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! 

Bird Watch by Christie Matheson

This cute little book is an interactive way to introduce little ones to bird watching in general. 

The watercolor paintings are detailed and delightful. 

I really like bird pictures. 

This front page lets readers know what birds are going to be hiding in the following pages. 

Each page has birds to find and count. 

While easy enough to find that readers will not get frustrated, the pictures have a nice level of detail. 

Sparrows!

Even at night, there are birds to find!

This is not a plot driven book at all. But avid birders will enjoy reading this one to their kids. 

The Cabin Key by Gloria Rand & Illus by Ted Rand

Gloria and Ted Rand are an amazing husband/wife team. However, I think they sometimes write books for adults more than children. As a somewhat nerdy/serious kid, I loved them then and I love them now, but they are not books that are going to get kids worked up. They are quiet and generally somewhat nostalgic. And they tend to be wordy. 

This story is no different. Using memories of the Rand family cabin, the story follows a little girl and her experiences at the cabin through her childhood. 

Great story, but you need to know your audience. Are they thoughtful? Can they sit quietly for several paragraphs before another page turn/picture? 

It was a very snowy day when I was taking picture, which seemed  fitting. 

I even had a snowy pinecone. 

Ted Rand does such brilliant landscape/nature scenes. 

The little girl is entrusted with unlocking the door, which is a huge honor. 

Aren't these pictures great? 

Carrying in the wood

Love, love, love this picture! 

The joys of enamelware.

Listening to stories and watching the flames.

Coziness. Doesn't that blanket look realistic?! 

Also, the next picture (that I didn't get a picture of) shows the little mice scurrying around, so not cozy and no sleep for me. 

The family cabin is all very well and good, but mice ruin all the warm fuzzys. My husband's family has a family cabin in the Rocky Mountains. One time we took my cousin and his wife for a weekend and didn't bring quite enough bedding, so we gave them the sleeping bags and ended up using the sheets/blankets that were already on the bed. It was dark when we went to sleep and I just thought there was sand in the sheets, but.... in the morning, I saw it wasn't sand. It was mouse dirt. 

I still love the cabin, but I don't plan on forgetting sleeping bags ever again. 

What do the Trees Know by Joyce Sidman

What do the trees know? 

                                                To bend when all the wild winds blow

                                      Roots are deep and time is slow

                                 All we grasp we must let go.

What do the trees know? 

                                     Birds can weather ice and snow.

                                        Dark gives way to sunlight's glow

                                           Strength and stillness help us grow. 

(I kind of like thinking of trees as giants of the plant world. and I love that Sidman includes this little blurb of background information.)

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. 

Bears are Sleeping by Yulya & Illus by Nonny Hogragian

This is simply the most charming wee little book I have seen in ages. 

It was in the little book section of the Lake Placid Library. I love the little book section. Every time I go, I check out half the books. 

Delicate and airy illustrations

And this isn't even a story! It is a song. The whole entire book is music notes. 

I played it on the piano, because duh... how else will I know how to sing it? And it is a wandery, slightly minor tune that seems so gentle and yearning. 

And do you see that fancy castle in the background? It is a Russian castle of course. Because look at the words--"I will sing for you my russian lullaby."

How adorable is a tiny little watercolor singing book? 

The lyrics are not too complex--bears and many other animals are sleeping. 

Snow is piling high

And there is the Russian castle again. 

Such a quirky little book! Totally made my week.