Title: Leaves
Author & Illustrator: David Ezra Stein
Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2007
Ages: 2-5
Themes: leaves, seasons, bears, first, hibernation, fall, winter
Opening:
It was his first year
Synopsis:
It’s a young bear’s first autumn, and the falling leaves surprise him. He tries to put them back on the trees, but it doesn’t work. Eventually, he gets sleepy, and burrows into the fallen leaves for a long nap. When he wakes up, it’s spring and there are suddenly brand-new leaves all around, welcoming him. Graceful illustrations and a childlike main character offer the perfect way to talk to children about the wonder of the changing seasons.
Why I like this book:
Large font and sparse text leave lots of room form Stein’s warm and inviting illustrations, which express the bear’s joy, worry, effort, and celebration. The soft watercolors evoke New England deciduous woods beautifully. While some of the illustrations feature the leaves and the bear,
others give readers a simple depiction of a season,such as the windy nature of fall and the arrival of snow in winter.
These endearing pictures are simple and accessible, perfect for a young audience but also pleasing to an older reader. It’s a beautiful introduction to seasonal changes in certain climates. I strongly recommend this book.
Activities/resources:
This book is great for teaching about seasons, especially fall and the changing of the trees. Have students compare what happens in different seasons.
Each week a group of bloggers reviews picture books we feel would make great educational reads. To help teachers, caregivers and parents, we have included resources and/or activities with each of our reviews. A complete list of the thousands of books we have reviewed can be found sorted alphabetically and by topics, here on Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
I love Ezra Stein’s books. What a charming book to teach little ones about the seasons. Lovely illustrations!