I Want an Apple: How My Body Works

by David L. Harrison, David Catrow (Illustrator)

Overview

Your body is busy, busy, busy! Learn how it works in this funny-but-informative book.

I want an apple. Smart brain, help me find one. Sniffy nose, smell the apple. Bright eyes, help me see it.
Legs, feet, arms, teeth, tongue, tummy . . . and long intestine too . . . all snap into action when a child decides she wants an apple. A clever and humorous introduction to body parts and their function.

David Harrison is a beloved, award-winning author. The David Harrison Elementary School in Springfield, Missouri was named in his honor. The illustrator, David Catrow, is known for his humor and hyperbole. Honors include a New York Times Best Illustrated Award.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823454259
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	12/12/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 9.01(h) x 0.12(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

David L. Harrison's books have received state awards in Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Arizona, South Dakota, Indiana, Texas, Kentucky, and Virginia. Awards also include IRA/CBC Children's Choices, NCTE Notable Poetry Books, and Bank Street College Best Books. The David Harrison Elementary School in Springfield, Missouri, is named in his honor. David lives in Springfield, Missouri.

David Catrow has illustrated many bestselling books including When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner, I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont, and Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz. He received a New York Times Best Illustrated Award for She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head by Kathryn Lasky. His books for Holiday House, which he also wrote, are The Fly Flew In and Fun In the Sun. Mr. Catrow lives in Ohio. Learn more at catrow.com.

Editorial Reviews

"This is a playful, simple look at our bodies’ inner workings for young children. . . . [Catrow’s ] illustrations, all full-bleed double-page spreads, are immediately recognizable with their eccentric details and exaggerated scale. . . . The spare text is just enough to introduce concepts of human anatomy to a preschool and early primary audience."—The Horn Book

"The illustrations are whimsical and full of movement. . . . The message about body positivity will resonate with all ages. A playful introduction to the body parts."—Kirkus Reviews

"Beautifully illustrated and with spare writing, this work captures the complexity of human digestion in the body of a hungry girl. . . . The lyrical text is short; the snappy pace will engage children as they devour Catrow’s detailed, hand-drawn artwork. . . . This will make for a fun story time, where bodily functions can be the silliest."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2021-08-11
An unnamed protagonist is hungry—and all they want is an apple.

But how will they get one? The answer, they realize, is clear: They’ll have to use all the different parts of their body to help them get to the apple. First, they use their brain to locate where the fruit might be in the house. Then, they use their legs and feet to wander around the house, looking for where the apple might be. Next, they beseech their heart to keep pumping blood through their body to keep them going, then use their nose to try and sniff out the mysterious apple’s whereabouts. They then deploy eyes, arms, and fingers to find and pick up the apple; their five senses—along with their teeth—enable the kid to enjoy the crunchy fruit. By the time they’ve eaten the apple, the child has used—and celebrated—some of the most important parts of their body. The book ends with the child appreciating and loving the body that allows them to do so much. The illustrations are whimsical and full of movement, the narrator a trademark Catrow kewpie, with brown skin, glasses, and straight, black hair in three pigtails. The storyline mostly consists of naming different body parts and their functions, making this book most appropriate for very young readers. However, the message about body positivity will resonate with all ages. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A playful introduction to the body parts. (Picture book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews