Leif and the Fall

by Allison Sweet Grant, Adam M. Grant, Merrilee Liddiard (Illustrator)

Persistence and creativity can lead to amazing things, as Leif the leaf discovers in this lovely storybook from Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Originals.

Leif is a leaf. A worried leaf. It is autumn, and Leif is afraid to fall. "All leaves fall in the fall," say the other leaves. But Leif is determined to find a different way down, and with his friend Laurel, he uses the resources around him to create a net, a kite, a parachute in hopes of softening his landing. The clock is ticking, the wind is blowing. What will happen when a gust of wind pulls Leif from his branch?

In a culture that prizes achievement, kids are often afraid to fail--failing to realize that some of the very ideas that don't work are steps along the path to ones that will.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nature, Friendship, Storytime, Stem, Emotion

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Sara Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

My littlest kiddos (five and four) really adored this book a lot. We've already read it so much I'm fairly certain I can recite it and they've practiced being a leaf while falling off the couch. All fun stuff. HA!

The greater messages of courage, perseverance, and creativity are really wonderful and things children in the targeted age group could all certainly identify with. My kids also were upset at the "bad leafs" (they don't know their plurals yet!) and wanted Laurel (the helper friend leaf) to stick up for Leif more, and I thought that was an interesting take away for them.

Overall the story was cute, I liked the moral/message of the story, not to mention the illustrations were beautiful. It would make an excellent classroom read especially at the start of what may be a challenging year this year.

*Thank you to Penguin RandomHouse for my advance copy for review!*

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leif is fearful of falling. The other leaves laugh at him and continually remind him that all leaves fall. It's what they're meant to do. But Leif is still afraid. His good buddy Laurel helps him come up with many options for a safe fall, but all of them fail. In the end, he survives the fall and all is well. There are a number of things we all experience in life that are "natural" but that we still fear. Ultimately, we run into the big fear of death. But the story could be a nice way to discuss a wide variety of natural experiences ranging from sleeping alone to going off to school, etc. This book would pair nicely with The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade, another recent picture book published on the same topic -- an autumn leaf who is fearful of falling.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[Bree Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fear of falling and failure. Leif hears all the other leaves telling him that all leaves fall in the fall but he uses resources to try and change his fate.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for School Library Journal 8/1/2020.

PreS-Gr 1-Lief is an oak leaf and he has a big problem; he is scared of falling when autumn comes-what if he skins his knee or bumps his head? The other leaves cannot believe such foolishness and keep admonishing him that "All leaves fall in the fall." Luckily, his friend Laurel is of a kinder disposition and tries to help him come up with clever ways of avoiding the impending disaster. At first they build a net with twigs, but the holes are too big so they toss it to the ground. They build a kite out of bark and moss so Lief can gently descend to the grass-alas, everything gets tangled and the kite ends up on the ground below. Every attempt they make is thwarted and a pile of discarded experiments grow beneath them. Then that fateful day arrives when a strong and cold wind blows Lief right off of that branch; but instead of skinning his knee or bumping his head, he lands pleasantly on his pile of rejected creations. VERDICT A clever and triumphant tale by the Grants (The Gift Inside the Box) showcasing how even discarded ideas can build a foundation for great things. Kids will love examining the mixed media and digital collage creations of Liddiard.

[Jj · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice message about persistence and creative approaches to problem solving here, but the story line fell flat for me. The Leif character felt more annoying than relatable, and I was not a fan of the very repetitive text and "throwing away" of solutions.

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the review copy.

[Lara Lleverino · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I love Adam Grant’s writing for adults I felt like this book somehow missed the mark. The jacket flap says it’s about originality and persistence leading to amazing things but to me it felt more like fear and settling.

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant story about failing forward to success.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leif and the Fall

By Allison Sweet Grant @allisonsweetgrant and Adam Grant

Illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard

Published by @penguinkids

Thank you to @kccpr for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Leif has a huge worry. It’s autumn and he knows leaves fall from trees, but he’s terrified at the idea of falling. Most of his friends pay little attention to him, except for his friend Laurel. She kindly offers to help him find a way to gently drift down to the ground. Together they create gizmo after gizmo, but unfortunately all fail to be sturdy enough to cradle Leif as he falls from the tree. His friends are not surprised and encourage him to quit trying. When he finally decides to bravely let himself fall, something very surprising happens.

I loved the creative solutions Laurel and Leif developed to ease Leif's anxiety, as well as the expressive illustrations which allow us to understand Leif's feelings. Leif’s perseverance and his courage to accept his failed ideas and to keep trying will spark lots of conversations with your children. This inspiring story is available now.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Success is never guaranteed.

