Book Review : The Little Yellow Leaf

Title : The Little Yellow Leaf
Author and Illustrator : Carin Berger
Publisher : Greenwillow Books


Just the thought of any change elicits many emotions - the anxiety, the anticipation, the apprehension, the fear, the uncertainty… of unknown, which make it always a daunting task to accept change or get prepared for change. Most changes just happen with the course of time but just imagine for a moment, if all these changes were to happen with our consent, how many would have actually happened, perhaps just a small fraction of the actual.

This is the story of a Little Yellow Leaf during one autumn who is watching its peers float off the tree and fly past but the Little Yellow is Not Ready, it clings to its tree.

Days pass, slowly all other dry leaves gather to make huge mounds. Autumn moves on to make room for chilly weather. One after another seasons change, obediently following the cycle of nature. But every time, the Little Yellow Leaf thinks - I'm not ready, not yet. It holds onto the tree. With every change the Leaf feels its unpreparedness to take that final leap, the final jump. It is alone hanging from its tree but can not muster the courage to leave its familiar zone.

One fine day, the Little Yellow Leaf finds a companion, a Little Scarlet Leaf - another leaf holding tight to the tree. Silently they understood the inner commotion of each other, the same apprehensions, same fears, same anxiety.

Will the Little Yellow Leaf ever get ready? You must read the book to know the answer.

This book portrays the predicament of the little yellow leaf in each one of us and what role does the Little Scarlet Leaf plays in our lives to help us identify our courage and self-belief.

This book is for all age groups and a beautiful keepsake. The author and illustrator - Carin Berger is an award winning artist. The clutter-free illustrations magnificently portray the turmoil of the Little Yellow Leaf page after page. There is not a lot of text in the book and there is no need for it as the gorgeous pictures convey everything.