By james art Don’t miss these new fall picture books that represent the season:
Fall, written by Muscogee poet Alexander Posey and illustrated by Paige Pettibone, captures the sights and sounds of the transition from late summer to a fall afternoon experienced by a little girl wrapped in a warm blanket. The golden sun, jay in the sky and fluttering scarlet leaves beautifully depict the change of season and the bright colors of autumn. Endnotes include information about Alexander Posey and include the full text of the poem.
It’s autumn written and illustrated by Renée Kurilla shows the many ways to welcome and celebrate the season of fluffy socks, cozy sweaters and scarves, leaves, pumpkins and cider doughnuts. A teacher asks the class what things they like about this time of year, and the answers are honest and familiar with illustrations that match corn mazes and apple picking, geese squawking and whipped cream on holiday pies. It’s the perfect conversation starter for little ones to share what they love most about this time of year.
A Mischief of Mice, written and illustrated by Christie Matheson, is a nature-inspired mystery that utilizes the spooky elements of the fall season. Mischief of mice plays in the forest until one dusk they disappear. The other forest creatures gather among the fallen leaves and acorns to consider the situation. Included in the group are raccoon sightings, spider clutter, raven unkindness, bat cauldrons, and more animal groups with unique name identifiers. Many of these band names were new to me and I’m sure will be a puzzle for other readers to decode and discuss. It is a joy to see the animals work together in the autumn night to solve the mystery, which ends in a cozy and comforting way. A glossary or collection of collective nouns is included at the end of the book. Smart and timely!