Milton Public Library

A leaf can be--

eng

no index present

non fiction

A leaf can be--

electronic resource

dictionaries

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! A leaf can be a...shade spiller, mouth filler, tree topper, rain stopper. Find out about the many roles leaves play in this poetic exploration of leaves throughout the year. "This creative book is applicable to a wide variety of lessons, but will also be in demand by readers for sheer enjoyment. It pairs an imaginative rhyming text with captivating and dreamlike illustrations that will be an effective discussion starter for the primary classroom studying leaves and trees. Students will be captivated as they explore the varying contributions leaves make to nature and wildlife through the seasons. The whimsical metaphors and unique vocabulary, which is explained in the final section, make this book a standout choice for older students too." --Library Media Connection "In this lyrical paean to leaves, author Laura Purdie Salas uses the imagery, rhyme and rhythm of poetry to describe, with complete yet whimsical accuracy, the many functions of a leaf. As the seasons change, a leaf changes from the 'soft cradle' and 'water ladle' of spring to the 'wind rider' and 'lake glider' of fall. Beautiful paintings by Violeta Dabija capture the energy and color of the seasons, from the tender exuberance of spring to the brown and orange hues of autumn to the quiet frost-speckled sepia tones of winter. Salas extends her minimal text with back matter that includes additional information about leaves and a list of resources. This book is sure to open a child's eyes to the wonder of the natural world." --Washington Parent "Playful rhyming text explores the many roles a leaf can play, from providing shelter for animals in the rain ('Rain stopper') to housing cocoons ('Soft cradle'), to purifying the air ('Air cleaner'), to providing autumnal entertainment for children ('Pile grower'). The terms are poetically focused, yet they compactly sum up some complicated processes, so the book offers abundant opportunity for discussion of scientific concepts from photosynthesis ('Sun taker / Food maker') to camouflage ('Moth matcher' and 'Snake concealer'). An accessible and useful explanatory note at the end of the book breaks down the meaning of each verse in detailed paragraphs, providing the lesson for each reference (e.g., 'Hill glow-er: In fall, the weather cools off and days grow shorter. Leaves stop making chlorophyll, the substance that turns them green'). Dabija's light-infused digital compositions balance crisp-edged elements against soft, misty effects, the style counterpointing the stylized, toylike figures with carefully designed compositions and sophisticated use of controlled palettes. Each spread is bursting with natural wonder, and while the animals are cute rather than realistic, the art creatively and effectively supports the text's evocation of the leafy world. This is an ideal curricular introduction to a unit on leaves, but it will also find plenty of readers drawn to its rich language and portrayal of the natural world. A glossary and list of further reading are included." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "'A Leaf Can Be . . . ,' written by Laura Purdie Salas and illustrated by Violeta Dabija, explores the many forms and functions of its subject. 'A leaf is a leaf. / It bursts out each spring / when sunny days linger / and orioles sing,' the book begins, with a cheerful treetop glimpse of emerging leaves, fluttering pollen and chirping orange birds. We then see how a leaf can be a 'soft cradle' for moths' cocoons or a ladle for a thirsty lamb. It can be a 'rain stopper' for two foxes in a storm or a 'shade spiller' for a girl on a swing. Dabija, a Moldovan illustrator, saturates her pictures with lush color. Of course, there is lots of green but also dusty orange, misty lavender and deep mustard, in what is as much an exploration of the variation of color as it is of nature's c

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