Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

Product Description

Celebrate fall with the sweet and charming Fletcher the fox!
As the leaves fall from his favorite tree, Fletcher worries that something is terribly wrong. But then winter comes, and with it a wonderful surprise. Do you know what it is? Join Fletcher and find out. . . .
Fletcher the fox is concerned about nature and wants to understand the changing of the seasons. Young readers will share the feelings of wonder and empathy as they curl up with a parent or gather in circle time to enjoy this beautiful picture book.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3–This potent synthesis of art and prose conveys a child’s first awareness of the changing seasons with reverence and wonder. Fletcher, a tiny fox, is concerned when his favorite tree turns brown. His mother tells him, Don’t worry, it’s only autumn, but the tree hardly seems fine to Fletcher. As its leaves fall and flutter away, the youngster struggles in vain to catch and reattach them. When only one leaf remains, he does his level best to secure it to the limb, but eventually the stem dries up and the leaf pops off. Mournful and confused, he carries it home and takes it to bed with him. Still worried about his tree, he wakes up the next morning to find that it has undergone a sweet and satisfying transformation. Beeke’s resplendent watercolors work beautifully with the book’s tone, content, layout, and design. Picture books about nature sometimes suffer from cloying, excessively pastoral language or imagery; this rare example succumbs to neither. A first purchase for every collection.
–Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. When the leaves on his favorite tree turn brown and begin to drop, Fletcher, a young fox, worries that the tree is sick. Although he tries his best to help the tree, the last leaf finally falls. The next day when Fletcher visits the tree, he sees a magical sight that convinces him that falling leaves don’t signify the tree’s demise. Rawlinson’s carefully worded text is superbly matched by Beeke’s impressionistic watercolors. Fletcher’s character is clearly evident in his distinct facial features and body language, and the magical change of the season is accentuated as the scenery goes from soft, hazy earth tones to cool white and blue-green. For the scene in which Fletcher beholds the “magical sight” of the tree covered with ice, sparkle has been glued to the pages; the effect will make children gasp with delight. Given such a strong debut, the unforgettable Fletcher is primed for more picture books as he discovers the ways of the world.
Randall Enos

Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“This potent synthesis of art and prose conveys a child’s first awareness of the changing seasons with reverence and wonder.” — School Library Journal
(starred review)

“Will make children gasp with delight.” — ALA Booklist

“A poetic tribute to winter and fall, Fletcher’s story is sure to resonate with young readers.” —
Kirkus Reviews

From the Back Cover

It’s autumn, and Fletcher’s favorite tree is slowly changing colors and losing its leaves.
Fletcher is very worried.
He tells the tree he’ll help. But when the very last leaf falls to the ground, Fletcher feels as though he’s let down his friend . . .
. . . until the first day of winter, when Fletcher sees that his tree has turned into a shining, glittering surprise.

About the Author

Julia Rawlinson grew up in London and graduated from Southampton University with a degree in geography. She is the author of Fletcher and the Falling Leaves and Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke. She lives in London with her husband and two sons.

Tiphanie Beeke attended the Royal College of Art, where she earned a master’s degree in communication and design. She is the illu