A Leaf Can Be…by Laura Purdie Salas

A Leaf Can Be… by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Violeta Dabija. Millbrook, 2012, 32 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book
Maturity Level: All

Who would have imagined that God made leaves so multifunctional?!

When it comes to interesting little ones in science, it would be difficult to improve upon the approach in A Leaf Can Be. This book is full of tantalizing simple and poetic descriptions of the manifold usefulness that are designed in a simple leaf. For example:

A leaf can be a
Soft cradle
Water ladle
Sun taker
Food maker

These descriptions are accompanied by soft, colorful illustrations that seem to glow with detailed explanations, glossary and bibliography at the end. The rest of the brilliant observations are even better. Among them: “skin welter,” “hill glow-er,” “fine healer,” to mention a few. See also Water Can Be by the same talented duo.

Literary Quality: 5 (out of 5)
Worldview: 4 (out of 5)

Cautions: none
Audience: parents, educators, grandparents, children (0-4), children (4-8), pre-readers, boys, girls
Recommended use: group read-aloud, independent reading choice, read-aloud, science enrichment, information

Awards: Notable Children’s Books in the English Language Arts