Picture Books about Autumn

August 22 – First Day of Autumn

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About the Holiday

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, fall has arrived! If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, welcome to spring! Today, the hours of daytime and nighttime will be equal, ushering in a changing of the seasons. For some that means cooler weather, shorter days, and preparation in nature for the long winter, which leads to our seeing the brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges in the leaves of certain trees. Watching the leaves fall, swirl in the breeze, and pile up in backyards can only mean that a favorite autumn activity is just a leap away!

The Wishing Leaf

Written by Kallie George | Illustrated by Paola Zakimi

 

From his window, little Bear could see the very last leaf in the forest clinging to the old maple tree. He wanted to be sure to watch the leaf fall because he wanted to make a wish. When his mama told him it was time to go to sleep, Bear protested, and Mama relented with a kindly sigh.

Bear joined his friends, who were standing or sitting under the maple tree, gazing up. Some had brought snacks, Porcupine had binoculars, and Raccoon had brought a camera. “The leaf was bright and golden like a star.” Bear sat on a blanket with Hedgehog and Chipmunk and started to wait. He passed the time thinking about what he should wish for.

Illustration © 2025 by Paola Zakimi. Text © 2025 by Kallie George. Courtesy of Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Soon, the air turned cold and while the leaf fluttered in the breeze, it still did not fall. Some shivering animals went home. When the sky darkened, more animals packed up and left. Snowflakes even began to fall and stick. Little by little the rest of the animals went home, even Chipmunk and Hedgehog, who wondered what she would have wished for if only she’d been able to see the leaf fall.

Illustration © 2025 by Paola Zakimi. Text © 2025 by Kallie George. Courtesy of Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Only Bear was left, and he was growing sleepy too. He thought he might hear Mama calling him. “Bear yawned—a big, little bear yawn.” And just then “the leaf twisted . . . and tumbled, falling down, down, down, like a shooting star.” Bear “knew just what to wish for,” and his heart swelled as he imagined his wish coming true throughout the forest. When he turned to go home, Mama was there with a lantern and a snuggly hug. Back in his room, Bear was tucked into bed and drifted off to sleep.

Illustration © 2025 by Paola Zakimi. Text © 2025 by Kallie George. Courtesy of Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Kallie George is a master at writing endearing children’s stories that remain always within your heart. Her characters are always adorable, caring, and imbued with childhood wonder. In The Wishing Leaf, George amplifies the feelings of giving that define fall and early winter with her story of a young bear whose first thoughts are for his friends. Readers will be charmed by little Bear’s wishEquating the golden leaf to a shooting star is a touching reminder that the magical can be found wherever you look. George’s sweet phrasing and charming dialog create a cozy read aloud that adults and children will want to share time and time again. 

Paola Zakimi’s darling characters inhabit a lovely countryside, in which white smoke drifts from the chimneys of snug cottages, the hills and flowing river speak to the peaceful community, and the large, old maple tree stands waiting as patiently for its final leaf to fall as does little Bear sitting on his window seat, gazing out. Zakimi’s soft pencil and watercolor illustrations are adorably expressive, and her renderings of the warm relationship between Mama and little Bear as well as images of community members will inspire plenty of “Awwws.”

A perfect book for snuggly story times that also would make a much-loved gift, The Wishing Leaf is a must for home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419772467

About the Author

Kallie George is an author, editor, and creative writing teacher living in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has written acclaimed books for children, including The Lost Gift; Secrets I Know; Duck, Duck, Dinosaur, and The Melancholic Mermaid, as well as The Magical Animal Adoption Agency series and The Heartwood Hotel series. She has also taught writing workshops for children and adults across Canada, as well as in South Korea, and she currently teaches at Emily Carr University. Visit her at kalliegeorge.com.

About the Illustrator

Paola Zakimi spent her childhood in cold Patagonia, Argentina. She studied arts and graphic design in Buenos Aires before moving to Villa Giardino, Cordoba, where she resides today. She is the illustrator of Estelle Laure’s Before the World Wakes, Meg Fleming’s Here Comes Ocean, Jacqueline Veissid’s Ruby’s Sword, as well as Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt’s Teddy & Co., among other picture books. Visit her at paolazakimi.com.

