Applesauce Weather [Hardcover]

In a touching poetic novel, a fall apple ritual—along with some inventive storytelling—brings a family together as they grieve the loss of a beloved family member.

When the first apple falls from the tree, Faith and Peter know that it’s applesauce weather, even though Peter is getting a little old for such things. It also means Uncle Arthur should be here to tell his stories, with a twinkle in his eye as he spins tales about how he came to have a missing finger. But this is the first year without Aunt Lucy, and when Uncle Arthur arrives, there’s no twinkle to be found and no stories waiting to be told. Faith is certain, though, that with a little love and patience, she and Peter might finally learn the truth about that missing finger. Paired with warm, expressive illustrations by Amy June Bates, this heartfelt tale by award-winning poet Helen Frost highlights the strength of family and the power of a good story.Throughout the tale, Bates' evocative oil-based pencil drawings build on the intimacy of Frost's narrative, deftly adding motion, whether it be in Faith's wind-swept hair or Peter hanging upside down from a tree. Frost's compact first-person poems shift in perspective from character to character, revealing the inner thoughts and feelings of each while simultaneously propelling the narrative and allowing for concise but realistic character development. Light yet poignant, this multigenerational family tale shows age proves no barrier when it comes to offering solace.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Frost, the gifted poet who wrote The Braid (2006), Crossing Stones (2009), and Salt (2013), offers a new verse novel for younger readers...Written with simplicity and grace, the story is told in three distinctive voices—or four, counting the seven interspersed verses of “Lucy’s Song.” From the light, airy lattice motif that opens each chapter to the well-defined character portrayals throulS