If you live in Northern Utah, you’ll wonder what happened to fall after experiencing the snowfall this mid-week. But this week’s review celebrates “Signs of Fall” as well as interesting weather during this time of year through picture books that are good for ages 4 through 8.

Leaf Trouble, by Jonathan Emmett, and illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church, is a simple, yet colorful, book explaining how leaves fall. A small squirrel is quite scared to see all his precious leaves falling off his favorite tree.  But his mama helps him understand the process and how new leaves will begin to grow in Spring.

Little Red’s Autumn Adventure,by Sarah Ferguson, and illustrated by Sam Williams, has the author’s familiar characters that she used in her other books as they head to the “Great Harvest Festival”.  Little Red and her friends have much fun as they kick the bright leaves and even leaf-board down the hill. The story is more about helping out and caring for those in need as Little Red discovers some little mice who have lost their mommy. 

Have you ever realized what a ruckus can take place when a small leaf blows in?  That’s exactly what happens in When the Leaf Blew In by Steve Metzger, and illustrated by Kellie Lewis. This clever story has a repetitive text that repeats the last of the two lines that are on each page and begins the next page with that last line.  Many humorous situations happen because of this bright orange leaf.

The Scarecrow’s Dance,by Jane Yolen, and beautifully illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, is a story written in poetic rhyme about a scarecrow who leaves his post and leaps free and jogs and trots across the cornfield. But, he soon realizes that his duty is to protect his field and he discovers this fact when he spies a young boy saying his night prayers and asks that the scarecrow please guard the corn.  The flight of the crows from behind and above the scarecrow, as well as the angle of the hues of orange, fill each page and illuminate the pictures as if you’re dancing alongside of the prancing scarecrow. 

Here’s another newly published book that has the same illustrator as the last book.  Crow Call,by Louis Lowry, and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, has the same glowing pictures of washout hues only this time more browns and grays.  The story takes place in late fall following the end of World War II.  Lizzie is excited to have her father back after the long war he was fighting. They go off in their car to hunt the crows that are eating their crops. But during the experience of walking out in hilly fields where the trees are bare, Lizzie befriends the crows and her father seems to know this is neither the time nor place to use his gun. The feeling of quietude, peace and a time long ago resonates throughout the story. But most of all, the relationship with daughter and father and the strong bond of love and understanding, spreads like the wings of the crows.

Waiting For Winter,by Sebastian Meschenmoser, is a cleverly drawn picture book that incorporates pictures with text – and just pictures.  His line drawings take place alone when Squirrel awaits snow and waits and waits.  He wakes up Hedehog and even Bear.  Most of the waiting is told through these pencil drawings. When it finally snows, the pages turn to shades and hues of blues in contrast to the snowy white. The many antics and motions of Squirrel capture the anticipation of this next season.

Another sign that it’s fall is football season.  Family Huddle, by NFL superstars Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning, and illustrated by Jim Madsen, is the telling about a family dynasty when Peyton and Eli were young.  Along with their older brother, Cooper, the story takes place as they travel with their mom Olivia and father Archie as they travel to visit their grandparents. It’s obvious throughout the book that these boys and their dad lived football all of the time.