Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth is a memoir written in-verse. It has received many accolades and awards including the American Indian Youth Literature Award, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. It covers his time growing up on a reservation, and his eventual transition to life out in the city. The purpose of this memoir was to combat the Native slur: “Red on the outside, white on the inside” by exploring society from his point of view as he navigates both the “white man’s world” and the world he was born into.
I found myself completely taken with this book. As someone who is familiar with the Native way of life (my mother’s side of the family is Native American), I found this book to be both comforting and empowering. I was extremely happy to know that this book was part of the works being used as representatives of the Indigenous community. Not only was it particular to the author’s experience of living as an Onondaga among Tuscaroras, but it also provided so much insight to the experience of Indigenous peoples in the US. This quality makes it a great tool for educating and spreading understanding.
I think the biggest issue readers would have with this book is its “maturity level.” I personally had no trouble following along, but I could see where issues could possibly arise for younger readers. However, this thought does not mean that it shouldn’t be included in the YA genre, just that it might not be for everyone. YA is the genre that deals with so many social issues, and with such a large age range, this book is a great addition.
The style of this memoir was also something I greatly appreciated. There were a lot of photographs and self-made artwork intermingled with the chapters, which made the piece seem more like a scrapbook. The writing style was also rather casual, almost like the writer was jotting down his memories as they came to him. The combination of these two elements made the memoir seem a lot more authentic and strengthened the connection I felt to Gansworth’s story.
I truly loved Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth. It helped me to remember so many things that I had forgotten from my childhood and left me feeling more complete after I was done reading. Gansworth tells the story of being caught between two cultures by sharing his attempts at trying to fit in at his white school, and his inability to fully grasp as much of his heritage as he wishes he could. Despite its specificity to Native Americans, it is so much more than just being a story for Indigenous peoples. This is the type of book where there are so many different takeaways, so I would urge anyone and everyone to try it out.