I was impressed by the wide range of ages this picture book seemed to be written for. Some layers of meaning sure seemed like they were meant for older kids, but the basic storyline about the importance of persistence was straightforward enough to be appreciated by younger readers as well. This isn’t something I see done very often, but it makes me smile every time it happens. It’s delightful to find examples of stories like this one that can speak to kids of all ages.

There were a few times when I wondered why Leif kept throwing away his inventions. It seems wasteful, especially as other leaves began to fall and he had fewer friends to help and fewer materials to work with. Surely he could have found a better use for his inventions or kept trying to improve them! This was a minor criticism of something I otherwise enjoyed a lot, but it is something I’d want to discuss with young readers after finishing this tale.

The ending made me smile. I nodded along as Leif put all of the pieces together and realized what had just happened to him after his time to fall from his tree finally came. This conclusion was as logical as it was downright funny! While I was satisfied with how everything was wrapped up, it also left room for a sequel if the author ever decides to write one.

Leif and the Fall was a humorous take on a serious subject that I was glad to read this autumn.

[switching to StoryGraph: supernumeraryemily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an illustrated book about a leaf afraid of the inevitable fall off the tree. The illustrations are so adorable. The anthropomorphized leaves have so much character to them! So precious!

While the book is compelling as an allegory about fear of the unknown and of the inevitability of death, the ending fell flat to me and felt anti-climactic.

After reading the book, I notice that the description of this story shows that the authors' intention was to create a book about trying again and persistence in the face of failure. I found that the stick-to-it metaphor got muddled by the (what felt to me) obvious metaphor of fear of death. I guess the message I came away with is that if you keep trying to avoid the pain and discomfort of death (or another big transition), you can avoid the pain that comes with that transition. That is not a message I would want to convey to a young person. If I wrote the book I would write a different ending, and depict a different way for Leif to ultimately approach the transition of falling off his tree.

The book is probably great for young readers, but caregivers and older readers may find the metaphorical meaning lacking or confusing.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leif the leaf is feeling very anxious about fall- that is, falling from a tree. With his friend Laurel, he creates a pile of failed experiments to help him fall safely. When none works, he finally falls, and lands safely on the pile. Throughout the book, he is teased for his feelings, but in the end, he only proves himself capable and learns that no failures are useless. This story is not necessarily new or unique, but the illustrations truly stand out: generally on plain brown paper, leaves teeter on the edges of tree branches, expressive with big eyes, eyebrows, little mouths, and even some accessories. Learning about fear and failure could not feel more safe when coming from adorable, gentle looking leaves. The subject matter is also hyper relatable to children; they have all felt fear, and most have witnessed leaves falling from a tree. Not only will they learn empathy, but also they will see real life examples of courage.

[Laurie Hnatiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for an eARC of this title!

Leif is an oak leaf who recognizes that he and the weather are changing and inevitably will be falling to the ground. Leif is anxious and fearful about falling and the other leaves chanting “All leaves fall in the fall” isn’t helping. However, his friend Laurel helps him to think, build and test different solutions to making falling to the ground easier. The two try everything from building a web, to using a vine to tie him down to using a parachute and nothing works. They keep trying until a gust of wind takes Leif off the branch where he lands softly with his friend Laurel on the pile of designs that did not work. A tale of friendship and persistence combining illustrator Merrilee Liddiard’s soft muted autumn colors -make this a great read aloud at the beginning of the school year and the start of autumn.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are all made of stardust and energy and life, but deep down we are made of chaos too. We are born from the challenges, from all our successes, but also from the failures we had to endure. And this book shows the last part in such a beautiful and tender way.

Leif doesn't want to fall, not because he has an aversion to the falling itself (he is not fighting against nature here), but he is scared of being scarred in the process. So he tries hard to make fall easier even when the odds are against him, and all the other oak leaves as well.

Luckily he has a great friend to support and help him, and luckily not all that fails is lost.

"Leif and the Fall" is a very inspiring book, beautifully illustrated and with a lovely cast of characters. My little one loved it just as much and I hope that he will remember it every time things don't work just as planned.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of us love the seasons, but they can be unsettling to sensitive children who can't recall what happened last year. A little boy in our three year old class whispered to me that he wanted to put the leaves back on the trees. I was so glad we had this book on the shelf. Leif is anxious about falling to the ground and makes many attempts to stay attached to the tree. A friendly laurel leaf helps him with this endeavor and supports him during his inevitable fall-- where he lands gently on all of his failed inventions, ready to explore the world he feared. Artists of all ages get a "fail better" message between the lines, and there's comfort here for anyone feeling anxious about the inevitability of change. My three year old friend, by the way, has brought this book to me several times for a repeat read.

