If You Find a Leaf

May 1, 2022
A rhyming celebration of imagination. A child with brown skin offers gentle, artful ideas about what to do with autumn leaves. The picture book's idyllic setting seems Northeastern in nature, with deciduous trees shedding leaves, which the child scoops up. Could a leaf from a tree become a hat, a Halloween mask, a hammock, or something else entirely? "It could be a horn that blows, announcing that we're here. // A leafy parade to celebrate our favorite time of year." Rhyme rules the text but isn't forced in the least. Collaged leaves against painted illustrations encourage play and imagination. A nod to winter and spring make this a year-round read. Endpapers with realistic labeled images of leaves provide an injection of information in this otherwise dreamy musing. The backmatter includes instructions on collaging--a meaningful and fun activity that builds upon the text. While there's nothing groundbreaking here, there is opportunity for both learning and whimsy. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet, poetic ode to autumn. (Picture book. 3-5)

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July 1, 2022
Preschool-Grade 1 A girl picks up a fallen leaf from the ground, and once back at home at her art-supply-strewn desk, she dreams about what that leaf could be. She carefully places the leaves on paper and creates spectacular scenes around them: on one spread, a leaf becomes the sail of a ship, and on the next, a soaring hot-air balloon. A bright crimson leaf is fashioned into a superhero cape, a horn-shaped ginkgo leaf doubles as a trumpet, and a glowing orange leaf transforms into a crackling campfire. It's a dreamy exploration of infinite creative possibilities, and the amazing combination of artistic techniques (watercolor, photography, and collage are just a few of the mediums) results in a cacophony of colors and textures, including the very real bits of foliage. Cheerful rhymes narrate the inventive proceedings, and young readers feeling inspired by the content (and they will be inspired) are gifted careful instructions for leaf collaging on the final pages. An impressively imagined exploration of nature and the endless thrill of creativity.

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