Children's Literature
This nonfiction picture book, the first of four interrelated books about the seasons, conveys changes that take place during the fall with animal, plant and human life, as well as changes that take place in the weather. Linda Glaser's simple, yet descriptive, informative text written in the first person shows her appreciation for the wonders of nature. Susan Swan's superb paper sculptures make each page come alive with the vibrant colors and rich feelings associated with the fall season. All this makes the reader want to leap into a gigantic pile of crunchy autumn leaves. In the back section of the book, Glaser lists seventeen wonderful hands-on activities that give deeper understanding of the fall season. This book is a wise choice for early childhood educators to use across the curriculum. It's also a super book for parents to use with their children. Part of the "Celebrate the Seasons" series. 2001, The Millbrook Press, $21.90 and $7.95. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Earla Somerville
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1-A young boy describes what happens to animals, plants, and people in the autumn. Simple sentences explain that geese, hawks, and monarch butterflies migrate while other creatures hibernate, including the ladybug, earthworm, and frog. While the imagery of the harvest moon and silky milkweed is vivid, at times the text's rhythm feels awkward-"It's fall!/The air is turning crisp and cold./It's time to wear our warmer clothes./We put on jackets and pants and long sleeves/to keep us warm when it turns breezy." The stunning cut-paper art in the spectrum of autumn colors is highly detailed, richly textured, and fully supports the text. A long list of seasonal nature activities at the end of the book includes collecting seeds to plant in spring and going outside with a grown-up to look at the moon and stars. Consider Zoe Hall's Fall Leaves Fall! (2000) and It's Pumpkin Time! (1994, both Scholastic) as simpler companions.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
This celebration of all things autumn will delight young children as they begin to imagine piles of leaves for jumping and big orange pumpkins for carving. The lyrical text follows a young boy as he watches the animals and plants begin their journey into the colder months ahead. Readers will almost be able to hear the crunch of the fallen leaves underfoot and the rattling of the dry cattails-and smell the warm, salty smell of roasted pumpkin seeds through this first in a four-volume series that investigates the seasons. Beautiful photographs of cut paper that can only be described as sculptural accompany the simple text. From the young boy's spiky, orange hair to the wispy tendrils of the milkweed as it is caught up by the wind, the layers of color give the illustrations a depth that paint alone would have a difficult time replicating. Following the narrative is a section detailing many nature activities to do in the fall, including planting bulbs for the spring, creating a compost pile, and taking a moonlit walk. Nature seems to come alive within the pages of this beautiful and interesting tribute to the many joys of autumn. (Picture book. 4-8)
