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.

This Is My Book by Mark Pett

This book speaks to the inner control freak in me. 

This is my book. I get to make the rules!!

Mark Pett describes what he does as the author and illustrator of the book. 

I am the author, 

and that means I get to write

all of the words.

I am also the illustrator,

so I get to make all of the pictures, too.

Here, I'll draw something. 

The panda he draws takes on a life of his own. 

Mark Pett gets a little short with the reader for scribbling on the pages. Although we know who is doing the scribbling. 

Little kids love knowing something the author doesn't. 

Finally he figures out what his creation is up to

Pett starts making rules to keep everything shipshape.

As quickly as he makes the rules, this unruly panda breaks them. 

Kids love misbehaving characters. 

Optimistically, he keeps making rules. 

Obstinately, the panda keeps breaking them. 

He adds some characters.

Book flaps!!

We love pull tabs!!

I feel like this when I am trying to get kids to clean their rooms. 

Pop-ups!

Finally everyone stops to listen. 

Which is boring. 

And finally he concedes that the characters are allowed to help. 

One of my favorite parts of this book is that it includes a little blank book for the reader to make their own book. What kid wouldn't love to have a little blank book?!

This part of the book is lost a little in a library, since not every kid that checks out the book can have a little blank book. But this is a fun book to discuss author/illustrator with young kids. And little blank books are easy enough to make.