A Apple Pie by Kate Greenaway 1960's copy

 This was a library copy and has some stamp marks. Pages are not numbered, yellow boards w/pictorial front. There is no rhyme for the letter I. In the early versions the letters I and J were not differentiated. Produced from the original woodblocks engraved in 1886. Has number 677.362 under publisher's name. boards soiled, some wear to the corners, 1 page torn (the letter Q page) as shown in photos, remnants library envelope

Among the first great illustrators of children’s books was the Englishwoman, Kate Greenaway (1846-1901). One of the charming books she created for young children learning to read is "A Apple Pie."
On the title page, we see children holding apples, flour, sugar and a rolling pin. Obviously, they are about to bake an apple pie.

On the first page, a number of boys and girls are dancing around a large apple pie. Greenaway writes the letter A in bold print. The next page has the bold print B and the next part of the nursery rhyme.

As the new pages are created with their corresponding letters, the author continues to tell the story of the apple pie. We see the children cutting the pie and eating the dessert. Unfortunately some of the middle letters of the alphabet such as L and M cause the youngsters to long and mourn for the pie.

Later on, R and S, the children are much more aggressive to get the pie by running and singing for the delicacy. By the end of the book, all the children are sampling a delicious slice of the pie as they march off to bed in their charming 18th-century bedclothes.

This book is a pleasant and delightful experience to share with children. After hearing the book read several times, children will naturally begin clapping their hands and chanting, "Apple Pie, Bite it, Cut it, Dealt it, Eat it etc." The cadence and rhythm of the book are enjoyable and children will especially like the warm and caring mood created by the story.

All of the figures are drawn in old-fashioned clothes favored by Kate Greenaway. The girls wear smocks down to their ankles, with a sash tied around the waist. They rather look like the "empire dresses" so favored in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The boys wore jackets over high-waisted trousers. Though they look somewhat stylish, they would have taken some getting used too, as they seem uncomfortable.

The Kate Greenaway Medal is named after the famous illustrator. It has been awarded since 1955 in the United Kingdom for books with outstanding illustrations.