First Day of Autumn Activity

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Falling for Fall Matching Puzzle

 

These kids are having fun in the leaves. Can you find the matching leaves in this printable Falling for Fall Puzzle?

You can purchase The Wishing Leaf from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

July 30 – International Day of Friendship

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About the Holiday

Established in 2011 by the United Nations General Assembly, the International Day of Friendship asserts the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. “In this year’s observance of the International Day of Friendship,” the UN General Assembly eloquently states, “we’re reminded that real peace is forged not only in negotiation halls or by writing into treaties — it’s built, thread by thread, in the trust we extend to one another in daily life. Friendship, especially among young people, holds a special kind of power. It can cross languages, faiths, and histories that might otherwise divide us. It invites us to listen before we judge, to stay when it’s easier to walk away. And when nurtured across cultures and communities, friendship becomes more than a bond—it becomes a blueprint for reconciliation. It teaches us that understanding isn’t a grand achievement; it’s a habit, a practice, a way of moving through the world that says ‘your well-being matters to me too’.”

Celebrate the International Day of Friendship all year long with today’s story for that can help young children build strong and trusting friendships from the earliest ages. For more information about the International Day of Friendship and a list of actions we can all take, visit the United Nations website. 

Thank you to Laura Sassi and Paraclete Press for sharing a copy of this book with me for review!

Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle

Written by Laura Sassi | Illustrated by Farah Shah

 

Belle Bunny, who lives in a tall, tidy pumpkin on Leaf Lane, is best friends with Boo Chipmunk, whose cozy home is a squat pumpkin shell. Despite the rain that’s been pouring down all week, both Belle and Boo are looking forward to getting together for their annual Pumpkin Day Tea that day. There’s just one hitch: while Belle is finishing her final preparations, Boo is still waiting for his invitation. Where could it be?

When the clock chimes three and with a warm fire crackling in the wood stove, Belle, “. . . grateful for a friend like Boo, . . . set out heaps of treats for two.” But Boo was taking his clues from the drab day, his dank den, and his smoking wet wood in his fireplace. “‘So much for friends like Belle!’ huffed Boo.”

Illustration © 2025 by Farah Shah, text © 2025 by Laura Sassi. Courtesy of Paraclete Press.

A hour went by and Belle was growing miffed because the tea was cold and the frosting melting. ‘”My tea is ruined! Did Boo forget? / Why hasn’t he arrived here yet?” Meanwhile, Boo was wondering if Belle’s kindness was “just pretend.” They both grabbed their umbrellas and headed outside. Unexpectedly, they bumped into each other on the bridge between their homes.

Illustration © 2025 by Farah Shah, text © 2025 by Laura Sassi. Courtesy of Paraclete Press.

Instead of hemming and hawing or ignoring each other, Belle asks Boo if he forgot their Pumpkin Tea, to which Boo replies that he never received an invitation. A moment passes between them—could each be telling the truth? Belle breaks the silence with an apology for not double-checking with Boo, and Boo says he could have done the same. With their friendship patched up and the sun beginning to shine, Belle and Boo head back to Belle’s house. There, Belle made new goodies while Boo steeped a new pot of tea, and they both pondered over the missing invitation. A sudden knock on the door answers the mystery with a surprising twist and a new reason to be thankful at their Pumpkin Day Tea!

The story was inspired by the sentiments of joy and gratitude found in Psalm 118:24, which appears on the final page.

Illustration © 2025 by Farah Shah, text © 2025 by Laura Sassi. Courtesy of Paraclete Press.

Laura Sassi’s breezy and heartening rhyming story for little ones is layered with depth and insight about the nature of friendship, expectations between friends, and generosity of spirit. Belle’s and Boo’s changing emotions are depicted honestly and in language that young children will understand, and when Boo and Belle meet on the bridge and a moment of doubt passes between them, adults and children have an opportunity to discuss how they think the characters feel, how they would feel in the same circumstance, and how they would resolve the issue with their own friends. Metaphors found in the weather and how each character responds to it as well as in the bridge where Belle and Boo meet and reconcile also offerareas for discussion. Bitsy’s entry into Boo and Belle’s long-standing tea for two also brings cheer and open-heartedness to the story. 

