A Leaf Can Be . . .

This deceptively simple picture book is stunningly beautiful with soft, whimsical illustrations that are almost primitive in style. The rhyming text lists many different uses for leaves from the obvious; tree-topper, to the more obscure; moth matcher. This book is ideal as a springboard to

Show More

discussion and the notes at the back will help adults explain the more difficult concepts. Highly recommended for picture book collections but equally at home in a non-fiction collection.

Show Less

A Leaf Can Be is a vividly colored picture book about what role leaves play in our lives and the world around use. The book is rhyming, and it goes through all of the things that a leaf can do; provide shade, provide piles to jump in in the fall, and so on. The subjects of what they book can be

Show More

roughly follow the seasons, and the colors in the pages follow this accordingly, with the first pages being a vivid green that fade to an autumnal orange-brown. The end of the book concludes with the narrator asking the reader what else they think a leaf can be, and then it has a short section in paragraph form explaining some facts about leaves and trees.

The art in this book is beautiful and captivating, and it would definitely catch the mind and imagination of a young child when read with a parent. This book would be a good addition to any libraries that cater to elementaries, although it may not be as applicable in schools in very hot dry places, such as Arizona or New Mexico.

Show Less

Wonderful text and amazing illustrations I think this would be a good supplementary text for a science lession about trees.

great end notes about what leaves can be/do
Illustrations perfect for book.

Lovely verse and illustrations.

Summary:
This is such a visually stimulating book. It shows how the different leaves changing with each season. It allows the reader to have insight into all of the different roles a leaf can play within nature.

Personal Reaction:
This book allowed me to look at a part of nature in a completely unique

Show More

way. It allowed me to combine the beauty of nature and a science lesson into one. My imagination was tapped into during the course of this book, which I really enjoyed.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. In the classroom, I would use this book to demonstrate the way seasons change the visual aspects of nature.
2. With that lesson I would ask them to take a look at what season it is and bring a leaf that it currently representative of the that current season.

Show Less

This is less a story and more a stream of consciousness. It invites discussion while reading. It also has an excellent resource/read aloud section in the back that covers the things "a leaf can be" in depth.

This could be an excellent way to introduce multiple types of science and EE lessons.

A beautiful, lyrical view of a leaf. A wonderful, first-nature book for children. Terrific for a kindergarten library.

This is a good book to use with kids just learning to read (average 1st-2nd grade reader), or to use for illustrations' sake with younger kids or lower level readers. I like the rhyme scheme that follows the progression of season changes. Very creative possible 'job descriptions' for leaves, and

Show More

the illustrations have a soothing, dreamlike feel. It's a nice 'zone-out' book when a sleepy kid needs just enough visual stimulation to get hooked, but not too much story line to re-energize her/him.

Show Less

The many things that leaves are and do are described in two word phrases. I like the illustrations. Some appear to be inked leaves pressed on paper. Others have an almost ethereal spring feeling. Includes: Four page addendum describes in greater detail about those phrases. Glossary. Further reading.