THE APPLE PIE TREE

A simple nature story about an apple tree in winter, spring, summer, and fall. ``My sister and I have a tree that grows the best part of apple pie. Can you guess what that is? Apples!'' In winter, the tree is brown, but in spring, leaves grow and a robin nests in the branches. In the days that follow, buds, blossoms, bees, tiny apples, and mature fruit appear. In the final pages, the two girls (with help from adults) make and eat an apple pie. A recipe is included, as is information on how the bee pollinates the apple flower. Halpern uses soft greens, browns, and pinks in the cut- paper collages; careful shading, painting, and layering give the illustrations dimensionality, with the textured nest and marbled tree trunk especially effective. An appealing study for young children. (Picture book. 4-7)