I Perch on the Porch by Laura Purdie Salas & Illus by Mercé López

I perch on the porch, 

spooky face frozen in place,

fire burning inside. 

--From Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons

Reward for Raking by Laura Purdie Salas & Illus by Mercé López

Reward for raking: 

A crispy crowd of loud crunch 

when you jump in me.

--From Lion of the Sky: Haiku for all Seasons

I'm Red, Delicious by Laura Purdie Salas & Illus by Mercé López

I'm red, delicious--

with a quick twist of your wrist,

I'm free from the tree. 

--From Lion of the Sky: Haiku for all Seasons

Lawrence in the Fall by Matthew Farina & Illus by Doug Salati

Happy fall!

This is a sweet little book about a young fox and his father exploring the woods and noticing things.

I had fun gathering leaves for this picture. And I liked this little leaf with the rebellious green patch. 

Why are anthropomorphisized (clearly not a real word) foxes so charming? 

A badger teacher! 

Students had to bring in their collections, but Lawrence, had no collection to bring in. Isn't he adorably worried here? 

His father reassured him that he knew just where to find a collection for Lawrence. 

In the morning, they set off into the woods. 

"There is no better place to find what you need than the woods," Papa explained. 

I am not quite sure if he is being specific or general here, but I believe this in a general way. The woods are always good for what you need. 

Spiders eat their collection of flies. Not what Lawrence was hoping for. 

After looking for several collectibles and not finding one just right, a storm starts. 

In all the running and pell-melling, Lawrence gets separated from his dad. 

He calls and calls for his dad, but the only response is a leaf falling on his head. 

Eventually he finds his dad. 

And he shows his dad how trees drop leaves to him when he calls. 

With a new collection of leaves, they head home to their hobbit hole. That door in the hillside--so cute!

Everyone loves Lawrence's collection. 

So he takes his classmates exploring and they collect their own leaves!

The end papers are leaf identification pages. 

I love this book. Mostly because I just love nature, but also the springboard it gives little ones to go out and collect leaves. I plan on reading this book and then taking my students out to the woods to make their own collection of leaves. I might pair it with Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert and have them make little leaf men from the leaves they collect. For older students, I might pair it with field guides and have students identify some of the leaves they bring in. 

More excuses to get kids outside? Yes please! 

Over the River and Through the Woods Illus by Christopher Manson

The next one had woodcut illustrations which creates a vintage feel. 

This also had simplified lyrics, omitting some of the lesson known verses.

Iceboats!

For some reason, this version feels the most authentic. For no reason except the woodcuts look vintagey. 

I have to say, I love woodcuts.

I loved this one! 

Over the River and Through the Woods by Matt Tavares

Students love singing books, so I decided to get a copy of Over the River to sing to them. While searching for a copy, I found several different versions with very different illustrations. So I had to get them all. Because, who did it best? 

We must know. 

The first one I found, up in the top left has the most conventional illustrations. 

Period appropriate and attention to detail

We will not stop for doll or top 

For 'tis Thanksgiving Day

Conventional or not, I enjoy these illustrations! 

This is the only copy that had this particular stanza in it

Over the river, and through the wood, 

With a clear blue winter sky

The dogs do bark,

And children hark,

As we go jingling by. 

This is definitely an idealized version of a New England back in the day, but hey, I am not one to argue with a dollop of nostalgia. 

So I like this one. 

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak

I am a little overdue with this one, but... we just had our first killing frost, so really, not too far behind. 

I picked some leaves and flowers to take pictures and while I was setting them up, I saw this little stowaway. For my daughter's sanity, I relocated her (the spider, not my daughter) to the great outdoors. But she fit into the color scheme rather well. 

Kenard Pak always has such a soft and gentle palette, rather dreamy. 

Overall, this book is rather soft and gentle. There isn't a real driven plot, just a kid walking through his world, noticing the changes happening around him. It is a nice read, but it isn't a MUST READ NOW kind of book. 

Pak has a book like this for each season now--this main character goes through his world, noticing all the little signs of the approaching season. He interacts with the animals who tell him what they are doing to prepare for the upcoming fall.  

Even the clouds get into the conversation, 

My low rumble from far away, My clouds loom over the open fields and quiet hills. 

And then he heads into town to see all the town signs of approaching fall.

Leaves!

Cozy, evening light...

....and crisp fall morning. 

Fall has been casually sauntering towards us for a few weeks now, but tonight, when I headed into the woods with the dogs it was like it had started galloping and I hadn't noticed. Leaves are so deep and vibrant right now, geese flying over, leaves all over the ground, ferns dying, that fall wood smell....

Fall is here!  

Hope your fall is beautiful! 

My Autumn Book by Wong Herbert Yee

To be honest, it doesn't much feel like autumn anymore. But technically, of course, it still is. Even if we have already had a snowday. Even if it has been in the single digits four nights this past week. It IS still autumn. 

So I am still putting up books about fall. While humming Christmas carols and sipping hot cocoa. At least in spirit. Ha!

(My husband is one of those grumpy people who dislikes Christmas carols in general and particularly before December 1st. And we are on day 28 of the Whole30, so strictly no hot cocoa for me. BUT if I could, I would be sipping hot cocoa and loudly singing carols. Because if temperatures near zero and six inches of snow on the ground don't mean winter, I have missed the point.) 

Herbert Wong Yee has some ridiculously cute books. He has one for each of the seasons. And of course, they caught my eye because they are little. (All books are more interesting when they are little.)

In this book, our little explorer is checking out the world for signs of fall. 

Okay, okay, this book should have been posted in September. But I am just getting around to it. No judging. It is STILL AUTUMN.

I love her quietness and photography skills. 

I was once that kid. My siblings might argue about the quietness thing, but I loved walks and taking pictures of outside things. 

Geese!

The geese around here seem to be just as surprised as we are by the early arrival of solid winter. They are flying high and long these days. 

Trees in fall finery.

Exulting!

After the joy of discovery, our little explorer heads up to her bedroom and lays out all her treasures and pictures. 

Then she makes an autumn book

To remember what fall was like

When winter has come. 

You know my feelings about cozy inside scenes. I LOVE THEM.