The Fox and the Falling Leaves (originally titled Fletcher and the Falling Leaves)

Written by: Julia Rawlinson

Illustrated By: Tiphanie Beeke

Scholastic Books, 2006, School Paperback Edition

Target Audience: Ages 3-8

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Transformation, Caring for Nature

How We Discovered This Book: Several times a year, my daughter’s preschool sends home a Scholastic flyer with suggested books for purchase. This one looked like a good addition to our library for the fall.

Summary:

Fletcher the fox has a favorite tree, but one day he is disturbed to find that it is losing all its leaves. He tries to help it keep its leaves, but he cannot stop the inevitable. Then he discovers something beautiful when all the leaves are gone and the air turns cold.

What I Liked:

Fletcher is adorable (both in illustration and in text), and his eagerness to “save” his favorite tree is very sweet. Several animals try to take the fallen leaves for their winter nests, and Fletcher is distraught. He even takes the last leaf into his den to protect it.

What Did My Kids Think?

Elizabeth liked Fletcher, especially since he is a little animal (anything smaller/younger than her makes her giggle). She liked that she figured out what was going on with the tree long before Fletcher did. She felt very smart.

Resources:

Scholastic has a study guide for this book with discussion questions, activities, and other stories about the seasons and nature.

The Activity Idea Place has links to a huge list of crafts, activities, games, field trip ideas, snacks, and songs… all around the theme of leaves.