Hello Autumn!

PreS-Gr 2—Children will learn to cherish the fall season after reading Rotner's latest. Autumn is presented as a time of change and transformation: birds start to journey south, the air cools down, and the sun's time in the sky grows shorter and shorter each day. Rotner manages to keep the text light while also injecting valuable information: "Acorns and pinecones scatter on the forest floor. Maple seeds twirl to the ground"—all of this so that trees and plants can grow in the spring. There are also nice bits of alliteration, "Swallows swoop." Rotner's high quality and vibrant photographs depict children interacting with pumpkins, apples, leaves, and more in a warm palette of yellows, browns, and reds. An ending "Autumn Facts" provides further information about the processes mentioned in the text, notably why leaves turn colors. The bright orange font and playful tone make this ideal for a classroom read-aloud activity. The title is also great for encouraging tactile learning and exploration; kids will be begging to go outside and experience the season for themselves.