Leaf Trouble

Leaf Trouble

As the leaves on the trees go from green to red and gold, two curious squirrels embrace the change of seasons!When he wakes up one morning to find that his home tree is changing, the little squirrel is scared! Why are all the leaves falling off? Quickly he corrals his sister and they gather up the leaves in colorful pawfuls. But try as they may to stick them back on the branches, it's hopeless: Yellow, orange, red, and brown, all the leaves keep falling down! It's only when their wise mama explains what happens in autumn that the two little squirrels understand the seasons are changing. Green leaves will sprout anew in spring!From School Library JournalPreSchool-Grade 1-Pip Squirrel's first fall finds him confused and concerned: his family's oak tree is falling apart. The leaves have changed from summer green to yellow, red, and orange and are fluttering to the ground. He elicits his sister's help to gather them and stick them back on the branches. Mom Squirrel patiently, but erroneously, explains that "taking care of the leaves was hard work for the tree?it needed to rest awhile" and that the leaves will return in the spring. Pip likens the leaves coming and going to the sun setting and rising. Even though their mother's explanation is incorrect, her children are satisfied with her account and are pleased that, come spring, their home will begin to look the way it used to. The colorful and endearing ink illustrations, placed in a layered collage using a variety of textures and perspectives, are a delight. One minor quibble: one spread is so dark that the text is difficult to read. The cozy pictures are the book's highlight, and children will be attracted to them.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WICopyright