Make Your Own Pet Apple

Personification is one tool that writers use to bring their words to life. You can imagine a “sleeping meadow,” or darkness that crept in on the moon’s billowing cape. But personification doesn’t just have to be beautiful or haunting… it can also be really funny!

In the following poem, it is the personification of what the banana is unable to do that makes the experience hilarious. When you read the poem out loud, imagine the banana actually doing these things! Now, imagine your disappointment if you actually thought a banana could fetch and run and bow.

I Bought a Pet Banana

I bought a pet banana
and I tried to teach him tricks,
but he wasn’t any good at
catching balls or fetching sticks.

He could never catch a Frisbee,
and he wouldn’t sit or speak,
though we practiced every afternoon
and evening for a week.

He refused to shake or wave or crawl
or beg or take a bow,
and I tried, but couldn’t make him bark
or get him to meow.

He was terrible at playing dead.
He couldn’t jump a rope.
When he wouldn’t do a single trick
I simply gave up hope.

Though I liked my pet banana,
I returned him with regret.
Boy, I sure do hope this watermelon
makes a better pet.

–Kenn Nesbitt

So, the banana makes a really bad pet. Do you think a watermelon would be better, or do you think this kid is going to be disappointed again? In the following activity, you’ll learn how to turn an ordinary apple into your very own pet fruit. Maybe you’ll be able to train yours to sit, speak, and play dead. Or maybe just play dead!

Pet Apple Project

Materials:

• 1 firm apple (you can also use pears, peaches, or even melons)
• Pepitos (pumpkin seed kernels) or slivered almonds
• 2 mini marshmallows
• 2 raisins
• 1 fruit snack
• 2 Tooth picks
• Knife or pumpkin carver

Directions:

1. If you are planning on eating your pet (ew, gross), make sure you wash your fruit and dry it first.
2. With a knife or pumpkin carver (for younger children), slice a wedge out of the front by slicing at a downward angle toward the middle. Then move your knife down about a centimeter and slice at an upward angle. You will cut an open mouth.
3. Stick pepitos or almonds into the top and bottom of the mouth to make teeth.
4. Break a toothpick in half.
5. Place one raisin on top of each marshmallow. Spear one with half of the tooth pick. Repeat with the other half-toothpick, marshmallow and raisin.
6. Press the tooth-picked eyes into the apple a little bit above the mouth. Keep pressing until the broken end of the toothpick is no longer visible and the eyes are secure.
7. Break another toothpick and secure a fruit snack for a nose in the same way you secured the eyes.
8. Your monster is done. Clean up the mess… Pet’s make lots of messes you know.

Now you can decorate your pet any way you like, and be sure to give it a name! The one in the picture’s name is Al Apple. Does your apple make a better pet than the banana in the poem?