Synopsis
It's hard when summer ends, but the hearty season that follows overflows with holidays, sports, and fun. In this companion to Spring Things, the author and illustrator pay tribute to fall.
Barbara KatzCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2
In catchy rhyme, Raczka celebrates the smells, tastes, holidays, experiences, and changes in nature that make the fall special. Children jump in leaf piles, birds migrate, bears hibernate, a father bakes an apple pie, kids play football and soccer, young tricksters dress up for Halloween, and an extended family shares a Thanksgiving feast. Besides the usual seasonal fare, the author introduces corn-crop reapers, bonfire builders, "former caterpillars" (monarch butterflies), and "helicopters" (whirling maple keys). For those unfamiliar with maple trees, the helicopter reference may be confusing, but it is clarified in the "Fall Facts" on the final page. The brightly colored, well-designed illustrations pulsate with energy, movement, and charm. They feature multicultural characters who often assume nontraditional roles, such as the girl who plays football. Curiously, Stead painted her monarch butterflies yellow and black with only traces of orange instead of the usual orange and black. Nevertheless, this is a strong choice for units on fall, one that will prompt discussions about why children love the season.