Squirrel's leaves are disappearing. There must be a leaf thief on the loose!
A short, genuinely funny fall read-aloud that sneaks in real science about the seasons. The joke repeats and it's very short. Four and a half out of five.
Every guide comes as a video and a full written article. Pick the one you need: the review is spoiler-free, the ending explained is not.
Is The Leaf Thief worth reading aloud? A review of Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater's fall picture book: Squirrel's leaf mystery, Bird, the art, the science, and who it's for.
Who's really stealing the leaves? Fall science for kids behind The Leaf Thief: chlorophyll, why leaves change color, how leaves fall, evergreens, and what squirrels do in winter.
Turn The Leaf Thief into a fall lesson: read-aloud tips, questions to ask during and after reading, leaf science, art activities and drama for preschool to second grade.
Six fall picture books to read after The Leaf Thief: Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, Leaf Man, Red Leaf Yellow Leaf, The Little Yellow Leaf, Because of an Acorn and We're Going on a Leaf Hunt.
Is The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming worth reading? A one-minute, spoiler-free review: the setup, the catch, and my score.
The Leaf Thief (2020 UK, 2021 US), written by Alice Hemming and illustrated by Nicola Slater, is a picture book about Squirrel, who is sure someone is stealing the leaves from his tree, and his calm friend Bird.
Below you’ll find a review, the science of why leaves fall, read-aloud activities for the classroom, and six fall picture books to read next.
Squirrel loves his tree in autumn. He loves the red, gold and orange leaves, and he loves sitting in his snug nest admiring them.
Then one day, a leaf is missing. And then another. Squirrel is sure of it: there's a leaf thief on the loose. So he sets off to investigate, questioning the other animals in the woods, while his friend Bird tries, again and again, to calm him down.
Squirrel loves his tree in autumn. He loves the red, gold and orange leaves, and he loves sitting in his snug nest admiring them.
A short, genuinely funny fall read-aloud that sneaks in real science about the seasons. The joke repeats and it's very short. Four and a half out of five. Read it if: you read aloud to kids aged 3 to 7; you teach preschool to first grade; you want a funny fall book. Skip it if: your kids are older than eight; you want a quiet, poetic autumn book. Review: The Leaf Thief →
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson, Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert, The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger, Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer, We're Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger. Books like it: The Leaf Thief →
Alice Hemming wrote it and Nicola Slater illustrated it. It was first published in the UK in 2020 and in the US in 2021.
Yes. Squirrel and Bird's story continues in other seasonal picture books, like The Snow Thief.
About three to seven, which suits preschool through first grade. Kids older than eight may find the repeating joke a bit thin.
About five minutes. The text is well under a thousand words, with a two-page section on the real science of autumn at the back.
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