By the Light of the Harvest Moon [Hardcover]

Harriet Ziefert (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 23, 2009 | Age Range: 3 - 7 years

As the harvest moon shines down, the wind picks up, sending orange, yellow, and crimson leaves dancing, until they settle in a pumpkin patch. One-by-one, leaf people emerge to celebrate the autumnal equinox.

Mark Jones's rich pastel illustrations bring to life the mysterious and fleeting world of a gentle troupe of leaf characters, who will warm the hearts of all readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This warm picture-book fantasy celebrates fall, especially the amazing movement, light, color, and sounds of autumn leaves. On a clear moonlit night, after a farmer has gone to bed, leaf people emerge from piles of leaves. Double-page pastel images in seasonal shades of orange, red, and yellow show the leafy grown-ups, kids, and pets enjoying their freedom. The leaf children play: bobbing for apples, weaving leaves, stringing popcorn necklaces, and then stacking pumpkins, which then roll down the hill—right into the middle of a party that the grown-ups have made for them. A leaf grandma talks about the autumnal equinox, the kids eat pie, and then, in the story’s climax, the leaf people get to fly in the gusts of wind. The combination of fantasy and realism in the crisp autumn night will spark children’s imagination about the leaf piles they find in their city, suburb, or country roads. Preschool-Grade 2. --Hazel Rochman

About the Author

Harriet Ziefert is the author of over 200 children's books. The mother of two and the grandmother of five, she lives in South Orange, New Jersey.

Mark Jones was born in Switzerland, grew up in Florida, and graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City with a degree in illustration. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 7 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Blue Apple Books; First Edition edition (September 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934706698
• ISBN-13: 978-1934706695
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #767,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Harriet Ziefert was born in New Jersey. She grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey, where she attended the local schools. She graduated from Smith College, then received a Masters degree in Education from New York University. "About twelve years ago," says Ziefert in a 1995 interview, "I tried to get a job as an editor, but no one would hire me as a trade editor. So I decided to write my own books." Since then, she has written several hundred books, mostly picture books and easy-to-read books. "I write books very quickly," she says, "in about twelve hours. I rewrite them three times over three days, and then they're done." She writes about twenty books a year. Ziefert's picture book A New Coat for Anna is about a girl in a bombed-out European city during the months just after World War II. Anna has outgrown her old coat, and her mother trades her few surviving treasures--a watch, a lamp, a necklace, and a porcelain teapot--in order to obtain wool and have it spun, woven, and finally sewn into a fine red coat for Anna. A Horn Book Magazine reviewer stated, "the simple text, based on a true story, carries the narrative along effectively." The book, which was illustrated by Anita Lobel, was chosen as one of ten books to be read aloud by former First Lady Barbara Bush as part of a program promoting reading. Ziefert was invited to the White House for the occasion. The reason Ziefert began writing easy-to-read books was that she felt "they were getting too hard for kids to read in the first grade." She says that she wrote easy-to-read books with seventy-five or fewer words, even ones with fifty or fewer words, "to see how much of a story" she could produce with that limit. She enjoyed the challenge, and cites her book Sleepy Dog as an example. "Sleepy Dog is the most successful book I've ever done, in terms of number of books sold." She's also been working on a developmental program with publisher Dorling Kindersley, made up of books for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Her book Pete's Chicken, which was illustrated by Laura Rader, was reviewed in the New York Times Book Review as "a simple, sweet 'Song of Myself' for children . . . [which] applauds the specialness of every child as it reminds parents of the healing power of just being there for children." Among her other books is a series of easy-to-read books, such as Trip Day and Worm Day, about an inventive science teacher and his rambunctious class of students. Ziefert's book Let's Get a Pet was named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children by a joint committee of the National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council. . Ms. Ziefert lives in Maplewood, New Jersey and Lincoln, Massachusetts. She has two adult sons.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illustrations... April 10, 2011

By kd617

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book was purchased for my daughter who has an Autumn birthday.
It is a beautifully illustrated book.
We both love the story and I would purchase other books from this author/illustrator
and I would recommend to my friends & family.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Bedtime Story September 1, 2011

By loveangel74

Format:Hardcover

I read this story to my 6 year old. We both enjoyed the book so much...I read it a second time. The pictures are beautiful. I am on a quest now to see other books written by the authors.

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful. March 13, 2013

By Jess

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

My 1 year old son is absolutely mesmerized by this book and I have to admit, I am as well. Gorgeous illustrations, not overly bright or "in your face." One of our favorite stories - we now love searching for "leaf people" while outside. Modern Waldorf story.