Now It's Fall

Seasons #2

by Lois Lenski

School bells and apples and big ripe pumpkins-all the pleasures of fall come alive in this newly reissued classic by award winner Lois Lenski. First published in 1948, Now It's Fall is a timeless celebration of autumn that will enchant a whole new generation of young readers with its gently recolored illustrations.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

56 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Lois Lenore Lenski Covey was an influential American author and illustrator whose work reshaped twentieth-century children’s literature through its combination of artistic skill, documentary realism, and deep empathy for childhood experience. Beginning her publishing career in the late 1920s, she went on to write and illustrate nearly one hundred books, ranging from picture books and historical novels to regional fiction, poetry, songbooks, and literary essays. She is best known for the Mr. Small picture book series, her meticulously researched historical novels, and her groundbreaking Regional books, which portrayed the everyday lives of children across diverse American communities.
Born in Ohio and trained formally as both an educator and an artist, Lenski studied at Ohio State University, the Art Students League of New York, and the Westminster School of Art in London. Although she initially aspired to be a painter, exhibiting work in New York galleries, she gradually turned to illustration and then to writing, encouraged by pioneering children’s editor Helen Dean Fish. Her early books drew heavily on her Midwestern childhood, while later works reflected extensive travel, field research, and close observation of family and community life.
Lenski achieved major critical recognition with her historical novels Phebe Fairchild: Her Book and Indian Captive, and with her Regional novel Strawberry Girl, which won the Newbery Medal. These works were notable for their commitment to authenticity, incorporating dialect, material culture, and social realities often avoided in children’s books of the era. She believed that literature for young readers should neither sentimentalize nor sanitize life, but instead foster understanding, tolerance, and empathy.
Alongside her own writing, Lenski illustrated works by other major authors, including Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could and the early volumes of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series. Her influence extended beyond publishing through lectures, teaching, and advocacy. In 1967 she established the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, dedicated to providing books to children facing social and economic disadvantage.
In her later years, Lenski continued writing while living in Florida, publishing her autobiography Journey into Childhood shortly before her death. Her legacy endures through her books, her educational philosophy, and ongoing efforts to expand access to literature for children.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do like the vintage illustrations but this felt a little rushed, particularly the rhyming text. A little vague too, the children are gathering nuts but there is no telling what nuts they are.

Read on open library.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

So textually speaking, Lois Lenski’s 1948 picture book Now It’s Fall certainly does lyrically, delightfully and charmingly show and tell about every part of autumn (from the leaves changing their colours before the onset of winter to celebrations like Halloween, and indeed, I also do very much appreciate that fall rain storms and increasingly colder and sometimes rather damp and miserable outdoor temperatures are equally not being ignored). And yes, while Lois Lenski’s poetry does (at least in my humble opinion) occasionally feel a bit awkward and not always all that smoothly flowing, for the most part, I do heart-fully consider Now It’s Fall a wonderful seasonal celebration and also a perfect vehicle as a read-aloud or a read-along (and I can certainly and smilingly imagine a family autumn evening before the fireplace with Lois Lenski’s words being featured front and centre and totally appreciated and verbally enjoyed by all and sundry). However, as much as I have indeed very much adored Now It’s Fall narrationally, the accompanying artwork (which is also by Lois Lenski) has just not really tickled my aesthetics all that much and all that positively. For while I do enjoy the limiting colour scheme of mostly reds, yellows and oranges for depicting autumn leaves, that everything is basically depicted in said manner, I have not really found this visually to my tastes (and not to mention that in Now It’s Fall I also kind of consider too much of an illustrative focus on humans and not enough on nature). And thus, while for me, Now It’s Fall definitely presents a four to five star text, I do tend to find the illustrations a trifle lacking, a bit too monochromatic and thus the combination of Lois Lenski’s printed words and her images only a rather standard (but still appreciated and recommended) three star reading experience.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh so charming. Small, just the size for small hands. Except for three spreads, there's a verse on the left page, an illustration on the right. Bright & cheery. I would have adored this when I was learning to read. I wish the companions were still available....

[writer... · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough coverage of all Fall related activities for children . Rhyming form. Vintage artwork.



Connecticut

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book exploring all the sights and sounds of fall to my two-year-old daughter who snatched it up from the bookshelf at my mom's house and carried it around with her for an entire afternoon. The illustrations are what caught her eye, and they were my favorite part as well. The text was more generic, but still perfect for introducing the season to a very young child.

[Natasha Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Lois Lenski, and the rhyming was sweet.
There were about 3-4 pages with Halloween as the focus, which we do not celebrate. I was hoping the focus would be on the fall season, not fall holidays. My kids enjoyed it, but we skipped the Halloween pages.

[Jenn Swanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter was a little creeped out by the illustrations but I enjoyed them. A simple book.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

AWFUL book. The illustrations are SO creepy and evil looking. There is even an illustration with the boy holding up his hand Hitler like. My friend told me it's the wrong hand, but I still think that's not okay. The children look like demon children who are scheming up evil things and the only 'person' that knows what they're up to is the dog. The dog looks very concerned in some of the illustrations and the dog is right to be concerned! I don't understand why the children's eyebrows were drawn the way they did. If you cover up the eyebrows, they look like regular happy children (aside from one illustration where they look possessed by the glowing pumpkin). As for the 'story', it's only okay. It's cute that it rhymes, but man those illustrations need to be updated. They look like some WWII propaganda.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect book for children on the first day of Fall 🍂🍎🍁🎃

Originally written in 1948 by the renowned children's author, Lois Lenski. It's part of her "Seasons" series.

It's a cute story told in rhyme all about Fall. It mentions the beauty of the leaves changing colour, racking up leaves and making a pile to jump into, walking in the rain, apple picking, collecting nuts, the start of a new school year, watching the birds flying south, pumpkin carving and dressing up for Halloween. Finally it ends with Thanksgiving and a special blessing 🙏 These were all things I liked to do in the Fall in my childhood so it was a nice trip down memory lane.

The pictures are bright and old fashioned. A delightful story 😊

[Elizabeth Cusick · Rating 4 out of 5]

It talks about fall and the summer coming to an end and it gets cooler and the leaves fall and Halloween

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect!
Great illustrations! Sweet, rhyming story. Who doesn't love the fall?!
This little story covers the changing leaves, the blowing wind, rainy days, apple and pumpkin picking, back-to-school, birds flying south, carving pumpkins and dressing up for Halloween, and chasing down a turkey for Thanksgiving.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute little book. This has vintage pictures and is only about as big as a 3X5 card. I like that it takes you through all of the fall events; school starting, autumn leaves, Halloween & Thanksgiving.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a big hit with DS. I like it's vintage looking illustrations (I don't remember the publish date) and the rhymes are a little old-fashioned too if I remember right.

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covers all your bases for what happens in the autumn. Apples, pumpkins, leaves, Halloween, Thanksgiving...

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent book about fall, but it's way too long, and the small size, while pretty adorable, makes it difficult to share with groups.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join a brother and sister as they experience much of the wonderfullness that is Autumn.

A classic Lois Lensky.

[Maren Prestegaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little book about fall. Except why does everybody try to rhyme rain and again? Feel silly making that happen when I'm reading.

[Josette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great colors, simple rhymes...a great seasonal book to own.

[Cera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia loves this, but something about the illustrations make it look like Children of the Corn.