I love any book that is illustrated by Hiroe Nakata, but the Duck series by author Lynne Berry are some of my favorites. These seasonal books follow a family of 5 ducks as they have different outdoor adventures including ice skating in Duck Skates, camping in Duck Tents, and going to the beach in Duck Dunks. These books are written in a lilting rhyme that draws kids into the excitement of the story and the luminous watercolors by Nakata capture the exuberance of each adventure.
While I love all the books in this series, the autumnal Ducking for Apples is especially lovely. The illustrations in Ducking for Apples so perfectly show the brilliant colors of an autumn day that you can almost feel the cool breeze and golden sunshine. Kids love reading about the zany antics of the five ducks as they try to pick enough apples for an apple pie and the gentle ending makes this a fun, yet calming bedtime story. This isn’t exactly a factual account of how apples are grown or harvested, but it would still be a fun read before visiting an apple farm with kids, if only to show them how NOT to pick apples!
Discussion Questions for Ducking for Apples by Lynne Berry:
- Do you like to ride your bike, your scooter, or walk more? (or whatever other mode of transportation your child enjoys)
- The ducks use teamwork to reach the apples high up in the tree. When was the last time you used teamwork to accomplish something?
- Do you think the ducks way of picking apples was the best? How would you reach apples high up in a tree?
- What foods other than apples are harvested in the Fall? Which one is your favorite?
- What dessert do you think the ducks should have made?
Buy the book:
Ducking for Apples by Lynne Berry
In most of the Duck series of books, the ducks end their day with a snack and a snooze, and Ducking for Apples is no exception. The ducks are determined to pick enough apples for a pie or cake and end up making a beautiful apple tart with whipped cream. I decided to go in a different direction with my recipe and make some apple cider donuts. These donuts would be a perfect treat after a day of apple picking and are fun to make with kids. These donuts are baked instead of fried, so kids can help with almost every step of this recipe and they have a lighter texture than fried donuts. The apple flavor in these donuts comes from reducing a cup of apple cider to an almost syrupy consistency and adding it to the batter. This syrup gives the donuts a dense, tender texture and a distinct apple tang. To top off the donuts, I made a sugary maple glaze that adds another layer of autumnal flavor.
Maple Glazed Apple cider donuts
Preheat oven to 375ºF and using some of melted butter, grease a 12 cavity donut pan or two 6 cavity donut pans. In a small saucepan, simmer the apple cider over medium heat until it has reduced to about 1/3 cup, this will take about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a batter bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, remaining 2 Tbsp. melted butter, buttermilk, cooled apple cider reduction, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together using a rubber spatula until just moistened. Spoon the batter into the greased donut pan filling each cavity about 2/3 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until donuts are risen and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove donuts from oven and cool for 10 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
To prepare glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syurp, and vanilla extract until a thick glaze forms. It should be spreadable but not runny. Using a flexible spatula, frost each donut with about 1 Tablespoon of glaze.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375ºF and using some of melted butter, grease a 12 cavity donut pan or two 6 cavity donut pans. In a small saucepan, simmer the apple cider over medium heat until it has reduced to about 1/3 cup, this will take about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a batter bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, remaining 2 Tbsp. melted butter, buttermilk, cooled apple cider reduction, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together using a rubber spatula until just moistened. Spoon the batter into the greased donut pan filling each cavity about 2/3 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until donuts are risen and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove donuts from oven and cool for 10 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
To prepare glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syurp, and vanilla extract until a thick glaze forms. It should be spreadable but not runny. Using a flexible spatula, frost each donut with about 1 Tablespoon of glaze.
