AUTUMN ACROSS AMERICA
by Seymour Simon & illustrated by Seymour Simon
The noted science writer covers familiar territory with his characteristic flair, offering real specifics on: why leaves turn; the earth's rotation and angle with respect to the sun; the calendar vs. other measures of the season; a sampling of seasonal animal behavior (bison clustering around Yellowstone's hot springs; monarch butterfly migrations); sights across the nation (milkweed, pumpkins, brilliant yellow aspens in the Rockies, heavy rains in the Olympic rain forest). A lucid introduction, presented thoughtfully and with enough scientific detail to convey real understanding. The handsome color photos—by the author himself, among others—are mounted on pages in vivid autumnal colors embellished with delicate traceries of leaves: sometimes dazzling when it comes to reading, but right in the spirit of a perfect October day. (Nonfiction. 6-10)