A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!” his lamb baas back. 3-6)Ī succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.Ī grumpy bull says, “DADA!” his calf moos back. He understands and honors the young, curious mind and allows readers to share the joy of a discovery in text and illustration. Stein does not tread on ground where others often do in over explaining a complex concept. Bowed, listless branches echo little bear’s down-turned curved shoulders and eyes as he gives up his battle to replace the fallen leaves. Seasonal change and animal behavior are simply and freshly conveyed through a young child’s perspective with single-phrase captions and direct, vibrant watercolor illustrations. When he awakens the following spring, he observes, to his relief, that the leaves have returned to the branches. Instinct overtakes him as he gathers a paw full of leaves, finds and fills a hole and burrows in for the winter. His exuberance and wonder change to worry and consternation when he is unable to replace the first leaf and those that follow to the bare branches. A young bear observing his first autumn is captivated by the leaves as they change color from golden to amber.

Leaves by David Ezra Stein