Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
A Leaf Can Be . . .
Illustrator: Violeta Dabija
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
Millbrook Press, 2012 ISBN: 978-0761362036
You may think that a leaf is a very ordinary everyday sort of thing. A thing that does not seem to do much, and that you can therefore afford to take for granted. You would be wrong to think this though, because leaves serve many purposes, and they change from season to season.
In spring, leaves come out when “sunny days linger / and orioles sing.” They serve as a cradle for moth chrysalises, as a “food maker” for trees, and as a rain shelter for animals. As the weather warms, leaves give us shade, and many animals eat them. Leaves make the air cleaner and the Earth greener.
In the fall, leaves turn gold, brown, red, and yellow and they start falling off the trees. Their colors make our world beautiful, and when they fall to the ground they provide animals with a place to hide. Some animals use the fallen leaves to make their nests.
With a beautiful lyrical text this picture book shows readers of all ages how precious leaves are. The gorgeous illustrations are so soft and beautiful that one wishes one could dive into them.
The author provides readers with more information about leaves at the back of the book, and a glossary explains what some of the words used in the text mean.
