AUTUMN LEAVES

Leaf identification books can be baffling to preschoolers collecting autumn leaves; whether the books feature minute silhouettes of trees and leaves, or full-blown full-color photographs of summer greens, they rarely display what a leaf looks like come fall. Robbins (Rodeo, 1996, etc.) offers an artful leaf sampling that is the exact opposite of those frustrating manuals; here the leaves are photographed in actual size and dressed in their autumn hues. The trees shown are representative of the continental US; some, such as the hickory and red oak, grow wild, while others, such as the smoke tree, are ornamental. Each entry includes elegantly displayed leaves along with a scene of those leaves on the tree. Robbins includes a comparison of leaf characteristics (jagged edge, shiny surface, etc.) and a simplified explanation of photosynthesis. The book ends, fittingly, with an uncaptioned picture of a leafless tree; under its bough is a big pile of leaves. (Picture book. 3-8)