Fall is here, bringing with it crisp air, transforming leaves, apple cider, and pumpkin spiced everything. It’s one of my favorite times of the year and if you love it too, Disney Hyperion has a special treat for you to share with your kids. Lawrence in the Fall is a charming picture book by Matthew Farina about a father and son spending quality time together on a special day as the seasons change.
One day at school, Lawrence the fox discovers that all of his classmates collect things when the teacher assigns a sharing activity. Lawrence comes home from school upset because he doesn’t have a collection, so his father takes him on a walk in the woods to meet other animals who collect things to help Lawrence find something that’s interesting to him. Through this outing, Lawrence discovers beauty in the everyday world around you.
As a big fan of changing colored leaves, I really enjoyed Lawrence’s fascination with leaves and his eagerness to learn more about the different shapes and colors that come from different trees. The back of the book contains a guide to the leaves Lawrence collects so that you can share Lawrence’s passion with your kids.
The illustrations are provided by Doug Salati who adds highly textured patterns to the characters and the world. You can almost feel the fur on each animal, the texture of their dug fox’s den, and the coarse bark on every tree. He has a lot of fun with the fall colors as well. The final page where Lawrence leads his friends across a log over a stream in the woods is so lush and beautiful that you and your kids will want to linger in it.
Lawrence in the Fall is a sweet story about a father and son growing closer together while trying to find a new hobby for Lawrence. It’s a perfect autumn bedtime story for dads to read with their kids while celebrating the change of season. Cozy up with a glass of warm cider and enjoy the quality time that this book provides.