GATHER GRATEFUL, a Graceful Approach to Fall and Gratitude

 Do you live where leaves fall at this time of year? Where the change of seasons is unmistakable  not only for its shifts in weather but also for the altered patterns of birds and other animals in habitats near by? If you do, this new picture book will resonate in your bones, in your heart, in your family. If you reside in one of those climates that sustains one season all year long, this is a valuable way to share the FALL/seasonal change that your young ones might not have experienced but will readily imagine as you read together.

GATHER GRATEFUL is written by Megan Litwin and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey. 

CANDLEWICK PRESS, 2025

Written in rhymed text, the limited lines on each page launch visual storytelling of the many signals and rhythms of fall.

Colors change, temperatures drop. It's time to GATHER. Sweeping double page illustrations in shades of orange/brown and blue contrast with a crisp white background. The tones and shadows of those browns and blues, occasionally accented with black, allow readers to note birds and bears, crusty trunks and flittering leaves, all while recognizing the changes necessary with Fall's arrival.

Nesting, migrating, harvesting and hibernating unfold as "gather" expands to include huddles and cuddles and visits and vistas. Even as the latter pages reveal the various joys of gathering of humans with friends and loved ones, shifts in perspective circle back to the outdoor critters whose seasonal changes have thickened their fur coats, feathered their burrows, and beckoned them to the glow of warmth from windows and campfires. 

This could be described as a lovely lyrical list of Fall activities, and that would be true. But it is written and illustrated so that each posture and frame, each tone and tender expression invites readers to FEEL the characters and their neighbors in nature. This could also be called a Thanksgiving book, but that word is never used. Instead the word GATHER is a celebration of community, of family, of flocks, and of friends. It is anchored to a season, but not to a particular day or time or culture or era. In fact, the universally recognizable joy conveyed is something to be grateful for all year long.

HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING!

 Every day, in every way, I try to pause to be thankful. Sometimes it relates to a specific gratitude. Sometimes I simply note that opening line from e e cummings:

"Thank you god

for most this amazing day

for leaping greenly spirits of trees

for a blue true dream of a sky

for all that is natural

all that is infinite

all that is 

YES"

Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2025

With that in mind, HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING is a delightful book to share on Thanksgiving, in NewYork City, with a wide-ranging group of friends pouring into a joyful space from corners far and wide. Or anywhere! Written by Marcie  Colleen and illustrated by Laura Sandoval Herrera, this lovely depiction of a familiar event extends far beyond  formulaic. There are other countries that designate dates for official giving of thanks. Even so, here in the good old USofA, we seem to have staked a claim on what a THANKSGIVING DAY should look like. 

In fact, this artful and appealing approach blends  many iconic situations and images that you might expect. HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING lifts its story from that familiar platform to expand in specifics (diversity on many levels) as well as concepts (traveling, gathering, preparing, and more, but without labels of time, place, recipes) allowing folks in many locations and from many traditions to see themselves in this work and in such a joyous gathering. 

The illustrations are warmly colorful and convey genuine emotions without inserting features that clearly identify or label those involved. The range of activities, emotions, events, and experiences open the pages to every eye and hand. 

For some other recommended books on this topic, check posts HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. The most important idea I took from this (and some of the prior posts) is that the name of the holiday matters little, whether THANKSGIVING, FRIENDSGIVING, HARVEST DAY, or INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY, whether your gathering has a parade outside the window or a farm field or a dirt track, what matters is drawing together, sharing, caring, and extending ourselves to others with welcome and respect. 

Now that's a reason for gratitude. 

I AM WE! (A Crow's Eye View of Unity)

I can't help myself... here's another amazing picture book about BIRDS! 

CHRONICLE BOOKS, 2025

I AM WE: How Crows Come Together to Survive is written by Leslie Barnard Booth and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey.  In case you missed some of my former posts about the brilliance and appeal of birds, feel free to click on a few to read HERE, HERE, HERE, or HERE. 

Using first person voice, CROW voices a personal account of  exactly what I AM WE means. The text is a lyrical, sometimes rhymed revelation of the life-facts of crows. Language rich in onomatopoeia and rhythmic flow swoops across the pages to explore the intelligence, behaviors, and social dynamics of individuals, family groups, and flocks. 

