Happy Book Birthday, Leaf Town Forever by Kathleen Rooney and Beth Rooney!

 

It's happy book birthday time! Today's read is perfect for the Fall weather and the leaves falling from the trees. We've had a very odd season, and while leaves have finally begun to fall...somewhat...it doesn't look like Autumn here, yet. Honestly, I have to mow the grass this week again, and I'm always done with that mid-September. But those leaves can't hang on the trees forever, and the cooler temperatures have to be arriving at some point. So, I'm going to hope that this read guides me into colored leaf dreaming and see what it holds.

LEAF TOWN FOREVER

by Kathleen Rooney and

Beth Rooney

Illustrated by Betsy Bowen

University of Minnesota Press

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

Leaf Town suddenly springs up. One day the clearing outside the school is empty, and the next it’s a bustling town complete with a hotel, shop, and mayor. Children gather and find treasures everywhere: feathers, acorns, lost rings, an old medal, and plenty of leaves and pine needles. They even uncover a silver skeleton key in the muddy banks of a nearby creek and proclaim it the heart of Leaf Town. As the town grows, it attracts the attention of the kids up the street, and a colossal fight threatens to destroy everything that was built. But the heart of Leaf Town is saved, and the kids rally to rebuild their city together, expanding to welcome the neighboring kids as well as all sorts of birds and animals. They hang a sign, Leaf Town Forever, and pass the key to the next generation of children who will look after their beloved town.

Based on a true story, Leaf Town Forever is the gentle tale of a town created by children with vivid imaginations. The timeless and universal saga, written in haiku, reminds both kids and adults that some dreams are worth protecting. Unfurling over the cycle of seasons, this is the story of an enchanting place full of tenacity and hope, creativity and fun—a connection to the natural world within reach for us all if we unite to make and maintain it.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Playful hours outside let imagination take flight in this inspiring read about a town of leaves.

This is the story of a bunch of kids, who decided to use all the leaves on the ground to form a town. They do this by clearing off smaller circles and piling the leaves along the edges to create 'buildings' or spaces. The kids claim their space and make stores, libraries, or anything else a town would hold. They even head out to collect things to decorate their spaces. The town grows and the kids are having a great time until the leaves are blown away. But this isn't the end of the game by any means.

Everything about these pages celebrates Autumn and children playing outside together. The hues in the illustrations lean toward the browns and oranges to keep the atmosphere in the right season the entire way through. The reader follows the kids as they form their buildings and hunt for decoration, and it inspires kids to head outside and try this on their own. Even when the leaves blow away, there isn't much time spent on the disappointment. Rather, the kids go with the flow. It reminds of neighborhood kids meeting after school or on weekend...or even of recess outside. It works well as an idea for a project as well.

The tale flows nicely and draws in as the text fits well to the intended age group. This makes for a smooth read-aloud for group settings or for cozier sessions at home. 

And here they are...

Kathleen Rooney is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press, a nonprofit publisher of literary work in hybrid genres, and a founding member of Poems While You Wait. She is author of five novels, including Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, as well as the poetry collection Where Are the Snows. She lives in Chicago and teaches at DePaul University.

Beth Rooney is a visual journalist based in Oak Park, Illinois. A writer and photographer, she is drawn to stories that explore our place in the world and show how individual circumstances reflect larger truths. 

Betsy Bowen is author and illustrator of many children's books, including Pocket of Prairie and The Lost Forest, both published by the University of Minnesota Press. She lives in Grand Marais, Minnesota.