Farah Shah’s cozy pumpkin homes are washed in warm tones and full of charming details that children will adore. The crackling fire in Belle’s wood stove reflects her sunny personality while Boo’s smoking logs reflect his unhappy mood. The stormy weather outside foretells the coming clash between Boo and Belle. Both character’s facial expressions are easy to read and provide talking points for adults and kids. Just as Belle and Boo clear up the misunderstanding, the weather lightens and shines brightly with the inclusion of a new friend.

Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle is a charming and meaningful read aloud that’s perfect for friendship building at the beginning of the school year, Thanksgiving celebrations, and any time that empathy and understanding are needed. The book is highly recommended for home and library collections.

Ages Preschool – 3

Paraclete Press, 2025 | ISBN 979-8893480191

About the Author

Laura Sassi has been a teacher, homeschool mom, children’s ministry director, and more. She is the author of multiple books for young children including the best-selling Goodnight, Ark (Zonderkidz), which was a 2015 Christian Book Award Finalist, the My Tender Heart series (Paraclete Press), Happy Birthday Christmas Child (Paraclete Press), Love is Kind (Zonderkidz), Faithful Feet (WorthyKids) and more. She writes daily from her home in New Jersey and finds special joy in sharing messages of kindness, comfort, and hope at school visits, church gatherings, and other events.

About the Illustrator

Farah Shah is a children’s book illustrator who was born in West Yorkshire and is now based in the South of England. If she is not drawing characters at the kitchen table, then you can often find her traveling around the UK in search of sun, sea and a bit of inspiration.

International Day of Friendship Activity

Pumpkin Village Craft © 2025 by Laura Sassi

Pom-Pom Pumpkin Village – by Laura Sassi

 

Read Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle, then, inspired by a spirit of friendship and the adorable map on the opening spread, make your own pumpkin patch village out of pom-poms! Arrange the village in a cozy spot, then use your imagination to retell the story or create your own story of friendship and community. 

To make a pom-pom pumpkin village you will need:

  • orange yarn
  • stiff drawing paper 
  • scissors
  • tacky glue
  • colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Pumpkin Village Craft © 2025 by Laura Sassi

Directions: 

  1. For each pumpkin pom-pom, loosely wrap a single strand of orange yarn 60-80 times around four fingers or a similarly sized sturdy household item (such as a coaster). Next, gently slide the loopy bundle off your hand (or coaster). Cinch the looped yarn in the middle and tie securely in a knot with a separate piece of yarn. Snip the loops to make a ball. Then fluff and snip the uneven bits as desired.  These will be your pumpkins. Repeat to make as many as you want. The more you have, the bigger your village will be.
  2. Transform each pom-pom pumpkin into a house by cutting sturdy white paper to create a base. Glue the pom-pom to the base, then decorate each front yard using colored pencils, markers, or crayons. Cut doors, windows, and stems from the scraps, coloring them with whatever details you want. Finally, using ample tacky glue, affix the doors, windows and stems onto the pom-pom pumpkins, as shown above. 
  3. When everything is dry, set up your pumpkin village in a cozy spot. Retell the story or imagine new adventures you and a friend (or several) might have in a pumpkin patch village. Have fun!

You can purchase Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

December 6 – Celebrating the Book Birthday of Dark on Light

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Thanks to Beach Lane Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of Dark on Light for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Dark on Light

Written by Dianne White | Illustrated by Felicita Sala

 

The setting sun paints the sky a golden yellow, deepening to rose as it slips below the horizon. Trotting down the path from the cozy red farmhouse, it’s windows already aglow, a dog makes its way towards the woods. Three children—a brother and two sisters—look out over their yard and beyond to the rolling hills, wondering where their pet might be. They pull on boots and grab a flashlight. The youngest sister checks the doghouse just in case.

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Image copyright Felicita Sala, 2022, text copyright Dianne White, 2022. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

Following behind the beam of light, they pass through the gate, leaving their garden gnome behind while knowing how “inviting the trail. Timid the fawn. / Dark the hedge that borders the lawn.” The older sister waves to a doe and her baby standing silently in the meadow as she passes by, The full moon is on the rise as the children wade into the tall grasses where “lavender blooms, fragrant and bright. / Hedge and trail and dark on light.”

The late autumn sky is scattered with stars now as a ghostly figure moves overhead. The boy directs his flashlight upward, just in time to catch a barn owl pass by on its way to perch in a nearby tree. The older children call out their dog’s name and look behind trees while their little sister inspects tiny discoveries hidden in the grass and turns cartwheels in the deepening shadows. The flashlight’s beam illuminates something that begs more investigation. 