It is the perfect time of year to share this, since the most intense flocking begins at summer's end  ago and persists through Fall and Winter until early spring nesting resumes.The reasons for that are made clear, with subtlety and surety. Both rural and urban flocking is described, revealing benefits for both habitats. 

The illustrations are superbly suited to the tone and details, darkly extending a sense of urgency and intensity across the pages. Flocking happens at night, and these wing-sprawling, bright-eyed birds seem both elegant and intimidating but are vulnerable within nature's food chain. Their interactivity and the beneficial effects of flocking may seem self-evident in a few cases, the the combination of visual and narrative storytelling draws readers into the lives of crows, in this case, AMERICA CROWS, among the most common variety. 

If you are looking for a seasonal, slightly suspenseful, moody picture book to share in a read aloud during this fall season, give this one a try. It will offer just-right intensity and a suspenseful tone while sharing important facts about a species and its evolutionary patterns. A huge bonus, while reading, is a growing awareness of something I have said often and will say again. Birds, especially Crows and others black birds, are remarkably intelligent and worthy of respect and attention. Calling someone a "birdbrain" simply reveals ignorance of those facts. I AM WE helps make that point clear. 

HOPEFULLY THE SCARECROW: Stuffed With Picture Book Power

FLAMINGO BOOKS, 2023

HOPEFULLY THE SCARECROW is written by Michelle Houts and illustrated by Sara Palacios.

This seemingly simple story is elevated by its graceful, lyrical language, the sensitive empathy this scarecrow inspires, and the colorful, satisfying illustrations that are simple while subtly informative. This new picture book shines in its ability to portray a concrete, direct storytelling approach while revealing layers of  important themes: friendship, humor, the power of story, emotional connection, word play, and internalizing truths from books.

The opening lines land readers smack in the garden, introducing "a scarecrow", who immediately becomes the story's central character. The brief descriptions of his physical and internal traits are deftly described in the lilting but accessible language of the opening double spread.  One page turn brings an unnamed heroine into his life, "she". Her sense of the utilitarian role of scarecrows is evident in an early statement: "Hopefully, the scarecrow will keep birds away." Scarecrow's smile-worthy misunderstanding of her statement teaches him that his name is HOPEFULLY THE SCARECROW. Following spreads portray the attentive "she" reading aloud in the garden, instilling Scarecrow with the joy of story and the strength of facing challenges and adventures with bravery. From that point of view we see the life cycle of  Scarecrow's seasons and years unfold. It is not easy to write a compelling fiction picture book that spans years, but achieves that with effective page-turns and character shifts, testing Scarecrow's reliance on what he has learned from stories. The conclusion is utterly satisfying and uplifting, making this a must-have addition to home, classroom, and library collections. The trickiest challenge will be how to shelve it- with books about fall, or gardens, or friendships, or ... so many other important themes.

As mentor text for picture book writers, this is a marvelous example of a point-of-view approach that is rare indeed. The narration is in third person voice, but clearly close to the "heart" and "life" of Scarecrow. With that voice, Scarecrow is imbued with heart and is charmingly self-aware, but is not anthropomorphized or given a direct voice. The narration and dialog involving the  girl never suggests that she views Scarecrow as a living thing, and yet, from the successful and unique voice, they clearly connect and engage with each other. The balanced and believable "relationship" work especially well through the figurative expressions that convey Scarecrow's signals about passing time. I felt there was a strong sense that those hours of hearing books read aloud enhanced Scarecrow's vision of life and the world around it.

In a recent post I featured THE LITTLE HOUSE OF HOPE, which will pair beautifully with this title. It's fun to imagine the ways in which they can be compared and contrasted, from their contemporary settings, to their appealing characterizations, to the themes and purposes, to the powers of reading and writing in each. HOPEFULLY, you'll enjoy everything about both books, as I did, and share them often.

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!

WINTER IS HERE According to Kevin Henkes, and Mother Nature

I'm writing here in Wisconsin, where author/illustrator Kevin Henkes lives, where describing winter is a very subjective endeavor. Those in areas near the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or living on the shores of Lake Superior experience winter very differently from those near Lake Michigan's southern shores, or in the heartland of the state, or along the Mississippi. Packers fans are all too aware of how widely winter ranges during games in Green Bay. 

