Apples A to Z

McNamara (The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot) offers a smart, alphabetical tour of all things apple, handsomely illustrated by Parker (the Missile Mouse series). Through such entries as “deciduous,” “grafting,” “nutritious,” and “pollen,” McNamara shares concise and informative details about apples and the trees that bear them; products that derive from apples (cider, juice, pie) also get their due. A particularly nifty “V is for varieties” page offers an apple type for every letter of the alphabet, from Aroma to Zabergau, each carefully depicted by Parker. Guiding readers through the book is bushy-tailed Fox and his animal cohorts, a happy crew of apple-lovers that Parker imbues with a good amount of personality, invigorating the straightforward delivery of the text. Ages 3–6. Illustrator’s agent: Judith Hansen, Hansen Literary Agency. (Aug.)