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Image copyright Felicita Sala, 2022, text copyright Dianne White, 2022. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

As a fox looks on and a squirrel, curled up in its nest, dozes, the girl bends down and shines the light into the hollow underneath a tree’s thick roots. And who should appear, but their adventurous pup. The game of hide-and-seek over, the four take in the mystery of the forest: “Damp the moss. Ancient the sky. / Dark the leaves, crisp and dry.” The dog runs from the woods as the kids give chase, the flashlight no longer needed under the glimmering moon. A lone rabbit hidden in undergrowth at the edge of the woods witnesses their play.

They near the house, elated by their nighttime escapade and brimming with the story as they run toward their father, who has come out to meet them with a lantern. The door opens and silver light spills across the porch, down the steps, and onto the well-worn path. Inside, it’s time for quiet cuddling, a story, and saying goodnight: “Cozy the blanket. Pillowed the head. / Dark the attic. Snug the bed. / Sapphire the window, glowing and bright. / Attic and blanket and dark on light.” Downstairs, the dog snoozes in his bed while in the sky above: “white the star, shimmering bright. / House and room and dark on light.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-dark-on-light-trail

Image copyright Felicita Sala, 2022, text copyright Dianne White, 2022. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

In this follow up to Green on Green, also illustrated by Felicita Sala, and Blue on Blue, illustrated by Beth Krommes, Dianne White calls readers back to explore the natural world. Her lovely, effortlessly flowing cadence transports readers into the wonders and mystery of a late autumn night with a trio of siblings on a mission to find their playful dog. As the three search, White invites readers to notice animals and plants, scents and sounds, and the colors and comfort of darkness and light with her overlapping and repeated phrasing. Her evocative vocabulary (a “timid fawn,” the “burnished moon,” an “ancient sky,” and the forest “veiled and deep,” among other beautiful choices) not only adds to the ambiance of the story but encourages readers to reflect on the complexity of the world around them. White does all of this while also presenting a mystery that kids will no less compelling for it’s gentle and straightforward resolution.

Accompanying White’s lyrical storytelling are Felicita Sala’s captivating watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations that glow with the setting sun, the warmth of a waiting home, the shimmer of the rising full moon, and the steadfast comfort of a flashlight in hand. Sala perfectly captures the rhythms of childhood, from the three siblings gathered at the window looking for their dog to their search through bushes and grasses close to home and farther afield to their excited return home and quiet bedtime routine. You can almost feel the smooth paving stones leading away from the house, smell the lavender as the older sister picks a small bouquet, and hear the children’s shouts and laughter upon returning home with their pet. The final scenes of cuddled-up reading and goodnight kisses and the house finally dark for the night make Dark on Light a perfect book for bedtime story times.

A superlative melding of lyrical storytelling and exquisite illustration that invites discovery and a love for language, Dark on Light is a book that both children and adults will love sharing for snuggly story times any time. The book is a must for home, school, and public library collections.   

Ages 3 – 8

Beach Lane Books, 2022 | ISBN 978-1534487895

About the Author

Dianne White is fond of lavender blooms and the way an orange moon hangs in the evening sky. She’s the author of several picture books, including the award-winning Blue on Blue, illustrated by Caldecott medalist Beth Krommes, and Green on Green, illustrated by Felicita Sala. Dianne lives with her family in Gilbert, Arizona, where many nights at twilight, the desert blazes rose on sapphire on dark on light. For more information and to download a free activity kit, visit diannewrites.com. You can connect with Dianne on Facebook: Dianne White | Instagram: @diannewrites | Twitter: @diannewrites

About the Illustrator

Felicita  Sala is a self-taught illustrator and painter. She has a degree in philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She now lives and works in Rome. She draws inspiration from nature, children, mid-century illustration,  folk art, and architecture. To learn more, visit felicitasala.com. You’ll also find Felicita on Instagram: @felicita.sala

Read a New Book Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-flashlight-clip-art

Flashlight On, Flashlight Off Game

 

It’s fun to play games in the dark! During Earth Hour flip off your lamps and overhead lights and play this game that challenges your memory while you think about our planet! This game can be played with two or more players.

