“This happened last year, remember?” Poor squirrel is getting very cross when he thinks somebody is stealing his leaves, and with the help of his forest friends he learns that the leaves will always fall off his tree in Autumn and that nobody is really stealing them.
I think Autumn is my favourite season so this is a book I’ve ‘fall’en in love with this week! (pun very much intended) I love going for a walk when it’s cold and crisp, looking at all the beautiful colours, and if you add in bright October sunshine and keep away the rain I’d call that perfect weather.
The Leaf Thief is a fabulously illustrated picture book that showcases all the gorgeous colours of the changing leaves and introduces young children to the seasons. There’s even more detail in the back pages, once the story is finished, for children who are extra curious, making this a brilliant book for children learning about the seasons in school.
Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed is how it explores feelings. Squirrel is upset, angry and maybe a bit scared when he discovers one of his leaves is missing and that somebody is stealing them. Through the book Bird helps Squirrel to understand that some things are the just the way they are, there’s nothing we can do to control them, like the changing of the leaves, some things happen whether we want them to or not. “Try to relax…breathe in…and out…just relax” With everything going on with the pandemic and the high levels of anxiety some of us are experiencing I think it’s a good message to share with children. Some things in life are beyond our control and sometimes if we feel overwhelmed, angry or scared about it we need to take a moment to just breathe and relax.
Available online here and in-store, priced at €8.40 I think this book would be a wonderful addition to any picture book collection.
Have a great weekend!