One Green Apple by Eve Bunting

Bunting, Eve, & Illustrated by Ted Lewin. (2006) One Green Apple. New York: Clarion Books.

This is a story that portrays what many students go through. Farah, who is new to the United States, is in her second day at a new school as they go on a field trip to the apple orchard. She doesn't understand English which everyone speaks and she is obviously a misfit amongst her classmates, which is made even more noticeable by the dupatta she wears on her head is what she expresses in the book. During the book she expresses her struggles and frustrations with not being able to reach out to anyone and being so different, and not even being able to connect with her teacher which talks to her almost as if she is stupid. When the students get to the orchard they go out to pick an apple and she alone picks out a green apple from the smallest tree to be found. This is almost a representation of who she is amongst her new peers. After this she slowly but surely develops confidence and is able to realize that the situation shes in won't always be so and the situation she is in now isn't as bad as she may have thought it to be.

This book tackles a rather complex societal issue and makes it so simple and accessible in this children's picture book. This is a book that is needed in today's society. It is applicable to children of all types with a down to earth story that takes place in almost every school today. And a story like this is needed to show how all children, no matter their background, face many of the same struggles, and we need to take time to focus on some of our similarities rather than the obvious differences. For this reason this book by Eve Bunting has great value, and should be taken into consideration for reading by many teachers today. Not only that, but this book give recognition to a group of people that need more recognition in our books. Muslim-Americans are becoming more a part of our society in positive ways and we need literature that portrays this just as with any other minority and the majority. This book does this!