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Full of Fall

Photographer April Pulley Sayre

About The Book

Discover the magic—and the science—behind fall leaves with this companion to the celebrated Raindrops Roll and Best in Snow.

With gorgeous photo illustrations, award-winning author April Pulley Sayre explores the transformation trees undergo in fall. The book takes readers through the leaves’ initial change from green to red, yellow, and orange, the shedding of the leaves, and the leaves crumbling as winter approaches. Extensive back matter explains the science behind this process to the youngest of budding scientists.

About The Author

Photograph by Jeff Sayre

April Pulley Sayre (1966–2021) was the award-winning author of more than fifty-five natural science books for children and adults, including her award-winning photo-illustrated books Being Frog, Raindrops Roll, and Best in Snow. Sayre’s books received an abundance of starred reviews, have been dubbed ALA Notable Books (Raindrops Roll; Rah, Rah, Radishes) and won a Geisel Honor (Vulture View). Learn more at AprilSayre.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Beach Lane Books (August 29, 2017)
  • Length: 40 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781481479851
  • Ages: 4 - 8

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Raves and Reviews

The pages in this beautiful tribute to autumn virtually throb with color at every turn. A seasonal companion to Raindrops Roll and Best in Snow, this title highlights the glorious show that is performed each year by trees around the world. Simple, elegant poetry leads readers through the progression of changing leaves as the landscape prepares for winter. “Trees are ready. Twigs let go. Leaves slip and spin. Wind sweeps—leaves blow!” The crisp, full-color photographs saturate every spread, providing varying perspectives, from close-ups of individual leaves to wide shots of trees of every hue on the water’s edge. Short paragraphs at the end offer information on the science behind the changing colors and the life cycle of the leaves. VERDICT While there are a multitude of books about leaves and autumn, this one is a standout for its elegance, simplicity, and gorgeous photography—perfect for sharing with the youngest learners.

– School Library Journal *STARRED*, June 1, 2017

Leaves of orange, gold, and red shout from amid the last of summer's fading green canvas. Shy at first, then with a bold advance, the ripple of flaming colors races through the forest like a metachronal wave until the miserly hoarders of chlorophyll are too embarrassed to do much more than sulk. A carpet of leaves; a canopy of leaves—a crescendo of leaves. Sayre's stunning photographic images sweep across each majestic double-page spread. The rhyming text meanders from one-word identifiers—"Midribs"—to ecstatic exclamations: "So many leaves!"....Young readers' imaginations are sure to be fired by Sayre's awe-inspiring photos and by the bite-sized science facts provided at the end of the book. (Informational picture book. 3-8)

– Kirkus Reviews

Awards and Honors

  • Kansas NEA Reading Circle List PrimaryTitle

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: April Pulley Sayre

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