I liked the mix of science and of culture and the fact that it gave a global perspective. I liked that some of the illustrations had extra details for the patient viewer to spy, and I liked the activities at the end. Def. a good choice for families who homeschool. Also, the illustrations reminded me somewhat of [a:Lois Lenski|5310|Lois Lenski|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1210188458p2/5310.jpg]'s, which gave them a folksy, primitive vibe. The only thing I learned is that foxes stash food for later by burying it - somehow, though I know dogs bury bones, I never realized that before. Btw, it's probably objectively a four star book, but I can't say I really 'enjoyed' it, so I'm giving it only three *for me*. ( )

harvest ( )

This book is a book about thanksgiving and the things that thanksgiving is about. This book is best suited for children under the age of 10 because of the pictures and language in it. I like the pictures in this book because they are colorful and that by itself reminds me of thanksgiving. I do not like how this book just talks about the normal traditions of thanksgiving and does not give actual facts. This book would be good to use around fall and can be used in all classrooms because it is mostly about celebrating the harvest season so it will not offend anyone due to cultural reasons. ( )

This is the second seasonal title from Wendy Pfeffer and Linda Bleck - the author-illustrator team who have explored the Autumnal Equinox (here), the Spring Equinox (A New Beginning), and the Summer Solstice (The Longest Day); and the author who, with another illustrator, explored the Winter Solstice (The Shortest Day) - that I have read, and like the other (the Spring selection), I found it reasonably informative and engaging, with moderately enjoyable artwork.

Pfeffer lays out the basic science behind the equinox, gives a brief history of agricultural cultivation, and then discusses a variety of harvest festivals associated with the autumn, from the Jewish Sukkot to the southern Indian Pongal. Also included are the Yoruba New Yam Festival, and the American holiday of Thanksgiving. The text is a little light on details, but then, it is clearly meant to be a children's survey of different autumn traditions. The illustrations are bright and colorful, with a stylized feeling that is quite attractive.

I cannot say, all-told, that I found either text or artwork outstanding, but given the dearth of titles about this topic (the only other I can think of is Ellen Jackson's The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest), it is still a very good title to be aware of. This is one I would recommend primarily to those looking for children's books about the Autumn Equinox. ( )

This nonfiction book is great for all elementary grade levels as it describes what the autumn season means in many different parts of the world. This book goes through the harvest season illustrating how different cultures celebrate in different ways. Climate is described in relation to why plants must be planted at certain times and harvested at other times of the year. Overall, this book is a great tool to utilize when students are learning about the traditions of different cultures around the world. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 because it contains accurate information about other cultures and how, what, and when each harvest plants in order to create food for all cultures. ( )