Autumn

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Autumn, one of four titles in the "Nature Projects for Every Season" series by Phyllis S. Busch contains more than two dozen activities. The introduction gives a brief explanation of autumn and the changes that take place. Activities are divided into those that can be conducted outdoors and those which are indoor projects. For the latter, kids can raise a wooly caterpillar, make a wreath of leaves, learn about seeds, study bird's nests and more. The activities do not require elaborate supplies or preparation, but for young kids, adult assistance may be needed. There is an index and suggested reading list. The colorful illustrations by Megan Halsey are strategically placed throughout the text and work quite well on the sepia pages. One caveat, better editing would have caught the red tomatoes in the Ripen Some Fruit activity when the text clearly states that kids need to start the project with green tomatoes.

From The Critics

This book appears to be the best of the Phyllis Busch's four books on the seasons. She encourages children to use their senses to explore nature in many of the projects she describes. The fruit-ripening experiment on page 29 is presented clearly, and readers might find it interesting and educational. However, Busch goofs on page 25 when she says, in the first paragraph, that shadows are always the same shape as the object making them. The truth is that the shape of a shadow depends on the angle of the sun as it strikes the object, as well as the surface of the object the sun is striking. The third paragraph is a contradiction of the first paragraph. (from the Nature Projects for Every Season Series.) Questionable, Grades 3-6. REVIEWER: Pamela Crowe (freelance writer)