Supplies

  • Flashlight 
  • 6 – 12 small objects (the number of objects can be adjusted depending on the ages of the players)
  • A table or floor area large enough to lay out the objects

Directions

With the Flashlight On:

  1. Lay out the objects on a table or on the floor
  2. Give all the players time to look at the objects and try to memorize them
  3. Choose one player to remove one of the objects

With the Flashlight Off

  1. Turn off the flashlight
  2. While the room is dark, the designated player removes one object from the rest
  3. Turn the flashlight back on

With the Flashlight Back On

  1. The other players try to figure out which object is missing

Variations

  • In addition to removing one object, the other objects can be moved around to different positions
  • Remove more than one object at a time
  • Add an object instead of removing one

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-dark-on-light-cover

You can find Dark on Light at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

August 12 – Cover Reveal of Leaves to My Knees plus Interview with Ellen Mayer and Nicole Tadgell

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Leaves to My Knees 

Hojas hasta las rodillas/Leaves to My Knees

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Nicole Tadgell

 

Camille is determined to rake her own pile of leaves―all the way up to her knees! She swishes leaves to and fro, watching her pile grow bigger alongside the piles made by Daddy and her little brother, Jayden. WHOOSH! After raking leaves to the top of her boots, a giant breeze blows the pile back down to her ankles. But Camille won’t be stopped until she gets the job done––a knee-high pile, the perfect size for… jumping in!

Leaves to My Knees and Spanish/English bilingual Hojas hasta las rodillas/Leaves to My Knees are playful introductions to the early math concepts of size comparison and measurement. A note by researcher and mathematics learning expert Marlene Kliman explains how parents and caregivers can use the book to help young children explore different sizes and measurement in everyday environments.

I’m thrilled to be talking with Ellen Mayer and Nicole Tadgell today about this gorgeous cover and their adorable—and educational—book that will be available this fall, just in time for leaf-raking season!

Meet Ellen Mayer

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To preorder from Amazon

Leaves to My Knees: Hardcover | Paperback

 Hojas hasta las rodillas/Leaves to My Knees

To order from Star Bright Books and be notified when the books become available click here: 

Leaves to My Knees: Hardcover | Paperback

Hojas hasta las rodillas/Leaves to My Knees 

Picture Book Review

September 22 – It’s the Autumn Equinox

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About the Holiday

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, fall has arrived! If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, welcome to spring! Today, daytime and nighttime will be equal, ushering in a changing of the seasons. For some that means cooler weather, shorter days, and a slowing down in nature which leads to our being able to see the brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges in the leaves of certain trees. The phenomenon featured in today’s book. For others nature is just awakening, with all the beauty warm weather and new growth bring. Wherever you live, enjoy the activities and events the change in season brings!

Before We Sleep

Written by Giorgio Volpe | Illustrated by Paolo Proietti

 

“As the season turned, the forest was dressed in new colors of rich amber, burned orange, and chestnut brown.” Little Red, the fox couldn’t wait to play hide-and-seek with his friend Hazel the dormouse because he would be so much harder to find. Little Red and Hazel also enjoyed jumping in the crisp, rustling leaves. “‘The leaves are laughing with us,’ said Hazel joyfully.” But there was one thing about autumn that Little Red did not like. He knew that soon winter would come and he would be lonely.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-before-we-sleep-berries

Image copyright Paolo Proietti, 2021, text copyright Giorgio Volpe, 2021. Courtesy of Red Comet Press.

Hazel was already getting ready to hibernate in her warm burrow. Little Red thought maybe this year Hazel would take a shorter sleep, but Hazel reminded her friend that, although she would like to keep him company, she couldn’t. Little Red thought of ways the earth could stay warm and nurturing, but his ideas, he knew, were just wishes. In fact, Hazel was already growing tired. She promised Little Red that come spring she would be back to play with him again.

Little Red wanted just a few more minutes with his friend and asked if he could tell her a story. Little Red curled up next to her cozy burrow, and Hazel nestled into his soft tail to listen. “But before a word of the story was spoken . . . the two friends had fallen fast asleep, together.”

Note: Only first-person pronouns are used in this story, making the characters gender-neutral.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-before-we-sleep-asleep

Image copyright Paolo Proietti, 2021, text copyright Giorgio Volpe, 2021. Courtesy of Red Comet Press.

