Two Favorite Fall Books

Ladybug has been obsessed with Play-Doh for over a week now. It came in handy while her father and I were fighting off a bad cold this weekend. Other than occasionally demanding that a parent roll a dough ball for her, she has stayed occupied for long stretches of time with rolling, cutting, poking, and blending Play-Doh. She had air dry clay too, until we realized that she insists on eating it. She doesn't eat the Play-Doh though, so it's all good.

Did you know that when mixed, hot pink and black Play-Doh make a lovely eggplant purple color? Good times.

As usual, I have a ton of books in the house selected for the season and the concepts I'm focused on. Right now that's fall and describing words. I wanted to mention the two autumn books that Ladybug has really latched on to.

The Little Yellow Leaf is a sweet story about a leaf that isn't quite ready to fall from the tree. Not yet, not yet he keeps repeating. He hangs on even after the first snowfall. But after he makes friends with the scarlet leaf also hanging on tight, they both feel ready to let go and fly off together. It's such a gentle story for a child who is reluctant, slow to transition, and prefers to watch a little before jumping into something new. Or just to validate that it's okay to be where you are and feel how you feel. The book's theme was definitely not lost on my child. Each time she asked for the story, or even saw the cover, she repeated fervently, "He wasn't ready. Not yet." 

The other surprise favorite is Autumn Leaves, which Bug requests by name even if the book is out of sight. It's time for me to stop being surprised by my kid's preference for non-fiction science books. I married a scientist, after all. Autumn Leaves is a book of detailed close-up photographs of the leaves of thirteen different kinds of trees, along with surprisingly nuanced discussions of their variations. It talks about veins, symmetry, shine, shape, and more. Did you know that the compound leaf of the hickory tree is actually made up of five leaflets? My preschooler does, thanks to this book! As Bug would say, "Yeah, dat's right Mom!"