Carr, Jan.  DAPPLED APPLES.  Illus by Dorothy Donohue.  New York:  Holiday, 2001.
    24p.   0-28234-1583-X; hb., $15.95   00-047285   K-3   E

    The cut paper collages have been layered so they achieve texture and dimension.  The vivid color of autumn appears on every page as the children pick apples and pumpkins and prepare their costumes before going trick or treating.  The simplicity of text and illustrations are perfect for preschool and primary students. The rhyme is natural and not forced.  This is a good book to read aloud at the beginning of the school year.
    Mary Ann Paulin, Director; Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI
    32 years of experience as a school library media specialist

Demi.  KITES: MAGIC WISHES THAT FLY UP TO THE SKY.  New York:
    Crown, 1999.  unp.  0-517-80049-7; hb., $17.00   0-517-80050-0; lib.bdg.,  $18.99
    98-41372  Gr. 2-8+      394.26    or   796.15    or  797.5       Paulin's Picks Citation

     Demi tells how the Double Ninth Festival or Ch'ing Yang began.  This Chinese festival is celebrated on the 9th day of the 9th month (Sept. 9).  Many people purchased holy pictures from an old painter in China and offered them to their gods in the temple and prayed their wishes would come true.  Often the pictures in the painting would show what the person wanted, like a picture of a Peaceful Buddha for someone who wanted peace or a picture of an abacus for someone who wanted money.  One day a woman wanted a dragon kite because it was the symbol of wealth, wisdom power, and nobility and wanted it in kite form so she could fly it into the sky to heaven.  When people saw the boy become bigger, stronger, richer, and nobler before their eyes, they also wanted their pictures on kites.   Nine bird representations on kites  include magpies to bring joy and fame and for nobility and honesty.  Ten insects on kites include crickets to bring music and song and a butterfly to symbolize love.   Ten reptiles, fish, and crustaceans include carp for abundance and frogs for long life and joy.  Eleven animals on kites include  pandas for happiness and tigers for courage.  Eleven Buddhas and gods on kites include Vairochana, the teaching Buddha, or Akshobhya for wisdom and overcoming anger.  Three flowers and five symbols on kites include T'ai Chi for creativity and harmony in the universe,  Fu for happiness, and Shou for longevity Sometimes people cut kite strings to send bad luck away.  Four pages include 12 steps  for making a kite 4 pages and 12 steps.   This is more than a kite book and more than a holiday book.
    Share this book in March or when studying Buddhist countries in social studies.  Demi  makes it easy to understand an Eastern philosophy.  Highly Recommended for school and public libraries.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist

Schuette, Sarah.  LET'S LOOK AT FALL.  Mankato, MN:   Capstone Press, 2009.
          24p.  ISBN: 978-1-4296-2288-2 hb. $21.27      Gr. K-2      j 500

          Are you in search of nonfiction material for younger children?  This book is perfect for you.  The colorful fall photographs instantly grab the readers interest.  The simple story is enhanced by a table of contents, headings, and a glossary.  All of this is done in the English language first and then Spanish right alongside. In an almost poetic form, we learn the what fall looks like.  Then we learn what the squirrel, birds, and bears do in the fall, as well as the changes that occur in plant life. Finally, the reader is left to make a prediction. If fall is over, what could be next? This book will be appealing for public and school libraries with its combination of science and language, especially the bilingual aspect.
          Lisa Wallace, Teacher, Tahquamenon Area Public Schools, Newberry, MI

Zoehfeld, Kathleen Weidner.  FALL LEAVES CHANGE COLORS.  Scholastic Science
    Readers series, Level. 1.  Illus with photos.  New York: Scholastic Reference,  2001.  32p.
    0-439-38195-9; pb.,  $3.99     K-Gr. 2    ER

    Terms in the glossary are emphasized in bold print and many have phonetic spellings to aid pronunciation.  Readers learn about chlorophyll’s role in color change and why leaves fall.  Photos are close-ups and long range.  Needles are also shown.  There is a note for parents and a suggested activity.  This colorful and informative easy reader  is suitable for school and public libraries.
    Mary Ann Paulin, Director; Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, Michigan
    32 years of experience as a school library/media specialist

 
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