Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!

Today is especially awesome for several reasons:

First, it’s Friday, which is a delight all on its own.

Second, it is the first Friday upon which I am experimenting with a new Friday FB feature which I’m hoping will be tons of fun and not fall flat on its face as some other of my genius ideas have been wont to do! 🙂  Assuming all goes according to plan, it will post at 10:30 AM Eastern and I hope you will all go check it out!  (Link to Susanna’s FB page)

Finally, this happy Friday, many folks have a long weekend for Columbus Day… the day upon which (with luck and a following wind) I shall post the guidelines for the 2016 Halloweensie Writing Contest!!!  (I can hear you!  Snickering in the back row!  Just because it sometimes takes me a little longer than I intend to get things organized is no reason to guffaw!  I’ll get to it, my pretties… all in good time! 🙂  And I hope you were suitably impressed just there by my spot-on impression of the Wicked Witch of the West!  Very fitting for Halloweensie, don’t you think? 🙂 )  So stay tuned for the Halloweensie posting… but maybe don’t hold your breath… 🙂

So are you ready for just about the cutest fall picture book ever written?  Have a look at this truly Perfect Picture Book!

aren’t you just already in love with that little fox?! 🙂

Title: Fletcher And The Falling Leaves

Written By: Julia Rawlinson

Illustrated By: Tiphanie Beeke

Greenwillow Books, August 2008, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: seasons (autumn/winter), nature (changing seasons), love

Opening: “The world was changing.  Each morning when Fletcher bounded out of the den, everything seemed just a little bit different.  The rich green of the forest was turning to a dusty gold, and the soft, swishing sound of summer was fading to a crinkly whisper.  Fletcher’s favorite tree looked dull, dry, and brown.
Fletcher was beginning to get worried.”

Brief Synopsis: When the leaves on Fletcher’s favorite tree turn brown and begin to fall, Fletcher thinks something is terribly wrong.  “Don’t worry,” his mother tells him.  “It’s only autumn.”  But Fletcher is worried.  He does his best to catch the falling leaves and reattach them, but in spite of his efforts the last leaf finally falls.  He promises the tree he’ll keep the last leaf safe and he takes it home to bed, still worried.  To his surprise and delight, though, he wakes in the morning to a magical sight that convinces him everything is all right.

Links To Resources: Scholastic Classroom Guide; Teachers Guide (from The Picture Book Teacher’s Edition); 15 Fabulous Fall Leaf Crafts For Kids

Why I Like This Book:  Oh my goodness!  What is there not to like?!  The story is so sweet.  Fletcher is so earnest in his desire to help his tree, so dedicated to saving it, and so worried on its behalf since he’s unable to understand from his child’s-eye-view the concept of autumn, changing seasons, and the cycle of life.  He doesn’t know that it’s natural for leaves to fall and that his tree is just fine and will green again come spring.  It takes the magic of icicles glimmering in the morning sun to show him that his tree is beautiful (and okay!) in every season.  The art is such a perfect match for the story – impressionistic water colors in soft, hazy tones of autumn brown and orange that give way to the cool blue/green and white tones of winter, and Fletcher himself is so endearing.  As adults, we often take the change of seasons for granted, but this book is a gem for the way it shows the wonder of changing seasons as a child appreciates them.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