THE SECRET OF FALL

Some secrets must be widely shared.

Can you keep a secret? Leaves can. They keep a marvelous secret that explains the glorious colors they display in the fall. How does this phenomenon occur? What happens to leaves’ usual green, and where does it go? Bursting with leafy images and autumnal hues, this charming, easily comprehensible book describes how, as “sunlight decreases and temperatures cool, changes happen in the trees.” Some of the language in this title, geared to young readers and written simply and in an inviting, conversational tone, is as robust as the beautiful shades we see in autumn: “a splash of orange,” “a burst of yellow,” “a rush of red,” “a blast of brown.” Every color word is presented in that particular hue, in boldfaced capital letters. As the prose carefully notes, these colors were “hidden underneath all along.” The backmatter provides a longer, more comprehensive account of photosynthesis and the process by which leaves undergo their remarkable metamorphosis in fall and show off their stunning, vibrant glory. Popping with color, the enticing, collagelike illustrations feature a group of playful, curious, racially diverse children frolicking outdoors and marveling at the seasonal changes.

Don’t keep this lovely book a secret: Display it widely and hand it to inquisitive young readers this fall.