Children's Literature
- Ken Marantz
As summer ends, Fletcher, a young fox, begins to worry that his favorite tree is sick. Leaves turn brown and fall. Fletcher tries to catch and reattach them but is distressed as he is unable to save any. He takes the last leaf to bed with him, sad that his tree is left all on its own. The next morning, however, he discovers the tree covered with shining icicles, "more beautiful than ever." The tree seems to reassure him that it is all right, so he is ready to give it a hug and go back for his warm breakfast. The simple tale of caring is lyrically told, hinting at some philosophical base. Beeke's pastel illustrations, full double-page scenes, and some intimate vignettes, are gentle evocations of Fletcher's empathy and innocence. There is a greater concern for esthetic impact than for rendering natural history. The endpapers show the tree in the autumn at the start and in the winter landscape at the end, while the double page of it covered with icicles glitters in three dimensions.
Children's Literature
- Dianne Ochiltree
It is autumn, and the leaves are falling from Fletcher's favorite tree. He worries about this strange behavior. He thinks, something must be terribly wrong! He wonders how he can help his friend keep her leaves. Fletcher comes up with some inventive although ultimately unsuccessful ways to keep the leaves from falling. At last winter comes and with it a wonderful surprise for Fletcher and his tree. Young readers will love following the funny action in this picture book, along with the very expressive watercolor illustrations done in brilliant autumn hues. The twin themes of friendship and the change of the seasons are presented in a way that children will easily recognize and understand. The gentle pacing of the story is perfect for bedtime or preschool story time reading. No wonder this title received a starred review from the School Library Journal when it was first released in hardcover. This soft cover edition now offers parents, teachers, and librarians a lovely and poetic tribute to autumn and winter in a very affordable format. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3-This potent synthesis of art and prose conveys a child's first awareness of the changing seasons with reverence and wonder. Fletcher, a tiny fox, is concerned when his favorite tree turns brown. His mother tells him, "Don't worry, it's only autumn," but the tree hardly seems fine to Fletcher. As its leaves fall and flutter away, the youngster struggles in vain to catch and reattach them. When only one leaf remains, he does his level best to secure it to the limb, but eventually the stem dries up and the leaf pops off. Mournful and confused, he carries it home and takes it to bed with him. Still worried about his tree, he wakes up the next morning to find that it has undergone a sweet and satisfying transformation. Beeke's resplendent watercolors work beautifully with the book's tone, content, layout, and design. Picture books about nature sometimes suffer from cloying, excessively pastoral language or imagery; this rare example succumbs to neither. A first purchase for every collection.-Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Fletcher is a young fox concerned about his favorite tree. "I think my tree is sick," he tells his mother, in reference to its brown leaves. His mother tells him not worry, that it's only autumn. Comforted, Fletcher pats his tree and reassures it. But as leaves begin to fall, Fletcher's worry increases, and he vows to collect all of the leaves and reaffix them. Despite his best efforts-he even tries to keep other animals from removing the leaves-Fletcher awakes one morning to find that the tree is bare, save one leaf that he brings home for safekeeping. When Fletcher next returns to visit the tree, he is met with a glorious sight: Glittering icicles adorn it. Awed, Fletcher asks if the tree is all right, and a breeze softly shakes its branches, causing them to nod and emit soft laughter. Softly glowing illustrations, evocative and full of depth, are perfectly matched with the warm and lyrical text. A poetic tribute to winter and fall, Fletcher's story is sure to resonate with young readers. (Picture book. 4-7)
Children's Literature
- Joan Kindig
Alarmed by the change in his favorite tree in autumn, Fletcher worries that something awful is happening to it. His mother reassures him that many trees' leaves change color in autumn and Fletcher is relieved. But when the tree starts dropping its leaves, Fletcher frantically tries to reattach them as best he can. Animals like porcupine and squirrel grab the fallen leaves to help them keep warm in the chilly weather. Fletcher tries and tries to get the leaves back on their branches but fails miserably. Finally, after a troubled night's sleep, Fletcher goes outside and finds that his tree is completely covered in the most glorious, shimmering icicles. It is then that Fletcher understands that sometimes things change for the better. This book is a natural to incorporate into lessons on the four seasons. Children can brainstorm what Fletcher's tree will look like when winter draws to a close and spring begins and then, later, what will happen in summer. This book is also about change and about how unsettling change can be. This reassuring tale will comfort and prepare children who are in the midst of change in their own lives. Beeke's illustrations are soft and warm which supports the text beautifully. Katherine Kellgren, a noted audiobook narrator, does a perfect job reading the text with the pacing of a young reader who needs a bit more time to follow along than a more advanced reader. All in all, this is a lovely package for classrooms, libraries, and homes. Reviewer: Joan Kindig, Ph.D.
