cover image The Hole by the Apple Tree: An A-Z Discovery Tale

The Hole by the Apple Tree: An A-Z Discovery Tale

Nancy Polette. Greenwillow Books, $14 (1pp) ISBN 978-0-688-10557-0

In this diverting variation on an alphabet book, Polette ( The Little Old Woman and the Hungry Cat ) introduces Harold, who digs a hole by the ``Apple'' tree. When two friends stop to watch, the boy explains that he is planting magic beans to make a ``Beanstalk'' grow up to a ``Castle.'' Two more pals arrive to join Harold's inventive romp through a handful of fairy tales--and through the rest of the alphabet. The children visit a ``King'' in ``Lilliput Land''; fly away with ``Peter Pan''; and drop in on a ``Queen'' who wants to harm ``Snow White.'' Finally, this cast of familiar characters gathers at the sleeping Harold's bedside. Making his debut as a children's book illustrator, Akgulian presents brightly hued cartoon drawings nicely attuned to Polette's playful narrative, which concludes with an alphabetical listing of objects for kids to locate in the text. Ages 3-up. ( Apr. )