Tranquil and soothing, Giorgio Volpe’s autumn friendship story floats on beautiful, evocative language that stirs memories of the fun fall offers while also reassuring readers that no matter what changes take place, love between friends always remains. Volpe’s story also touches on how friendships are built despite—or because of—individual differences. The sweet and comforting ending makes Before We Sleep not only a perfect fall read but a cozy bedtime story as well.

Paolo Proietti’s lush illustrations of a woodland dressed for autumn fuse realistic images of nature with delightful whimsy that mirrors the wistful tone of Volpe’s story and will charm readers. Proietti’s rich illustrations of fiery Little Red, adorable Hazel, and the plants, berries, nuts, and wildlife of the forest are set against lovely muted gray, blue, and sage backgrounds and invite readers to visit again and again.

A quiet and enchanting story for cozy fall days and dozy nights, Before We Sleep is highly recommended as a gift for family or friends and as an addition to home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Red Comet Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1636550046

To download a Before We Sleep Activity Kit and find video resources, visit Red Comet Press.

You can connect with Giorgio Volpe on Facebook.

You can connect with Paolo Proietti on Instagram.

Autumn Equinox Activity

celebrate-pciture-books-picture-book-review-fall-leaves-matching-puzzle

Falling for Fall Matching Puzzle

 

These kids are having fun in the leaves. Can you find the matching leaves in this printable puzzle?

Falling for Fall Puzzle

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You can find Before We Sleep at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

September 7 – Buy a New Book Day

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About the Holiday

Today’s holiday was established in 2012 to promote an appreciation for the influence books have made on culture and civilization as a whole. While watching shows and movies is fun, there’s nothing like ensconcing yourself with a good book and letting your imagination soar or learning new facts with the words in your hand.  To celebrate today and Read a New Book Month all through September, visit your local bookstore to see what’s on the shelves, call up and request a title or two, or order online to buy great reads for everyone in the family. And don’t forget to add today’s reviewed book to the list!

The Leaf Thief

Written by Alice Hemming | Illustrated by Nicola Slater

 

Squirrel loved autumn, when he could lounge on a branch under his colorful leafy canopy and count the patterns: “Red, gold, orange… red, gold, orange… red, gold…” Suddenly, Squirrel realized one of his leaves was missing. He began a frantic search. He looked under Ant’s rock and in Bird’s house. Then he spied Mouse floating in a puddle in a boat that looked just like his leaf.

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Image copyright Nicola Slater, 2021, text copyright Alice Hemming, 2021. Courtesy of Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

Bird tried to explain that it was “‘perfectly normal to lose a leaf or two at this time of year.’” Squirrel seemed to understand. But the next morning, Squirrel was shocked to discover that more of his leaves had been stolen—probably by Woodpecker, who was making a big blanket from them right outside his knothole. But Woodpecker protested that they were his and he’d “spent AGES collecting them.”

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Image copyright Nicola Slater, 2021, text copyright Alice Hemming, 2021. Courtesy of Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

Bird tried to remind Squirrel that the same thing had happened last year, and Squirrel agreed to try and relax. But the next morning, Squirrel woke up to a “DISASTER!” and when he saw Bird’s house festooned with leafy decorations, he accused her of being the thief. Bird patiently told Squirrel she was not the thief but offered to show him who was. Squirrel was rarin’ to meet them “‘because,” as he said, “I’ve got a few things I’d like to say to them!’”

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Image copyright Nicola Slater, 2021, text copyright Alice Hemming, 2021. Courtesy of Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

Bird took Squirrel to the little porch around her house where the wind whipped the little ladder, swirled leaves, and even blew away Mouse’s sailor’s hat. Then Bird calmly, but sternly, related the facts about fall and reassured Squirrel that the leaves would be back in the spring. Squirrel was relieved. “Of course! No Leaf Thief at all. Silly me,’” he said. “I’m going to sleep well tonight!’” But the next morning the grass was gone! Who had stolen it?!

Backmatter includes an engaging discussion about the changes that take place for trees and other parts of nature during autumn.

