A Perfect Fall Day... Listen, Listen

Each October, my family uses Columbus Day weekend as an excuse to squeeze in one last little taste of Summer. My in-laws in Northern California and the kids' beloved Lee cousins have the same days off from school, so we have formed a tradition of meeting them in Southern California when prices and crowds are low. While I savored those moments this weekend in the sun by the pool, it was also nice to return home to the seasons of the Midwest.

It was a perfect Fall day today. Sunny and crisp, but still warm enough to be comfortable without a jacket. After school, I dressed my boys in matching shirts (hoping for that holiday card picture, of course) and took them to the preschool pumpkin patch to pick out our future Jack-o-Lanterns and snap a few photos. We returned home to the leaves I had raked into a pile earlier in the day. Kids seem to know instinctively what to do with this... Ryker, still under two years, was the first to jump in. While I don't think that I got the "perfect" photo, we had a blast and certainly succeeded in digitally capturing some moments that I will treasure. It is far too seldom that I remember to tote the camera along with me and the boys.

The drastic contrast of seasons in the last two days, the idealistic autumn afternoon, and the thought of holiday cards, prompted me to take out a special Barefoot Book for bedtime this evening: Listen, Listen. The rhythmic verse by Phillis Gershator reminds us to appreciate the delicate sounds of nature that surround us each season. The art by Alison Jay, created with oil paint and a crackle varnish, evokes an especially nostalgic feel, invites the reader to explore the details, and perfectly complements the movement of the words.

"Listen, listen... summer's gone. Good-bye insects, autumn's come. Plop, plop, acorns drop. hurry, scurry, squirrels hop."

We always spend a lot of time when we sit down with this book. It wouldn't be right to rush through when the theme is just the opposite. There are all sorts of tiny things to spot in the illustrations. There are even smells, if your imagination is tuned in. It's the kind of book that reminds us to breathe and remember what is important in life. It is even a book about ecology. I promise to help my boys recall these lessons, linger a bit, and appreciate the treasures around us as we step outside each day.

Listen, Listen is available in hardcover and the newly released lap book version. The lap book is a larger format board book, ideal for the classroom setting or younger children. See Barefoot Books for more details.