Autumn Fun

Fall Leaf Project
by Margaret McNamara and illustrated by Mike Gordon


Mrs. Connor's class is learning about the fall, and then Mrs. Connor shows them a map of the United States. Mrs. Connor tells that the leaves in their state change color, but there are other states where the leaves don't change colors. The children in the classroom decide that they want to share their leaves with the states whose leaves don't change colors. Mrs. Connor tells them that she knows a teacher or a class in one of those states (Mr. Soto). The children can collect leaves to send to Mr. Soto's class. Some children gather yellow leaves, some gather orange, and another student's favorite leaves are red. A few of the students start sorting the leaves they have found. The children also get to learn about the different kinds of leaves as they are gathering them (oak, maple, chestnut, sassafras, and many others). Back in the classroom, the students prepare the project for the other class, and then they mail the package with the project in it. Will Mr. Soto's class enjoy the Fall Leaf Project? What will the class do with all of those leaves?












Who Loves the Fall?
by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Judy Stead


The author wants to list all of the people who love the fall. There are rakers of leaves, and children who enjoy leaping into them. There are people who grow apples, who pick apples, and who make candy apples to enjoy at a Fall Festival. There are "Winged migrators," or all the different birds who fly south for the winter, and there are animals, like bears, who get ready to hibernate all winter. There are families who camp and build bonfires, and there are families that enjoy making warm apple pies. There are children at school who like to add, some who like to spell, and there are children who love to "show and tell." The fall is also time for pumpkin searchers and turkey eaters. What kinds of things do you like to do in the fall? How many of those things will you find in this book?













I Know It's Autumn
by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Nancy Hayashi


The little child knows that autumn is here when the mornings are darker than before, and there are pumpkin muffins on the plate for breakfast. The child also knows it is autumn when it is time to get jackets to wear outside, and when the leaves on the trees are turning different colors. It is autumn when the child's class is making acorn art, and when the teacher puts turkey stickers on the child's spelling chart. Autumn is also a time for raking leaves, picking apples for apple pie, and when geese are honking as they fly south in the sky. What other things does the child notice about autumn time? Are these things that you are noticing, too?













Little Red's Autumn Adventure
by Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York and illustrated by Sam Williams


On a beautiful autumn day, Little Red and her friends are walking to the Great Harvest Festival in Bluebell Wood. The group kicks leaves up in the air as they are walking along. Little Red comes up with a great idea. The group will find great big leaves and "leaf-board" down the hill. Roany, the little horse, is worried that there will not be a leaf big enough to ride on, but Little Red uses some magic dust and makes a leaf just Roany's size. Little Red has some trouble with her leaf, and she does a little tumble into the foot of a blackberry bush. In the blackberry bush, Little Red hears two little mice say, Mommy?" The two mice where very frightened. Little Red wants to help the little mice, but the mice are afraid of her, because she is so big and scary. So, Little Red uses her magic dust to shrink down to the size of the mice. Little Red wants to help the little mice, but she sees that she left her sack of smiles in the tree. So she gets the little mice on a leaf, and she pulls the leaf toward the harvest festival. Soon, Little Red's friends have made it to the festival, and then they notice that she is not there with them. Then Mrs. Mouses runs up to them and tells them that two of her children are missing, too. The group decides to form a search party. When they are looking in the forest, the friends notice that the leaves are in many colors, not just those that happen naturally. Then they see someone with a little sack tied to its tail. What do you think happened to turn the leaves different colors? Do you think that Little Red's friends are going to be able to find her and the two little mice? Will Little Red get to be big again? Will the group ever make it to the festival?