"The truth hurts, but silence kills" — Mark Twain. Do you believe that it's better to tell the truth than keep loved ones in the dark for the sake of protecting them from getting hurt? Whether or not, you would want to read The Last Apple Tree by prolific children's author Claudia Mills. Enter to win a signed copy and more!
My Review:
Written with wisdom and gentle humor, The Last Apple Tree tells a captivating and comforting tale about love, loss, family, friendship, honesty, courage and forgiveness.
Sonnet and Zeke are two seventh graders who are next-door neighbors attending the same middle school. With little in common, they hardly talk to each other until Sonnet is kind of forced to partner with Zeke on a school project which involves interviewing Sonnet's grandpa. Zeke keeps upsetting Sonnet by not following her plan and asking random questions about the past that cause her grandpa to shed tears. But why do her grandpa and her little sister Villie seem to like Zeke so much? Has she been wrong about avoiding any mention of her late grandma?
Alternating between the perspectives of Sonnet and Zeke, the novel allows readers to understand the characters better by seeing things from different standpoints. Each character is multi-faceted and well-developed through their thoughts, words, and ways of handling things.
Sonnet and Zeke differ greatly in their personality and upbringing.Sonnet is sensitive, self-conscious and lacks confidence. She tries hard to keep everyone happy by dodging all topics that might trigger sad memories. She's also caring, considerate and conscientious, having to step into the role of a caregiver when her mom gets lost in poetry writing. Raised in a vegan family and homeschooled by his environmental activist dad, Zeke is denied access to electronic devices like cellphone, gaming system and TV. Under the influence of his strict, dismissive dad, he appears to be critical, argumentative and difficult to get long. In fact, he is smart, kind and ready to help. My favorite character in the story has to be Villie, who is sweet, adorable, friendly and wildly imaginative.
Both Sonnet and Zeke are undergoing transitions in life and eager to make friends. Due to the relocation of her family, Sonnet faces the need to adjust to a new school in a new state, while Zeke tries to fit in a regular school and act "normal" after being homeschooled for years. Their experiences shed light on the fear, anxiety, and challenges brought about by a major change, inspiring young readers to be resilient, confident and communicative.
Building on realistic everyday life scenarios that one can easily relate to, the story explores the dynamics of family relationships, including those between siblings, between children and their parents, and between children and their grandparents. It suggests different approaches to dealing with loss and how family members may support one another in the grieving process. It encourages youngsters to delve into the life lessons hidden in stories told by the older generations. Meanwhile, the tension between Zeke and his dad urges parents to rethink about how far they should go in pushing their kids to follow their own path and passion.
Poetically written, The Last Apple Tree is a charming middle grade novel that touches the heart and nourishes the mind.
About the Book:
Ages: 9-12 | 264 Pages
Publisher: Holiday House (2025) | ISBN: 978-0823461882
Twelve-year-old Sonnet’s family has just moved across the country to live with her grandfather after her nana dies. Gramps’s once-impressive apple orchard has been razed for a housing development, with only one heirloom tree left. Sonnet doesn’t want to think about how Gramps and his tree are both growing old—she just wants everything to be okay.
Sonnet is not okay with her neighbor, Zeke, a boy her age who gets on her bad side and stays there when he tries to choose her grandpa to interview for an oral history assignment. Zeke irks Sonnet with his prying questions, bringing out the sad side of Gramps she’d rather not see. Meanwhile, Sonnet joins the Green Club at school and without talking to Zeke about it, she asks his activist father to speak at the Arbor Day assembly—a collision of worlds that Zeke wanted more than anything to avoid.
But when the interviews uncover a buried tragedy that concerns Sonnet’s mother, and an emergency forces Sonnet and Zeke to cooperate again, Sonnet learns not just to accept Zeke as he is, but also that sometimes forgetting isn’t the solution—even when remembering seems harder.
Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org
About the Author:
Claudia Mills is the author of over 60 books for young readers, including most recently the verse novel The Lost Language and the middle-grade novel The Last Apple Tree, as well as two chapter-book series: Franklin School Friends and After-School Superstars. Her books have been named Notable Books of the Year by the American Library Association and Best Books of the Year by the Bank Street College of Education; they have been translated into half a dozen languages. Claudia is also a professor emerita of philosophy at the University of Colorado and a faculty member in the graduate programs in children’s literature at Hollins University. She has written all her books in her faithful hour-a-day system while drinking Swiss Miss hot chocolate.
For more information, check out claudiamillsauthor.com.
One Grand Prize winner will receive a signed copy of The Last Apple Tree, a signed copy of The Lost Language, and an hour-long Zoom author visit with Claudia Mills!
Ten additional winners will each receive a signed paperback copy of The Last Apple Tree!
Giveaway ends 10/22. Open to US only. Please fill out the entry form below. Good luck!
The Last Apple Tree: Book GiveawayDisclosure: This post is sponsored by Claudia Mills. All views and opinions expressed are my own. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for winner selection or prize fulfillment.
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