they do not deserve to be talked down to or patronized. To further this idea, Farah, the main character, showcases her strength by helping her classmates press apples despite an initial hesitation. She is “not sure if I should be with the others” but her later success in helping shows that she does have a place, regardless of any differences between herself and the other characters.
The story offers a line of hope for any reader who may find themselves in Farah’s shoes: in a new place where they do not know the language. Farah notices that “Laughs sound the same as at home. Just the same. So do sneezes and belches and lots of things”. This was a great, hopeful way for the author to end the story, which I appreciated.
The message of this story is: there may be differences between language and culture, but there are always human similarities. ( )

In my opinion this is a great book! I like this book because of the plot and because of the point of view. I like the point of view in this book because it really helped me understand how Farah was feeling. For example, I was able to understand Farah’s frustration due to the book being in first person. When Farah was picking apples, the teacher came over to Farah and was talking down on her. Farah thought to herself “I understand. It is not that I am stupid. It is just that I am lost in this new place.” From her point of view I was able to see why Farah is frustrated; just because she is from another country does not mean she is uneducated, but still trying to learn English. I also like the point of view in this book because I was able to see Farah grow into loving school. This book is also great because of the plot. The plot in this book was suspenseful. At first Farah is being made fun of and classmates are degrading her, but then they need Farah’s help to create apple juice. The author made this suspenseful because I did not know if Farah would help or would not help because the students were being mean to her in the beginning of the story. The plot in this book was also well paced. From Farah not fitting in, to helping students, and then loving school, there was a perfect amount of details to keep the reader intrigued.
In conclusion, Eve Bunting, was trying to show readers to not judge someone because they look different. I think this book is a great way to show individuals that even if someone’s culture is different than theirs, that person may still be nice and they should be respected. ( )

In my opinion, this book was a great book for students to read. Students are able to get a perspective of how immigrants feel when they come to the U.S. I love how the author used first person point of view for the story. I think this writing style really contributed to the message that she was trying to get across. The fact that the words are written in the way that they would be spoken or thought, even with errors, makes a huge difference. I feel like many students could relate to the characters in the story because we all have are insecurities and sometimes feel like an outcast. The author also shows children not to be afraid of interacting with people that may be a little different from them. Different is okay. The author set up the plot in an organized way where an issue is posed in the beginning but the character is able to overcome this issue through some series of events. The book pushes the readers to think about how they would feel in the character’s situation while being able to make connections. I think the overall message of this story is to never give up hope. Farah, the narrator of the story, shows the readers how she feels scared at the beginning of the book. Towards the end, her feelings change after the finds a green apple and starts to interact with her classmates. ( )

I enjoyed the book The Green Apple by Eve Bunting for three reasons. First, I liked that the author wrote the book in first person because it allowed me to experience the book more intimately. It allowed me to better understand how Farah was feeling when she was around her classmates. In addition to the point of view, I enjoyed the plot and moral of the story. The plot was about a young Muslin girl named Farah who just moved to the United States. The book brought readers through a field trip on Farah’s second day at her new school where her classmates looked, talked, and dressed differently than her. On the field trip, Farah found a green apple amidst all of the red apples that her classmates were picking. This apple allowed Farah to understand that being different isn’t a bad thing. Reading this book made me better understand how it must feel to be a new student in a classroom full of people that you do not know. Finally, I loved the illustrations in this book. The illustrations captured the images and emotions of both Farah and her classmates to allow the reader to step into Farah’s shoes for a day. ( )

Review:
While on a school field trip to an orchard to make cider, a young immigrant named Farah gains self-confidence when the green apple she picks prefectly complements the other students' red apples.
Critique:
This is a contemporary realistic fiction. The story is about something that could actually happen (realistic) in the near future, in the "now". It reflects people we know, they represent people might me.
The illustrations were executed in watercolor.
Comment on use:
Encouraging children to be confident about themselves.
Age appropriateness:
intermediate; middle school

There are three main reasons why I enjoyed this book. First, I enjoyed the illustrations. They seemed super life-like and you could put yourself in the pictures with Farrah. The illustrations took up the whole page, but they did not overpower the story. The text fits perfectly on the pages even with the illustrations taking up all the pages. Second, I enjoyed the moral of the story. The idea that even though you are different you can still fit in to the group. Farrah cannot speak English, but she still feels like she is part of the group since she gets to join the group on the trip. She may have picked a green apple while everyone picked a red one, but because they got to put them all together to make the apple juice she felt as if she was one. Third, I enjoyed the writing of the story. The book included some words that may be hard for some students to understand, but the context clues will help the reader understand what is being said. The story is well-writtened and I enjoyed reading it. ( )

I liked this book for three reasons. I thought that the whole story line of Farrah being a not just a new student at a new school, but completely new to this country was phenomenal. I think that the author did a great job depicting the many struggles that an ELL faces when starting completely new and out of their comfort zone. Second, I thought that the author was realistic in describing the way that other students, unfortunately, reacted to her. Although not right, some students whispered about her and said things; even though Farrah could not understand what they were saying, she knew. I also liked how the author depicted the character Anna, who befriends Farrah on their way to the apple orchard. It was comforting to watch this friendship blossom for Farrah. I also liked how the author used inner dialogue for Farrah. As the reader, I was able to actually get inside Farrah's brain; almost like looking through Farrah's eyes as she experienced this field trip. Lastly, I loved the scene where Farrah and the rest of her classmates come across the apple cider machine and use the apples they picked to make the cider. Farrah picks out a green apple while the rest of her peers choose red. All of the students work together to press the apples into cider and the result is delicious apple cider for everyone to enjoy; even with Farrah's green apple. It's in this moment that Farrah feels a sense of belonging and connects with her classmates. My favorite part is when Farrah says, "I will blend with the others the way my apple blended with the cider." This turning point is so important for Farrah and shows that her mindset has altered from the beginning of the book. Although she misses her home country, she shows positivity that she can make America her home as well, despite any differences.