The pictures show very realistic looking leafs of various colors, shapes and sizes (true-to-life sizes!). The inside covers identifies each leaf, so when your little one asks you "What is this one?", or which tree it comes from, you can answer confidently and correctly. An entire page is dedicated to all the different appearances of a maple leaf! The font is very large and bright white, which pops out from the darker, solid colored backgrounds, and helps children follow along. At first, the backgrounds seems quite plain, consisting of rolling hills; however, as you turn a few pages you will realize that each page is a different size and shape, as each 'rolling hill' in the background is actually a page you haven't read yet!
The story reads lyrically, with a steady cadence, rhymes, and off rhymes. Your little one will likely learn the repeating line of "A Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows," and begin reciting it with you. Encourage your child to study the leaves on each page very carefully to find the hidden 'leaf man' on the page. (Hint - it is a different animal or image on each page, ranging from a face to a chicken!) It's a bit like playing the game where you look for images in the clouds. You can also name colors, as each page turn reveals a new radiant color in nature, from the golden prairies, to the brilliant blue lakes and aqua rivers, and of course, the reds, browns, and yellows of the fallen leaves. Expect your child to want to touch the realistic looking leaves and spend a moment on each page taking in the details.
I read this book with my three year-old friend, Sam. He enjoyed picking out his favorite leaf on each page and proudly telling me, "I like this one!" After the story, I told him about how the leafs fall from the trees every autumn and decompose to fertilize the tree for the spring when new leafs come out. After reading the book, Sam wanted to go 'pick' leafs in the backyard and collect them so he could hold them the next time we read the book, and compare his leafs to those on the pages. I was delighted to see him take such an interest.
--Audra