ON A GOLD-BLOOMING DAY: Finding Fall Treasures

 There are a few "official" days of fall remaining before the winter solstice, and nature in this upper midwest region seems to agree. After a late November snowfall that melted, raked leaves at the curb in our neighborhood were collected by city workers, thank goodness. There are plenty of leaves remaining in yards, though, with many swirling around my front and back doors. They are either captured by some windy vortex or something is telling them to do their best to get inside while they can. 

Today I collected some off those leaves and tucked them into another part of the yard. This surprising activity on a day appearing on my December calendar page reminded me of a gorgeous picture book I read among the nominees for Elementary Nonfiction Cybils Awards. 

MIllbrook Press, 2022

ON A GOLD-BLOOMING DAY: Finding Fall Treasures is written by Buffy Silverman with extraordinary photographs by a variety of credited artisans. Many of the images feature active animals and will captivate and fascinate young audiences. Short rhyming phrases are delightfully arranged on collaged photos, vibrant images that expand on the brief lines. These engaging spreads are book-ended by intensely-golden-orange, solid color endpapers. 

With precise and descriptive rhymes, FALL experiences and observations involve creative adjectives and lively verb choices, as in these:

"On a nut-crunching,

    leaf-lunching,

        hole-digging day...

Clouds rumble.

    Raindrops tumble.

        Mushrooms pop.

            Acorns drop

                Fawns graze.

                    Sumacs blaze."

These phrases are brilliant in word choice as are the photographic images selected to reveal even more. Then lines culminate in a spectacular double page spread of a luminous, luxurious sunlit amber park scene with just two words: "WELCOME, FALL!" This is followed by three pages of brief explanatory text based on each phrase, describing the pictured/named creatures and their habits in a few simple lines. 

This, then, is a title I should have featured back in September, but is also a book for all time. It is a feast for the eyes and ears, with digestible bites of science, too. Check it out- but don't wait until NEXT Fall!