The Apple Doll by Elisa Kleven.

Lizzy had a special relationship with her apple tree, so when school was starting and she was worried about making friends, she found the perfect apple in the tree.  She made the apple a twig body and it became her friend who came with her to school.  Her teacher made her put away the apple but at lunch time, Lizzy brings her apple doll out again and the other children chat with Lizzie about her doll.  But it wasn’t that easy to make friends.  Lizzy continues to be lonely at school and her doll starts to look worse and worse.  Lizzy’s mother suggests drying the doll, and so the apple doll is preserved and Lizzy finds a new way to connect with her classmates.

The story of this picture book has depth and interest.  The relationship between Lizzy and her older sister is complex and honest.  Lizzy’s love for the apple is also complicated, and Kleven as an author allows it to be so, much to her credit.  Equally wonderful is the fact that Lizzy has to try several times to make connections with her classmates and still manages to connect in her own personal, introverted way.  Adding to the pleasure of this book are the illustrations, also by Kleven.  She has captured a vibrant world filled with deep, bright colors, activity and animals.  The pictures simply look like childhood with their bright and whimsical take on life. 

Recommended as a read-aloud for story times dealing with fall or returning to school.  Children ages 5-7 will enjoy it, especially if you have apples ready to be carved into apple dolls.