Parents' Guide to

Apple: (Skin to the Core)

By Lucinda Dyer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Extraordinary must-read memoir of coming of age on the Rez.

Book Eric Gansworth Autobiography 2020
Apple: (Skin to the Core) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

APPLE is a life told in poems. The Gansworth family are Onondagas, but they live on a Tuscarora reservation in New York State. He's the youngest of seven children and grows up in a house without running water, where 10 or 11 people sometimes share three bedrooms. His mother walks miles to her job cleaning houses and his father is almost always absent, but he's surrounded by a caring extended family. He loves comic book superheroes and Batman but wishes the Fantastic Four would see Native Americans as superheroes not "the super hapless." At 11, he's working tying grapes at a local farm to earn money for school, and at 13, he has a summer job at a garage. He's often hungry and sometimes uses an electric blanket for warmth in the unheated house. In his mostly White high school, he regularly hears things like "You've got a good work ethic" or "You've got a good grasp of grammar" ... "You know, for an Indian." A high school counselor tells him that college is not for him, that working in a garage is what his future holds, but he finds his way to a local community college. The last section of the book follows Gansworth through his 20s, 30s, and 40s, into his 50s and life as a college professor, writer, and artist. It's also a time when his poems tell of a new generation of Gansworths who are exploring and embracing their Native American heritage. Scattered throughout the book are family photos (unfortunately without identifying captions) and black-and-white reproductions of Gansworth's paintings.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This memoir is at once heartbreaking, achingly intimate, enraging, and inspirational. A deeply affecting window into a world where books seldom travel, Apple isn't a quick or easy read. It's long, the typeface is small, and the rich content of the poems means readers need to pay close attention. But these poems will send a powerful message of encouragement to any young reader who's ever been an outsider or felt they could never dream of a future full of promise.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Apple taught them about prejudging people. Do teachers or students in your school ever make assumptions ("She wouldn't be smart enough to take honors classes" or "He must be good at sports") about students of color or students who come from less advantaged homes?

  • The author writes about "the value of memories." What important lessons have you learned from your own memories or the memories shared by your parents or grandparents?

  • Have you ever been in a school, on a sports team, or in after school activity where you felt out of place or misjudged? Did you ever find a way to fit in?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate