Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Why do Leaves Change Color?
Illustrator: Loretta Krupinski
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
HarperCollins, 1994 ISBN: 978-0064451260
"Why do leaves change color" must be a question that most parents hear at one time or another. It turns out that the story is a fascinating one. When fall arrives and the days get shorter and cooler, trees register these changes and start to get ready for winter, "a time of rest" for the tree. Because trees won?t need their leaves in the winter they withdraw the precious green chlorophyll which is found in the leaves. When the green is removed the leaves are left with a number of different colored pigments which are always there but which are usually covered up by the green color. These are the colors that we see in the fall; the reds, yellows, golds, and browns.
Well written and full of pretty gouache and colored pencil illustrations throughout, this book provides the perfect answer to that favourite of fall questions. Throughout the book the author encourages the younger reader to participate in the learning process, and at the end of the book readers will find two interesting activities to enjoy.
