Leaves!

Fall marks nature’s cyclical formula. The summer ceases with the arrival of crisp weather, and nature transforms once again. Animals migrate, the days become shorter, and trees shed their leaves to form crunchy piles for kids to jump into. The fall is a time for nature to begin to ready itself for hibernation by saving energy, unlike our prolific picture book duo who continue to publish with vigour. The seasons change, but one thing remains the same: Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko’s books, season after season, never cease to entertain new children and adults alike.

With Leaves!, Canada’s most famous children literature duo are back with another fantastical tale from their unpublished archive. When Alex and Sydney’s father asks them to clean the yard, the siblings use their father’s powerful leaf blower to make the task easier (and for readers, expected wacky results). Over the course of the story, they all get “leafed” under a giant pile of leaves (culminating with their mother), accompanied by a plethora of household items like an egg on a frying pan while being buried in the front yard with leaves stuck in all their unmentionable areas.

Munsch has always had a keen eye for the zany and adventurous as evidenced by his extensive catalogue, and, in this increasingly funny story. Martchenko continues to display his ageless style with the attention to detail he’s known for— in what is now a “Martchenko-ism”. The animals’ expressions help accent the text here, too. The publisher has put a big red “New!” sticker on the cover page to let readers know Leaves! is indeed new. While the book is new, its contents feel comfortable for readers of any of the pair’s books. Reading the book is like putting on your trusted fall jacket that is well-worn, but cozy. Seasons change, people grow older, but Munsch and Martchenko’s books will continue to entertain and move generations to come.