As the Autumn season sets in, Fletcher is very worried – his beautiful tree has begun to loose all of its leaves.

This is a sweet story and while our girls aren't as naive as Fletcher, this is their first Fall and it will be their first Winter season (in a location that gets cold and snowy, that is! The narrative itself captures a young child's uncertainty and fear, when confronted with change, while the beautiful pastel illustrations evoke all the magic of the season. I know some cultures have a more hands-off parenting style, but this doesn't seem intentional in that way to me; it seems neglectful. Her other recent works include Sweet Dreaming, illustrated by Nicola Wong (Sourcebooks), Dragon's Lost Roar, illustrated by Beccy Blake (Franklin Watts) and Mule School, illustrated by Lynne Chapman (Gullane Children's Books).This book was selected as one of the October 2011 - Autumn and Halloween reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads. edit: I just read Leaf Trouble and I like it much more, and not only because the mom actually explains what is happening, and what will happen in the spring. Fletcher loves his tree, but when autumn comes he begins to fear that something terrible is happening--for the leaves begin to turn color and fall off. Originally published in Britain as Ferdie and the Falling Leaves (and subsequently published by Scholastic, for the American school-market, as The Fox and the Falling Leaves), this delightful autumn picture-book follows the story of a young fox, and his somewhat less-than-graceful adjustment to the changing of the seasons. I adore the pastel created illustrations; they’re the kind I can see in my mind and would love to be able to create, but can’t get down on paper the way I’d like.

I never thought that I would be so amazed in this book about what autumn is like to children who love trees, but innocently do not really understand about the life cycle of a tree. The oil pastel art not only incorporates the colors of fall/autumn and winter, but also is very nice to look at, going well with the heartfelt tale.Rawlinson truly does have a way with words, and has painted a beautiful picture of a beautiful season that is backed up by the soft brush strokes and rich colors of Beeke’s artwork. I have always loved writing poetry - I enjoy the sound and rhythm of words and the first things I published were poems. Definitely want to read more from this series at some point because its a comforting kind of story and Fletcher is the perfect kind of character to explore the concept of seasons: a curious fox! Fletcher than goes to the tree every day to keep the leaves on the tree; however, when winter came, Fletcher noticed that all the leaves were starting to fall off more rapidly than before.

Overall, this book has gorgeous artwork that illustrates the changing seasons and tells a very heartfelt story. It just left a bad taste in my mouth, and the rest of the book therefore vibed 'sentimental dreck' to me. Fletcher's sensitivity is commendable, his curiosity and misunderstanding easy to relate to as it is all to easy to want something (or someone! He tries reattaching them and defending the leaves from squirrels who want the leaves for their nests. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves” is a cute story about the beauty of changes in weather that I am sure that many children who are interested in knowing what happens to the trees during winter and autumn will easily enjoy for many years!Fletcher And The Falling Leaves features cozy artwork, introducing readers to a curious fox named Fletcher whose looking to protect his favorite tree as the seasons change and the leaves begin to fall.

I sort of like how the story covers late autumn and early winter only; a part of me wanted more but I think the author made the correct choice of what time period to cover. The picture book was introducing a lot of themes here from the melancholy of Fletcher's feelings to the grief of his favorite tree changing to only being able to hold onto just a few leaves, seeing animals take the falling leaves leaving him with a sense of worry and much more. He feels like he has let his friend down, but then winter arrives and adorns his tree in dazzling new decorations. I am actually writing a review of this picture book because I saw that it was published in Great Britain as "Ferdie and the Falling Leaves," and as an American I am horribly offended that we couldn't be trusted with a fox named Ferdie. Deeply attached to his favorite tree, Fletcher was terribly worried, as autumn proceeded, to notice it losing leaves.A tiny breeze shivered the branches, making a sound like laughter, and in the light of the rising sun, the sparkling branches nodded.