Apple: Skin to the Core

Reach for this book when your teenager is wrestling with the complex layers of their identity or feeling caught between two worlds. This poetic memoir explores Eric Gansworth's experience growing up Onondaga on a Tuscarora reservation, tackling the painful history of residential schools and the sting of being labeled an apple, red on the outside but white on the inside. It is an essential read for families navigating cultural erasure, systemic prejudice, or the simple but profound desire to belong. Through a mix of verse and photography, the book offers a raw and ultimately resilient look at how we reclaim our heritage from the stereotypes imposed upon us. It is best suited for mature middle schoolers and high school students who are ready for honest conversations about racism and historical trauma.