"A tremendous homage to self-esteem, individuality, thoughtfulness, surrender, and hope." —School Library Journal, starred review
"An uplifting tale of triumph." —Kirkus Reviews
"As in her sparkling debut, Hidden Gem, Liu has created a charming and emotional protagonist to whom readers of all ages will relate: After all, recognizing and appreciating our own unique potential is an ongoing process. It’s a delight to follow along as this apple’s outlook changes from sour to sweet, eventually undergoing an astonishing transformation that celebrates the wonder of a new perspective and a hopeful future. " —BookPage
Praise for Hidden Gem
"While there are many recent children’s books that celebrate identity, make room for this one, which blends subtle humor and superb design for a profound, deftly conveyed message. . . Breathtaking." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Liu has created a delightful, reflective, rhyming, and engaging book for emerging readers. Her illustrations at first glance look simple, but are unassumingly detailed with social justice, racial, and gender identity connections that allow parents and teachers to talk about inclusion, tolerance, and acceptance within the context of the story, that can easily transfer to daily life and interactions. Children will enjoy having this book read to them and reading it themselves." —School Library Journal, starred review
"Alongside message-forward text, it’s the glowing colors of Liu’s distinctive visual style that carry the overarching message of self-wonder and innate worth." —Publishers Weekly
"Liu’s art matches the quirky tone of the book, using predominantly geometrical shapes with beautifully textured watercolor patterns . . . the reminder to love yourself as you are is still sweet and worthy of sharing." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
★ 06/01/2024
PreS-Gr 4—Whether it's third grade dodgeball teams or lining up to organize classroom celebrations or even just dance class, no one wants to be picked last. Readers will universally identify with the double-wide green apple who narrates: "I am an apple./ Today is the start of the season./ When every apple's life finds a reason./ It's the day when apples get picked from their tree …/ … everyone EXCEPT ME." This is painful enough, but the narrator spells out the grief in bold letters: "Why did they not pick me?" Children will be hooked. This is the keening, this is the quest, the great why of childhood, and this apple spells it out. Liu's splendid Hidden Gem took on life's truths from a rockier angle, but this book, in autumnal shades that appear to be stained glass or perhaps torn tissue paper layered to heady textures, takes on Snow White and Sir Isaac Newton, adages ("bad seed," "keep the doctor away," "apple of your eye"), recipes, and—nihilism. Educators are free to elucidate every single spread or gloss over what they will, but the creator of this book has taken everything to its essential, ultimate ending. In fact, this bad seed: Not shiny enough? Not tiny enough? The list of why and why not goes on, but the delivery nibbled on, stomped on, finishing last, falls into the deep dark ground and becomes a tree. This book is a showstopper. Every line is a philosophical question or a plunge into science or popular culture. VERDICT For libraries without shelves about late bloomers, start here. A tremendous homage to self-esteem, individuality, thoughtfulness, surrender, and hope.—Ginnie Abbott
2024-04-20
A lonely apple is left behind at harvest time.
All the apples have wide-open eyes, but our protagonist—green with a brown spot, in contrast to the bright red ones—has a questioning personality. In simple, rhymed text, the unpicked apple wants to know why it wasn’t selected: “Am I not shiny enough to sell at the market? Or not tiny enough to be used as a target?” (The accompanying illustration for that last line depicts William Tell.) Other apple allusions appear: Newton’s encounter with a falling apple; the evil stepmother, the poisoned apple, an unconscious Snow White, and the seven dwarfs. Our apple plaintively wonders: “Am I too ordinary to make or break your day?” Well-known apple adages are referenced as the apple adds, “Or not sweet enough to be the apple of your eye? Or not extraordinary enough to keep the doctor away?” While young children may need adult readers to explain some of these examples, they’ll understand the little apple’s unhappiness. They’ll be upset when insects try to devour the apple and seemingly bury it but will cheer when the passage of time brings about an amazing transformation: The apple eventually becomes a tree. Bold colors and shapes reminiscent of Eric Carle’s artwork will entice children; they’ll be gratified to see this seemingly hopeless piece of fruit ultimately succeed.
An uplifting tale of triumph. (Picture book. 4-6)
