Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf. ISBN 0-15-266197-2. Lois Ehlert. 1991. Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor. Ages 4-8. Multicultural.

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf explains how a tree grows and ends up in a child's yard, from beginning to end. The setting is outdoors, in nature. The child is explaining to the audience how her tree began as a seedling in the forest, was picked and brought to a nursery, and then to a garden center where she chose it to bring home and plant in her yard. This book is nonfiction, and very factual and informative about the process, but easy to understand. The details in this book are outstanding. The tree is labeled at the nursery, and on this label is all of its vital information including how it likes sun and how tall it will be, which the reader gets to see. Other little details are labeled throughout, including garden gloves and a Black-Capped Chickadee.

Since the illustrator, who is also the author, has used many mediums to create her pictures throughout the book, this would be a great time for a class of children to do the same. The class could pick leaves off the ground, and use them in artwork. They could also use paper, sticks, ribbon, seeds, and a variety of other objects to create their own leaves and trees. This book introduces children to the idea of planting their own trees, so each child could actually bring home a seedling and watch it grow in their own yard.