Leaves

Leaves by David Ezra Stein
2007

     It's the perfect time of the year to read Leaves. It's bear's first year and everything is going well until the leaves start falling.  He picks one off the floor and sweetly asks, "Are you okay?"  As more leaves fall, the young bear tries to "catch them and put them back on...but it was not the same."  He then grew sleepy, gathered some leaves to bring inside a little cave "and went to sleep, just as the wind began to blow."  The young bear sleeps through the winter, wakes up in the spring and when he sees the "little buds on the bare arms of the trees," he hugs them and joyfully cries "Welcome!"
       Leaves is lovely.  The young bear character is sweet, curious, and enamored with nature.  While the text is simple, it's also quite lyrical.  The illustrations are beautiful.  Leaves is a perfect book to read during this season and to introduce units about fall and hibernation.