The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story Of Life For All Ages (Hardcover)

~ Leo Buscaglia (Author) "Spring had passed. So had Summer..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

A classic. As Freddie experiences the changing seasons along with his companion leaves, he learns that death is part of life.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

This story is a warm, wonderfully wise, and strikingly simple story about a leaf named Freddie--how Freddie and his companion leaves change with the passing seasons, finally falling to the ground with winter's snow.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Slack (September 15, 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805010645
• ISBN-13: 978-0805010640
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,098 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless story of life and death for all ages, January 17, 2005

By	Carol Watkins "Psychiatrist" (Baltimore, MD United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: 20th Aniversary Edition (Hardcover)

Freddy, a maple leaf, is born in the spring, and grows to know his fellow leaves and his surroundings. Although leaves superficially look the same, he learns and appreciates the subtle differences between himself and each other leaf. He admires a larger leaf, Daniel. Daniel has a deeper understanding of life and death. He helps Freddie understand each of his phases of life. Finally, Daniel explains death and letting go.

The book uses the gentle, concrete metaphor of the annual changes in leaves on a tree to help anyone appreciate the different phases of life. Each leaf leaves the tree differently: some drift down quietly, and others fiercely resist the tug of the wind. This shows how each person approaches death differently. Freddy resists until he is withered and brown, the last leaf on the branch. Finally he lets go and experiences a sense of peace.

Although the leaves, die each year, they are part of the tree which lives on, although even it has a finite life. the book discusses the interconnecedness of life and death. however, it does not take a stand on the specifics of a life after death.

This would help children of a wide range of ages appreciate not only death, but also the different phases of life. Each time Freddy the leaf changes with the seasons, it is puzzling but he learns its value. He sees how the tree and the leaves have purpose. this helps one see that life has purposes that may not be immediately obvious. This book is also moving for adults who may be experiencing a life transition. I recommend that anyone, of any age take this book and read it under a tree.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I read it to my children, the night my husband died., July 17, 1999

By A Customer

I read this book to my 6 year old daughter and 5 year old son the night their father died. As I returned from the hospital, a neighbor gave me this book and it helped tremendously that evening. I read it often to my children that first year after our loss. I am now a teacher researching children's books on death for a Master's degree and I rediscovered this book. The Fall of Freddie the Leaf should be a part of every primary classroom library.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource, June 28, 2002

By	Ms Diva "cycworker" (Nanaimo, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

I used this book with a boy a worked with a few years ago. He was 9 at the time, and a close relative had died. Before a colleague showed me the book, I struggled to find the right words to comfort him with, to no avail. The experience was a first hand confrontation with the fact that our culture generally has a great deal of difficulty dealing with the issue of death. Of all the books I've read that attempt to help us deal with this problem, this one is the best.

This simply, poignant story about the changing of the seasons gave me a bridge to talk to the child and helped him make sense of his loss. The language is simple enough for even a young child to understand. The pictures are gorgeous. It helped him cope with and understand his loss. As well, he was inspired to read the story to his classmates (this is a boy who previously hated reading) and it created a "teachable moment" for the whole group.

This book is one that I would reccommend to anyone who is in contact with children. It would be an excellent addition to your personal library because it makes talking about a difficult, painful subject a great deal easier.