Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

Leaves

Leaves

David Ezra Stein
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Penguin, 2007   ISBN: 978-0399246364

It is bear's first year and he is having a wonderful time exploring the island on which he lives. And then, one day, something really strange happens - the leaves start changing colors and falling off the trees. Bear has no idea what is happening and he tries to put the leaves back where they belong but it just doesn't look right.

As he watches the leaves swirling around him Bear starts to feel sleepy, and so he finds a hole, fills it with leaves, and goes to sleep inside where it is snug and warm. Little does he know that he is going to get a wonderful surprise when he wakes up.

In this delightfully whimsical picture book children will get to meet a sweet young bear for whom the wonders of the changing seasons are all new. Through his eyes we get to experience everything for the first time and the result is quite delightful. The combination of the minimal text and the charming illustrations is completely winning, and young readers will want to read this book again and again.