Weekend Fun: Snow White’s Apple!
Apples feature prominently in children’s literature, and one of the first that comes to mind is the infamous poisoned apple in the story of Snow White. Fairy tales have been illustrated in a variety of styles by children’s book artists, but among the most lavish is Snow White by the Brothers Grimm illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (CHI 398.20943 GRI).
For a quirky look at the princess on the lam, check out Snow White and the 77 Dwarfs by Davide Cali, illustrated in whimsical modern art by Raphaelle Barbanegre (E CALI). And there are twists in the tale in Snow White Sees the Light by Karen Wallace, in which Snow only pretends to eat the poisoned apple in order to find out what the dwarfs really think of her (ER WALLACE) , and Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by Liesl Shurtliff, which gives a (slightly) different perspective from a dwarf who sides with the evil queen (J FIC SHURTLIFF)
Graphic novel enthusiasts might like Snow White by Matt Phelan, which is set in 1928 New York City and has the evil stepmother trying to steal Snow’s inheritance after the stock market crash.
Whatever your taste in poisoned apples and Snow White’s adventures, extend the story by making 3-D stuffed apples out of paper bags! Make lots of apples and fill a basket and pretend to be the evil queen selling them to Snow White!
How to Make a 3-D Stuffed Apple
What you need:
- one or more brown paper bags, any size (one for each apple)
- scissors
- red, green, and/or yellow paint
- sponge or disposable sponge brush
- yarn or string
- hole punch or yarn needle
What you do:
- Draw an apple on the paper bag by making the letter ‘C’ and then drawing a backwards ‘C’ right next to it so that the openings face each other. Make it as large as possible. If you can’t draw an apple, find a coloring page online and trace it. (See the first picture below)
- Cut out the apple shape. Keep the bag folded to get two shapes, one for the front and one for the back.
- Put a little paint in a take-out tray and dip the sponge brush in the paint. Dab paint over each apple shape (one side only).
- When the paint is dry, repeat using just a little of a second color – for example, if you painted the apple red, add a little green. If you used green, add a little yellow. This will give more dimension to the apple.
- Cut one of the scraps left from cutting out the apple into a leaf shape and paint it green.
- Cut a stem from the bag scraps. (See the second picture below)
- When the paint is completely dry, thread a yarn needle (the kind with the blunt end and a large eye hole) with yarn or string. TIP: Younger children may find it easier if you punch holes around the apple first. They can thread the yarn in and out of the holes. Wrap a piece of tape on the end of the yarn to make it easier for them to sew.
- Start at the top and sew the front and back of the apple together by poking through both pieces from the same side all the way around the apple. TIP: Leave a little piece hanging to help tie it when you finish sewing.
- Before sewing it completely closed, stuff the apple with crumpled scrap paper (this is a good way to get rid of the bag scraps).
- Finish sewing to close the opening, putting the leaf and stem into the opening. In the sample, we sewed the leaf onto the apple as we closed the opening and then put glue on the bottom of the stem and slipped it in one of the spaces.
- Remove the needle and tie the two ends of the yarn or string together.
