Applesauce weather by Helen Frost

Candlewick Press, 2016. ISBN 9780763675769
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Applesauce Weather is a beautifully illustrated story told through poetry. Faith and Peter know Uncle Arthur will arrive when the first apple falls and the first two poems introduce this brother and sister duo. The poems are a stark contrast between the younger sister - who eagerly awaits the uncle's arrival - and the older brother who now doubts the magic of a far away uncle even knowing when the first apple will fall. Uncle Arthur is mourning the loss of his beloved wife and memories of her are reflected in each poem. Each poem is a small story; building up to Faith worrying Uncle Arthur has no more stories to Faith finally seeing the signs of her fun loving uncle again. The poems are simply named according to the person's perspective - Faith, Peter, Uncle Arthur. It is beautiful and melodic storytelling, creating a sense of togetherness while also allowing our characters to be independent. The vocabulary is as simple as it is descriptive, explaining the love story between Arthur and his wife, Peter's feelings for his first crush and Faith's joy at spending time with Uncle Arthur. This book is highly recommended for readers aged 10+. It would be a great read aloud in the classroom as students investigate different points of view and would also be good to help build character profiles.
Kylie Kempster