Autumn in the Air

October rolled in on Saturday with grey skies and some heavy rain. It felt tremendously autumnal.

There is a scent in the air that comes with fall and, part of it is mixed with the scent of apples in orchard which later find a home the fruit cellar in our basement.

In “The Part You Throw Away”, Tom waits sang that

Time is just memory

Mixed with desire

Helen Frost’s  Applesauce Weather has a bit of that scent about it, but in a manner appropriate for elementary age students.

Publisher’s Summary: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.

This is a wonderful story about family tradition and lore, loss and love.