Greenwillow, 2018

This recent picture book, WINTER IS HERE, is written by Kevin Henkes and illustrated by Laura Dronzek. This third title in a series by this talented pair follows WHEN SPRING COMES and IN THE MIDDLE OF FALL. 

The latest of these titles includes return appearances by familiar characters and settings, and features the spare and poetic (not rhyming) text that invites read-aloud and repeated readings.  The arc of winter begins with flakes and mittens on the opening endpapers, concluding with springy blossoms and butterflies on the final endpapers. The process of getting there is not at all abrupt or threatening, and includes mundane scenes (ZIPPERS!) and sensory images and descriptions.




I resist naming favorites among books, texts, or even lines, but in this case I do have a favorite double page spread. Influenced perhaps by the recent Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse (January 19-20),  I appreciated the contrast between the bleaching effect of snow during the day and the saturated coloring effects of night lighting, making the familiar utterly fascinating. 

Winter Is Here, Greenwillow, 2018

Don't miss this lovely book, or it's related titles. All are available as board books, too, and a set of the books in either form would make a fabulous gift-- one that will be thoroughly enjoyed in the present, and saved to share with future generations. I believe that will be true regardless of where you live in Wisconsin, or any other part of the country.

As  I write the conclusion of this post the snow is falling, layering on a prior six inches and predicted to continue for another 24 hours. Whether you are living with four seasons in the northern hemisphere as we are, or enjoying a life in the tropics with year-long simmering sunshine, I assure you that young readers will enjoy snuggling on a lap and hearing these books  read to them, again and again.

A Fall Ball for ALL: Nature Throws a Party in Wisconsin

Yesterday morning I pulled out of my driveway and nearly every tree in my yard was leafy green. When I returned in the evening I found half (or more) of those leaves were sporting glorious fall golds, oranges, and reds. It's no surprise that so many people who live in temperate climates list Fall as our favorite season. Adjectives (and even camera lenses) can't do justice to the spectacle nature provides at this time of year. The sudden color adds to my recognition that a single windy night could- WHOOOOMP -snatch that overhead brilliance from the sunlight above and cover the ground with a carpet of leaves. 

MIllbrook Press, 2018

There are times, like yesterday, when Mother Nature's hand feels very deliberate, intentional.
Jamie A. Swenson's latest picture book, A FALL BALL FOR ALL, captures that sense of intention by giving a personified voice to The Wind.
While I felt Autumn's painterly hand in yesterday's sudden transformation of color, Swenson's book gives life to the wind with this beckoning message:
"Once upon a golden day,/Autumn Wind blew in to play,/ Whooshing leaves into the air--/ Orange, brown, purple, everywhere!"

With that irresistible opening, the stage is set in a Wisconsin woodland  (a location Swenson confirms in the author note back pages). 
The animals welcome the news, delaying migration and hibernation in order to participate. The Windfall Ball is coming!

While Swenson's rhyming text swirls from page to page, rich with delightful descriptions and figurative language, illustrator Chiara Fedele's double-page spreads saturate the scenes with movement, revealing growing enthusiasm among the guests, and conveying expressive wildlife postures and features. 

Swenson's text utilizes both familiar and expansive vocabulary, with a lilt:

"Gusts and gales and tempest forces/ set a fete with seven courses:/

Cranberries, chestnuts, corn and plums,/ Sunflowers, daisies, chrysanthemums."

On the spread with this text the listed elements are pictured, along with pumpkins so robust they make the page look heavy, magnificent mushrooms, late season daisies, and more. On each page I was seeking out faces, tails, and beaks- and any other signs that the complex mix of residents of the woods might be tucked among the dense visual images, anticipating a celebration on each pre-ball day.

There is a brief note about the TWO meanings of windfall on back pages:

The actual fruit and other crops blown to the ground by the wind, 
and 

An unexpected gift or good fortune.

That note called to mind the many years when I lived on large acreage in a rural area. The land included an overgrown orchard. Windfall fruits attracted countless furry and feathered wildlife to the area. As critters are together in the dark they occasionally generated quite a bit of noise.  Upon hearing it, I would hope that their disagreements would end with no one harmed. Now I realize it may have been rousing windfall parties like the one we are privileged to attend in A FALL BALL FOR ALL.