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Image copyright Nicola Slater, 2021, text copyright Alice Hemming, 2021. Courtesy of Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

Alice Hemming’s clever autumn story about a proprietary squirrel and his beloved leaves is packed with personality, humor, and heart. As long-term memory challenged Squirrel tries to grapple with the changing season, Bird serves as a patient and reassuring friend, undaunted by Squirrel’s mistaken accusations. When Bird’s unflappability is finally pushed to the edge, her curt repeated recitation of the facts brings a laugh. The pitch-perfect ending plays beautifully off the rest of the story and will have kids wanting to read it all again.

Nicola Slater’s witty illustrations capture Squirrel’s bluster, Bird’s forbearance, Woodpecker’s jauntiness, and Mouse’s creativity with emotion and fresh perspectives. Her vibrant colors and nods to today’s decorating whims as well as her character’s lively expressions create an atmosphere that is at once warm, inventive, and inviting. Leaves—and feathers—may get ruffled, but this little community of friends will stick together through all the seasons.

Beguiling, funny, and with a pinch of breezy education, The Leaf Thief is a story kids will want to jump into again and again. As today’s holiday suggests, the book is one to buy for home, classroom, school, and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 8

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2021 | ISBN 978-1728235202

Discover more about Alice Hemming and her books on her website.

You can connect with Nicola Slater on Twitter.

Buy a Book Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-leaf-mobile-craft

Autumn Leaf Mobile

 

You can bring the beauty of autumn leaves into your home with this fun-to-make mobile. Use tissue paper, construction paper, or even real leaves to make this mobile, that makes a great pattern and counting activity to do with young children too. 

Supplies

  • Paper Plate
  • Scissors
  • Tissue Paper/Crepe Paper
  • Tape
  • String/ Yarn

Directions

  1. Cut out the center circle of the paper plate and use the outside ring as the top of your mobile
  2. Have children pick out colors. We did a fall theme, but you can really let the kids be creative here. 
  3. Cut out tissue paper or crepe paper into leaf shapes. Adults will have to cut out the bulk of leaves. My six year old was able to cut the leaf shapes out, but was tired after 5. I used about 60-70 leaves.
  4. Have children organize leaves into patterns.
  5. Tape leaves together so they overlap. 
  6. Tape chain to paper plate ring
  7. Tie String or yarn to the top of the mobile

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You can find The Leaf Thief at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 22 – It’s Picture Book Month

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About the Holiday

There’s still time to celebrate one of the best months of the year—Picture Book Month! If you’re in shopping mode, be sure to put plenty of picture books on your list for the kids in your life. You know what they say—and it’s really true: A book is a gift you can open again and again!

The Scarecrow

Written by Beth Ferry | Illustrated by The Fan Brothers

 

Golden autumn has quieted the fields. The hay is rolled and the scarecrow waits for spring. The animals and the crows stand at a distance, afraid of this figure that does his job so well. “He never rests. / He never bends. / He’s never had a single friend, / for all the woodland creatures know / not to mess with old Scarecrow.”

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Image copyright The Fan Brothers, 2019, text copyright Beth Ferry, 2019. Courtesy of HarperCollins.

Winter comes with gentle snow, and Scarecrow dreams of “spring…of buds and blooms and things that sing.” When spring dawns with warm sun and green grass, a tiny crow—with a “broken wing?”—“drops from midair” and attracts Scarecrow’s attention. Then Scarecrow does a most surprising thing: “He snaps his pole, / bends down low, / saves the tiny baby crow.” He tucks the baby in the straw near his heart, and as he sleeps and settles in, Scarecrow “sings the sweetest lullaby.”

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Image copyright The Fan Brothers, 2019, text copyright Beth Ferry, 2019. Courtesy of HarperCollins.

The baby heals and the two become the best of friends. As the little crow grows, he and Scarecrow “will laugh and wish on stars, forgetting who they really are…” Spring turns to summer, and Scarecrow proudly watches as Crow learns to fly, but with the return of autumn, he knows that Crow must leave. Through late autumn and the frigid winter, Scarecrow slumps on his pole, alone—“Broken heart. Broken pole. Nothing fills the empty hole.” Then with the spring rains, the crow returns with wings wide open and Scarecrow welcomes him with a hug. The crow mends Scarecrow’s broken pole and refreshes his hay and then he says, “‘I’m here to say.’”

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Image copyright The Fan Brothers, 2019, text copyright Beth Ferry, 2019. Courtesy of HarperCollins.