[Brenda McElyea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leif and the Fall is a story of perseverance, problem solving, engineering and friendship. Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant team up with illustrator Merrilee Liddiard to present the tale of Leif who is worried that falling from the tree will hurt. With the help of his friend Laural he builds, tests, and rejects many devices to help ease his fall. In the end all of their inventions, piled beneath the tree, break his fall gently. The mostly green and brown toned illustrations help tell the story perfectly. This title will have wide appeal for both the home and school. Ages 5 - 9. Available September 8, 2020.

Online advance review copy.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A paranoid Leif is worried about injuring himself when he falls from the tree during the fall time and devises a way to cushion the blow. All of his friends are telling him that it's inevitable and that he shouldn't worry- it will happen. Leif tries kites or moss baskets but nothing manages to help him feel better instead all of a sudden the wind blows and he falls to the ground landing in his pile of inventions to cushion the fall.

And all is well.

It's a nice message obviously that some things are inevitable. You can find ways to make you feel better but ultimately things happen. And I like the watercolor-like artwork, very fall!

[Sushie]

Iggi's Storytime Criteria
Age group: Preschool+
Content: autumn, falling, leaves, ideas, fear
Plot: Leif is scared of falling but "all leaves fall in the fall!" So he and his friend Laurel try to come up with ways to stop him or make it less scary, but none of them work. One day Leif does indeed fall, but his pile of discarded ideas makes the fall not so far at all.
Wordiness: Medium-low
Length: Medium
Illustrations: flat, easily readable
Page Gloss: Matte
Other: -

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I look forward to using this book in My First Books. after all, it is a story that promote ingenuity and never giving up---and is also a funny autumn read. The extension possibilities are endless.

*study about leaves and the changing seasons
*STEM related
*Character building inspiration

I am excited to see what my kiddos think

[emyrose8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmm, it was okay, but then I read the author’s bio and that bumped it up a star: ...are the proud parents of three inventive children. They noticed that in a culture that prizes achievement, kids are often afraid to fail- not realizing that some of the very ideas that don’t work are the steps along the way to ones that will.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leif the leaf doesn't want to "fall" in the autumn, no matter what the other leaves say. His friend, Laurel, helps him develop contraption after contraption to try to prevent the fall to the ground. In the end, it's the pile of discarded inventions that save him from a painful fall.

Just lacking in charisma.

[Yvette Tellez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book's illustrations since the characters expressed a lot of emotion! This complemented the story's words nicely! I can picture reading this book as a fall time read aloud or to address the concept of conquering fears. What I loved most about this book was how the main character was supported by his friends when he was scared, ultimately displaying good qualities of friendship.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I read another Adam and Allison Grant children's book. I like how Adam Grant involves his wife in his podcast because no man is an island. I've never thought of a scared leaf before so it is creative. A scared leaf can teach us a lesson which is important for a children's book.

[Roben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leif is a leaf. He knows that leaves fall in the fall - and he is afraid! With his friend, Laurel, he creates many innovations that he thinks might help prevent his fall. Or at least help ease his fears. But nothing works. Or does it?
Laurel is the only leaf that encourages Lief -- all the other leaves taunt him and make fun of his ideas.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for an eARC of this title!

This book is adorable! I can see reading this book to a group of young children, and all of them saying the repeating line the other leaves say. It would lend itself to a good lesson on fall, and the illustrations are cute.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leif doesn't want to fall and invents many ways to protect himself; unfortunately, all of his ideas fail and he tosses them on the ground. When the time comes to fall he ends up landing on the soft pile of ideas.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perseverance and resilience works every time! Leif's adorable leaf friend with freckles and glasses always encourages Leif's inventions for not getting hurt when fall arrives and Leif will fall as leaves do.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is extremely blah. The color palette and story don't appeal to me at all, and even though this is supposed to make a point about persistence, the ending is boring and lackluster. The main character's anxiety is also never adequately resolved.

[Cecile · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kindergartener was repeating the refrain, for me, it fell short. God designed deciduous trees to lose their leaves and this leaf fights against that with all he has; perhaps their is an allegory in their somewhere.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Lourdes Heuer]

Digital copy accessed through Edelweiss