The Little Yellow Leaf
by Carin Berger

Letting go can be difficult.  The Little Yellow Leaf is the story of a leaf that is challenged by the fear of the unknown.  When the time comes for release from the tree, the leaf reluctantly faces taking this next important step in life.   Rich language and creative collage illustrations focus the reader on the strife of the leaf as the seasons change.  When the leaf discovers another leaf still holding tight, they decide to finally let go together and dance with the wind.

Biographical Sketches:

Carin Berger is an award-winning author, illustrator and designer. Berger's illustrations are cut-paper collages that she creates from odds and ends including catalogs and ticket stubs.  She has worked in London, San Francisco and in New York where she now lives with her family.

Suggested Activities:

  1. Take a walk in the fall to observe how many leaves from different kindsof trees are still on their branches.
  2. Gather various types of leaves and use an identification book to learn which leaves come from which trees.
  3. Have students write a story or draw a picture about a time when they were scared of trying something new.
  4. Create leaf rubbings using construction paper or waxed paper.  Cover leaves of various shapes with paper.  Use side of crayon on paper to reveal colorful leaf rubbings.
  5. Create collages with photographs from magazines or catalogs.  Collages could also be created from paper cut in various shapes.
  6. Collect items on a nature hike, such as leaves, nuts, sticks, grasses, or flowers to create a collage or mobile.
  7. Research the types of trees that grow in different regions of the world.  Some interesting varieties might include the basket tree, giant sequoias, circus tree and baobab tree.
  8. Invite a naturalist to speak about trees and the environmental factors that affect trees.

Companion Books:

Trees and Leaves
Buscaglia, Leo.  The Fall of Freddie the Leaf.  Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1982. 
Ehlert, Lois.  Leaf Man.  Harcourt, 2005.
Ehlert, Lois. Red leaf, yellow leaf.  Harcourt Brace, 1991.
Rawlinson, Julia.  Fletcher and the Falling Leaves.  Greenwillow Books, 2006.
Stein, David Ezra.  Leaves. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2007.

Friendship
Bruel, Robert O.  Bob and Otto.  Roaring Brook Press, 2007.
Henkes, Kevin.  Chester's Way.  Greenwillow Books, 1988.
Howe, James.  Pinky and Rex.  Atheneum, 1990.
Jahn-Clough, Lisa.  Alicia's Best Friends.  Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
Lobel, Arnold. Days with Frog and Toad. Harper & Row, 1979.
Pfister, Marcus.  Rainbow Fish.  North-South books, 1992.
Willems, Mo.  I Will Surprise My Friend!  Hyperion, 2008.

Fears and Bravery
Henkes, Kevin.  Wemberly Worried. Greenwillow Books, 2000.
Jenkins, Emily.  Little Bit Scary People.  Hyperion Books for Children, 2008.
Mayer, Mercer.  There's a Nightmare in My Closet.  Dial, 1968.
Stadler,  Alexander.  Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book. Harcourt, 2002.
Watt, Melanie. Scaredy Squirrel. Kids Can Press, 2006.
Williams, Linda. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything. Crowell, 1986.

Books written and illustrated by Carin Berger
All Mixed Up.  Chronicle, 2004.
Not So True Stories and Unreasonable Rhymes.  Chronicle Books, 2006.
OK Go.  HarperCollins, 2009.

Books illustrated by Carin Berger
Katz, Bobbi.  Trailblazers.  HarperCollins, 2007.
Prelutsky, Jack. Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant.  HarperCollins, 2006.

Websites
http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/leafleavesartscraftsideaskids.html
Craft projects involving leaves and nature.
http://www.carinberger.com/ Website of author / illustrator Carin Berger including art, books and biography.
http://www.crayola.com/crafts/  Craft and game ideas, patterns and activity pages.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/leaf/  Classroom activities and craft ideas.
http://www.scarborough.k12.me.us/high/projects/trees/catalog.htm Tree and leaf identification information with illustrations.