Crow and his mate build a nest in the spot where he grew up. Soon, “five small eggs are tucked unseen,” and Scarecrow watches over them for he knows that soon they will hatch baby crows. “And they will love him from the start, and they will grow up in his heart.” Throughout the year, these friends and more keep Scarecrow company and love him so.

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Image copyright The Fan Brothers, 2019, text copyright Beth Ferry, 2019. Courtesy of HarperCollins.

In her story of a scarecrow and a baby crow who form a family, Beth Ferry’s gorgeous, lyrical language sweeps readers into Scarecrow’s world and lets them stand with him through the changing seasons and the progression of his transformation from a lonely existence as bleak as winter to a life as bountiful as summer. Ferry’s alternating short, staccato lines and longer, flowing rhythms create an emotional bond between the reader and Scarecrow. With a single sentence, in which Scarecrow and Crow forget “who they really are,” and through her periodic use of future tense, Ferry sparks hope and welcome reassurance for the future—not only for these two characters, but for us all. Crow’s return to raise his own family where he learned love and security and to help the aging Scarecrow is a moving portrayal of home, and the reciprocal devotion between Scarecrow and the crows will bring a tear to readers’ eyes.

Through their softly hued and textured mixed-media illustrations, The Fan Brothers create a tapestry of rural life, with its sometimes generous, sometimes harsh conditions.  As autumn turns to winter, Scarecrow is seen from a distance as animals look on, showing the divide in this natural landscape and the fear that rules it. But when a baby crow drops into the scarecrow’s life, he changes the dynamic, as children often do. With this life-changing event, The Fan Brother’s images become brighter, and the gauziness of the first spreads—so effective in depicting the barrier between Scarecrow and the rest of the world—clears. In turns Scarecrow is tender and proud, wistful and overjoyed—images that will tug at adults’ hearts. As Scarecrow once again stands tall and is surrounded by his crow family and the other animals on a sunny fall day, The Fan Brothers bring readers full circle in this story where the seasons of bounty and hardship mirror so well the cycles of life.

A thoughtful and beautifully conceived masterpiece, The Scarecrow is a must for home, classroom, and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 8

HarperCollins, 2019 | ISBN 978-0062475763

Discover more about Beth Ferry and her books on her website.

To learn more about The Fan Brothers, their books, and their art, visit their website.

Picture Book Month Activity

CPB - Bookmobile

Books on the Move!

 

Bookmobiles deliver books to people who are homebound or don’t live near a library. This month you can celebrate these little libraries on wheels by making this bookmobile from a recycled box. Make it with the open top up, and you can even use it as a desk organizer!

Supplies

  • Printable Book Shelves and Sign Template
  • Cardboard box, 16-oz pasta or other recyclable boxes work well (I used a 5” x 7 ¼ -inch pasta box)
  • Small wooden spools or wheels
  • Paint
  • Scissors
  • X-acto knife (optional)
  • Strong glue
  • Paint brush

Directions

1.Gently pull the box apart at the seam and lie flat with the unprinted side facing up

2. To Make the Awning:

  • On one of the wide sides of the box, measure a rectangle 1 inch from the top of the box, leaving at least 1 ¼ inches at the bottom of the box and 1 ¼ inches on both sides
  • With the x-acto knife or scissors cut the sides and bottom of the rectangle, leaving the top uncut
  • Paint the top and underside of the awning (if you want to make stripes on the awning lay strips of tape side by side across the awning. Remove every other strip of tape. Paint the open stripes one color of paint. When the paint dries replace the tape over the paint and remove the tape from the unpainted stripes. Paint those stripes a different color.)

3. Paint the rest of the box on the unprinted side any way you like, let dry

4. Cut the Printable Book Shelf template to fit the size of your window opening, leaving at least a ½ inch margin all around

5. Tape the book shelf to the inside of the window

6. Reconstruct the box, making the original seam an inside flap

7. Glue the flap and sides together

8. If using small spools for wheels, paint them black. Let dry

9. Glue the wheels to the bottom of the box

10, Attach the Bookmobile sign, found on the printable template, above the awning

** To Make a Desk Organizer from the Bookmobile

  • Cut an opening in the top of the bookmobile with the x-acto knife or a scissor

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-scarecrow-cover

You can find The Scarecrow at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review