WHO LOVES THE FALL?

There is a lot to love about the fall, as readers can see in this action-packed, rollicking book of noun-oriented rhyme. Cheerful children and adults of various races as well as a number of friendly-looking animals demonstrate all one can become in autumn. For example, “Quilters, choppers, / helicopters. Winged migrators, / hibernators.” Inventive nouns present the actions, while Stead’s colorful, stylized illustrations in a seasonally appropriate palette faithfully and energetically depict them. Soccer, school, harvest, pie-making, leaf-raking, apple- and pumpkin-picking and animal behaviors and sounds are all covered, along with prerequisite holidays such as Thanksgiving and Halloween. The same team has already produced the chipper Spring Things (March 2007), which focuses on verbs, and one suspects that summer and winter, along with other parts of speech, will not be far behind. Overall, a vivid and lively introduction to the season that preschoolers will particularly enjoy. Includes a page of fall facts that defines the more advanced vocabulary words and presents some general information about the season. (Picture book. 4-6)