Secrets of the Apple Tree by Carron Brown (An Usborne Book)

Secrets of the Apple Tree by Carron Brown

Today we read the most unique book, Secrets of the Apple Tree by Carron Brown and Alyssa Nassner.  It’s called a Shine-A-Light Book.  The pages are designed so that your child reads a page and then shines a light on the page to reveal “hidden” animals and critters.  No flash light?  No problem.  You can just hold the book up so that light shines on the pages.

Secrets of the Apple Tree is all about life surrounding a tree.  While reading this book, your child will learn how roots soak up water to help trees grow.  They will also learn about worms which wriggle around those roots.  Your child will read about how fallen tree branches provide homes and food for tiny creatures.  Larger creatures like rabbits live around trees too and they burrow tunnels and build nests under the ground.  Other animals and insects also make trees their homes, like flies, bees, moths, spiders, caterpillars, squirrels, and birds.  Your child will learn that some trees provide food for humans, like apples from the apple tree.

The last couple of pages provide your little readers with a little more information about how all the critters around the tree make trees their home.

Secrets of the Apple Tree is filled with 36 pages of discovery.  It is intended for children ages 4-8.  The children in my care are between 2 and 5.  They all loved it, even without a flashlight.  The light makes the book more interesting but it is not necessary to enjoy the book.  Once the child turns the page, he or she can see the mystery.  A few times, instead of shining a light on the page, I asked the kids to guess the hidden secret.  Then, the secret was revealed when we turned the page.

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