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Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic
A compilation of Native American speeches affirming the desire to live in spiritual and ecological harmony includes the words of Geronimo, Sitting Bull, and Cochise, covering such topics as fishing rights, peace treaties, and the devastation of their land.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 18, 1997
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80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 1, 2025
The illustrations are a treat and contains many things that make this season special. The book does tiptoe into winter though, so maybe it's more of an autumn/winter book.
Ages: 3 - 8
Content Considerations: picture with a jack-o-lantern.
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Ages: 3 - 8
Content Considerations: picture with a jack-o-lantern.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
I have an Instagram account that’s pretty bookishly unique too!
July 4, 2017
This was an interesting alphabet book since of the usage of a word tied with autumn (for the most part) that was then made into a small poem.
The book lost my interest when it invaded into the winter realm. The book is meant to be about not twelve months or the end of a year.
The book lost my interest when it invaded into the winter realm. The book is meant to be about not twelve months or the end of a year.
November 26, 2011
Book of acrostics all about fall--each poem is really beautiful in my opinion and it was a really nice introduction for my children before writing their own acrostics. LOVE this book!
October 16, 2025
Twenty-six acrostic poems from author Steven Schnur, one for each letter in the alphabet, are paired with linoleum block illustrations from artist Leslie Evans in this gorgeous seasonal picture book. Opening with "Acorn" and proceeding through "Zero," the poems here describe the sights, sounds and experiences throughout the autumn season and into winter.
A single seed
Can feed a squirrel
Or grow into a giant oak that
Rains down new
Nuts every autumn.
Creatively crafted and seasonally specific, the poems in Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic are lots of fun to peruse and read, while the accompanying artwork is immensely appealing. I have a fondness for this kind of artwork, which always feels stylish and folksy at the same time, and Evans is a talented practitioner. Although arranged alphabetically, I would not describe this as an alphabet book suitable for very young children, and would recommend it to those looking for engaging and beautiful autumn picture books. For my own part, I see that Schnur and Evans have collaborated on three additional titles in this vein, for the others seasons—I will have to track those down.
A single seed
Can feed a squirrel
Or grow into a giant oak that
Rains down new
Nuts every autumn.
Creatively crafted and seasonally specific, the poems in Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic are lots of fun to peruse and read, while the accompanying artwork is immensely appealing. I have a fondness for this kind of artwork, which always feels stylish and folksy at the same time, and Evans is a talented practitioner. Although arranged alphabetically, I would not describe this as an alphabet book suitable for very young children, and would recommend it to those looking for engaging and beautiful autumn picture books. For my own part, I see that Schnur and Evans have collaborated on three additional titles in this vein, for the others seasons—I will have to track those down.
September 12, 2023
Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic is a beautifully written ABC picture book for younger audiences. It is written with Native American speeches, which helps implement different cultures into a classroom. The book uses acrostic poems of an object or idea related to autumn. Then, it uses the acrostic poem to tell a story about the object or explain its significance. This book is a fun way to teach younger students who are still working on reading different elements of our changing seasons. The illustrations gave me a nostalgic feeling, and the warm vibrant colors add to the autumnal theme. The animals in the illustration (such as the squirrel eating an acorn) aid in the explanation of the acrostic poem.
September 23, 2022
An intriguing alphabet concept, where each page offers a word for its letter which becomes the titular acrostic poem for that letter. While this means on some pages the word is not specifically tied to the season, the short poem does offer a fall feeling related to the word, for example H is a Horse, but watching an autumn storm approach, and M is a Mouse, but sneaking food from the kitchen for winter. But this alphabet absolutely warrants a 5 star rating for the letter X! The word is Xylem, paired with a wonderful acrostic about plants shifting into their restful season.
September 30, 2022
Beautiful illustrations and clever little poems in alphabetical order. An enjoyable read aloud for my three and five year old who especially loved the crisp pictures; my thirteen year old went and wrote a poem afterwards.
July 24, 2019
7/24/19 Read with Julia.
October 3, 2019
Really beautiful illustrations and prose. Clever words used. Probably best for children 3 or 4 and up to appreciate the words and theme, but great variety of words and images for all ages.
April 7, 2024
Excellent book for young children. Have them try their own.
October 8, 2024
I really wanted this to be better! Summer was so good! Bummer.
November 19, 2008
Good job Stephen Schnur! And my compliments to Leslie Evans the illustrator! These two did an impressive job of staying on topic with this acrostic about the fall!
My only complaint....the letter X! Okay, okay, I get it...there are not a lot of x words out there...let alone ones that pertain to the fall, but XYLEM?! Try pronouncing and explaining that one without your dictionary!!!
Xylem - A complex tissue in the vascular system of higher plants that consists of vessels, tracheids, or both usually together with wood fibers and parenchyma cells, functions chiefly in conduction but also in support and storage, and typically constitutes woody element (as of a plant stem).
(I would give them props, but I assume that they had to hit up the dictionary for this and that it was pure coincidence that they found an x word for plant stem!)
Holy mackerel! My spell check didn't know tracheids or parenchyma!
I cant wait to see what he comes up with for x in the other seasons.....
My only complaint....the letter X! Okay, okay, I get it...there are not a lot of x words out there...let alone ones that pertain to the fall, but XYLEM?! Try pronouncing and explaining that one without your dictionary!!!
Xylem - A complex tissue in the vascular system of higher plants that consists of vessels, tracheids, or both usually together with wood fibers and parenchyma cells, functions chiefly in conduction but also in support and storage, and typically constitutes woody element (as of a plant stem).
(I would give them props, but I assume that they had to hit up the dictionary for this and that it was pure coincidence that they found an x word for plant stem!)
Holy mackerel! My spell check didn't know tracheids or parenchyma!
I cant wait to see what he comes up with for x in the other seasons.....
October 18, 2011
A beautiful, beautiful book! In words and in illustrations. We loved reading this and feeling autumn-y, even though none of these things are happening right now in Hawaii! We long for fall...and this book helped!
June 29, 2017
A lyrical, gentle book that bridges the fall season with acrostic poetry. I used it as a mentor text during a project on acrostics with 1st and 2nd graders. The former were more engaged with the book than the latter, but all of them enjoyed making their own poems using an autumn word.
October 1, 2008
Beautifully drawn. I love reading this over and over again.
December 1, 2010
Beautiful pictures.
September 22, 2011
Lovely pictures, poems not half bad. My emerging reader enjoyed sounding out the words the first letters spelled.
January 2, 2012
This was such a thoughtfully written book... loved the acrostics. The children enjoyed taking turns with each acrostic... I helped my 4-year old and he really liked participating. Great book!
September 15, 2014
Little M really liked picking out the letters of this acrostic. Kinda liked this one.
September 11, 2012
I love acrostics. And brightly colored, bold artwork that has a sort of 70s feel to it. But I'm not sure how it would go over with modern kids at the ages it's intended for.
March 3, 2013
Xyleam? XII.
I get that X is a difficult word but when this is in the book next to really basic words on each other page it may get a bit confusing. This book was extremely boring, to me.
I get that X is a difficult word but when this is in the book next to really basic words on each other page it may get a bit confusing. This book was extremely boring, to me.
September 13, 2013
I expected to like this a little more. It's nice, but by Z you're at New Year's. Seemed like a bit of a stretch. I still like the concept, but would like just a bit less winter stuff.
September 12, 2016
Lovely book!
January 26, 2016
An interesting approach, using acrostics, to tell the story of autumn.
October 23, 2008
Fun book for kids in the fall.
November 2, 2011
Really creative!!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews