Jump in the leaf pile by Kelly Green, illustrated by Kasia Nowowiejska

 I would just like to preface this by saying that the ubiquity of leaf blowers, which I abhor, has almost completely obliterated the seasonal and sentimental pastime of jumping in piles of leaves, not to mention destroying peace, pollinators, and nutrients for the soil. Ahem.

This novelty board book has loose sliders in the four main pages that make it look as if leaves are "falling" out of the picture. The rhymes emphasize colors and movement, encouraging readers to scrape, rake, tip, and blow the leaf piles.

There are four pages with a slider and while they are loose, it does take some tapping and shaking of the book to get them to come out. When you do, they all tend to come out at once. The book itself does not feel very sturdy, with a thin cardboard cover holding the four thicker boards in place.

The art is cheerful and colorful, showing a diverse range of children playing outdoors in the leaves. The cover picture shown doesn't accurately show the way the sliders work - they all slide out horizontally on the right, so when they're all out it they're stacked on top of each other, not in a fan pattern.

Verdict: I think this will be popular, appealing to adults' nostalgia about leaves, and might, possibly, inspire some kids to try to keep leaves around a little longer. Although the book is flimsy, it's inexpensive and in areas with four seasons it's worth purchasing several copies even if they don't last long.

ISBN: 9781665962056; Board book on Baker & Taylor for $5.66

Published September 2024 by Little Simon; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library