The Alphabet Kids books follow the adventures of Allegra, Elena, Isaac, Oni, Umar and Yang, a group of children having fun while learning about the diverse aspects of their cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The stories are intended to help children love who they are, and realize that people who are different can be very good friends.

Learn about the importance of trees with Allegra's Apple Tree. Allegra is one of the Alphabet Kids, a group of kids who have fun learning about the languages, celebrations, food and music of one another's cultures.  In this story, Allegra's teacher, Mr. Jackson, teaches readers about trees: how to draw them and what they can be used for. The classroom works together to come up with different ways to save paper. The illustrations are high gloss, computer-colored pictures with vibrant, fun color and pattern contrast - especially on the kids' clothes. The book is small and thin, so it's easy to pack ag and take anywhere!

Since the Alphabet Kids are so diverse, your little one is bound to find one that they can relate to. Encourage your child to join in with Allegra and her friends by drawing their own tree at home. How tall should it be? How many branches should it have? Does it grow fruit? What colors should it be? You can also discuss the paper-saving suggestions from the book: Umar suggests filling the whole page before getting a new piece of paper, Oni thinks to use both sides, and Yang decides to practice drawing on the chalkboard so he doesn't waste any paper at all! Which idea does your child like the best? Can you try these things at home? Are there any other ways you can think of to save paper at your house?

Allegra Joyce Kassin is the creator of the Alphabet Kids concept. She is a devoted mother of five and grandmother of seven. With a strong belief in family values and deeply committed to multicultural understanding, she brings unique vision, clarity, continuity and extraordinary leadership to the Alphabet Kids team. She is involved in every aspect of development of the Alphabet Kids characters and their stories. She has brought them to life to share with the children of the world! Allegra Joyce has been engaged in wide ranging philanthropic activities from childhood well-being and health to community development and educational enrichment for over thirty years.

Patrice Samara is co-author of the Alphabet Kids books and Executive in Charge of Development. An Emmy Award-winning producer and United Nations NGO Representative, she has with over twenty years expertise in communications and entertainment. She has won over fifty awards for creativity and excellence including two Parent’s Choice Awards and the 2010 Global Citizenship Award for Helping Humanity from Orphans International. Patrice combined her dedication to educational equality, literacy, and multiculturalism utilizing her global resources to make the Alphabet Kids a virtual celebration of diversity.