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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Lenski

Many of Lenski's books can be collated into 'series' - but since they don't have to be read in order, you may be better off just looking for more information here: http://library.illinoisstate.edu/uniq...

Probably her most famous set is the following:
American Regional Series

Beginning with Bayou Suzette in 1943, Lois Lenski began writing a series of books which would become known as her "regional series." In the early 1940s Lenski, who suffered from periodic bouts of ill-health, was told by her doctor that she needed to spend the winter months in a warmer climate than her Connecticut home. As a result, Lenski and her husband Arthur Covey traveled south each fall. Lenski wrote in her autobiography, "On my trips south I saw the real America for the first time. I saw and learned what the word region meant as I witnessed firsthand different ways of life unlike my own. What interested me most was the way children were living" (183).
In Journey Into Childhood, Lenski wrote that she was struck by the fact that there were "plenty of books that tell how children live in Alaska, Holland, China, and Mexico, but no books at all telling about the many ways children live here in the United States"

Bayou Suzette.
Strawberry Girl.
Blue Ridge Billy.
Judy's Journey.
Boom Town Boy.
Cotton in My Sack.
Texas Tomboy.
Prairie School.
Corn-Farm Boy.
San Francisco Boy.
Flood Friday.
Houseboat Girl.
Coal Camp Girl.
Shoo-Fly Girl.
To Be a Logger.
Deer Valley Girl.

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.