''Apple (Skin to the Core)'' is a poetic memoir for young adults, written by

Eric Gansworth Eric Gansworth is a Haudenosaunee novelist, poet and visual artist. Early life Gansworth was born in 1965 and is an enrolled citizen of the Onondaga Nation; however, he grew up in the Tuscarora Nation as a descendant of one of two Onondaga women ...

and published October 6, 2020 by

Levine Querido Levine (French transliteration from Russian) / Levin (English transliteration from Russian Левин) is a common Jewish (Ashkenazi Jewish) surname. Levinsky is a variation with the same meaning (see French version of the article for a full expla ...

. In this book, Gansworth talks about his life as an

Onondaga Onondaga may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Onondaga people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois League * Onondaga (village), Onondaga settlement and traditional Iroquois capi ...

individual, living amongst

Tuscaroras The Tuscarora (in Tuscarora ''Skarù:ręˀ'', "hemp gatherers" or "Shirt-Wearing People") are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government of the Iroquoian family, with members today in New York, USA, and Ontario, Canada. They co ...

, and the impact of residential schooling. As he covers these topics, he discusses common slurs against Indigenous Americans, including the term "apple," which refers to someone who is "red on the outside, white on the inside," that is, who looks Indigenous but acts white. On top of winning the

American Indian Youth Literature Award The '' American Indian Library Association (AILA) awards'' are presented every two years to recognize the most outstanding contributions to children's literature by and about American Indians. The awards were established as a way to identify and ho ...

for Young Adult, ''Apple'' was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and was a

Michael L. Printz Award The Michael L. Printz Award is an American Library Association literary award that annually recognizes the "best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit". It is sponsored by ''Booklist'' magazine; administered by the ALA's y ...

honor book.

Reception

''Apple: Skin to the Core'' is a Junior Library Guild book and was generally well-received, including starred reviews from '' Booklist'' and '' Shelf Awareness.'' ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' called the book " rare and special read," while '' School Library Journal'' called it "bittersweet but ultimately inspiring." Jen Forbus, writing for ''Shelf Awareness'', noted, "With dramatic textual imagery, nuanced storytelling and evocative illustrations, ''Apple'' is a stirring depiction of Indigenous life." ''Booklist's'' Kay Weisman, stated, "Gansworth’s art, a mix of gouache paintings, photographs, and collages (reproduced in black and white), is interspersed throughout, adding interest and detail. With language rich in metaphor, this is a timely and important work that begs for multiple readings." The Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature, NPR, ''Shelf Awareness'', and '' Time'' named ''Apple'' one of the best books for children and young adults in 2020.

References

{{American Library Association 2020 children's books Arthur A. Levine Books books 2020 non-fiction books English-language literature Verse novels Indigenous literature of the Americas