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Summary
Summary
A tender tale about facing your fears and finding your path, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Doug Salati
When Lawrence Fox's teacher announces that students will be presenting things they collect at show-and-tell, Lawrence panics. All of his classmates have impressive collections: coins, combs, marbles...but Lawrence doesn't have anything to share.
Luckily, Papa knows where to find something magical: the deep, dark woods. Lawrence is scared at first, but as he grows more comfortable, he starts to recognize the uniqueness of the forest and its creatures. Here, amid the towering trees and their array of colorful leaves, Lawrence just may find a splendid, one-of-a-kind collection of his own.
With gentle storytelling by Matthew Farina and sensitively rendered illustrations by Doug Salati, this heartfelt story celebrates individuality and the power of nature to inspire us.
Author Notes
Matthew Farina is a painter and writer based in New York City. His reviews and essays have appeared in the Brooklyn Rail, Hyperallergic, ArtCritical , and elsewhere. Matthew received a BFA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts. Lawrence in the Fall is his first book. Find Matthew online at matthewfarina.com.
Doug Salati is an illustrator living in New York City. He received his MFA from the Illustration as Visual Essay program at the School of Visual Arts and was a 2015 Sendak Fellow. He is also the illustrator of In a Small Kingdom by Tomie dePaola. See more of Doug's work online at www.dougsalati.com.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-When Lawrence the fox cub finds out that he needs to bring in a collection for show-and-tell in school, he is devastated, as he doesn't have anything to share. With the help of his papa, Lawrence visits the forest in search of something special. After a failed attempt to gather stones and getting separated from his dad in the rain, Lawrence comes across a tree shedding its leaves. Inspired by its magnificently colored foliage, the little fox finds his collection and, with some help from his papa, gathers an assortment of leaves for his class presentation. Once he shares his discovery in school, the entire class wants to gather leaves as well. Salati's cartoonish digitally colored pencil illustrations portray anthropomorphized animals (though only grown-up animals are depicted clothed). His spreads wonderfully capture the bond between Lawrence and his dad, the majesty of the autumnal forest, and the charming array of fallen leaves. VERDICT This delightful seasonal story will inspire its young audience to do some leaf collecting of their own.-Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Library, Boston University © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
"When Lawrence saw the chalkboard, he froze," writes debut picture book author Farina, a terrific opening line that ushers readers into a subtly powerful story of agency and independence. The board's message hardly seems ominous at first: "Bring in something you collect to show the class!" Unlike his classmates, however-the pig amasses playing cards; the duck, silk ribbons-Lawrence doesn't collect anything. Papa's solution is a foray into the forest ("There is no better place to find what you need than the woods," he says). But the trek quickly goes south: the rugged landscape overwhelms the little fox, the weather turns, and suddenly, he's all alone in the rain, no Papa in sight. Then Lawrence notices that his shouting voice shakes loose brilliant autumn leaves, and when a relieved Papa finds him in a clearing, Lawrence is well on his way to becoming a connoisseur of fall foliage. Salati (In a Small Kingdom) builds the visual arc and emotional landscape of the story with soft pencil lines, muted browns and blues, and sensitive characterizations, lingering just enough on anxious moments that Lawrence's newfound confidence feels like a big reward. And the final image is a wonderful parting gift: Lawrence leads his peers on a leaf-finding expedition of their own. Ages 3-5. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
For homework, fox Lawrence's teacher asks her students to bring in something that they collect; Lawrence frets that he has nothing to share. When his dad takes him into the forest, they find zilch until Lawrence, temporarily lost, encounters a smorgasbord of leaves. The art in this scenic (if meandering) tale of stick-to-itiveness has an autumnal palette and an old-fashioned look. (c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
What's a fox kit to do when show and tell is all about collections and he doesn't have one?Poor Lawrence freezes when his teacher makes the announcement. His animal classmates are giddy with excitement and quickly chime in with what they will bring: playing cards, coins, ribbons, combs (the sheep's collection!), and marbles. The fox's body language, sad face, and silence say it all when they ask him what he will bring. At home, Papa consoles Lawrence and tells him he knows a place to find a collection. The next day, the two set off into the forest. But their first few attempts fail, then it begins to rain, and then Lawrence and his papa become separated. But while the small fox is without his papa, he is not alone. His whispered and hallooed comments get replies from the trees, which shower him with leaves. Lawrence is fascinated by their many colors and shapesit's the perfect collection for show and telland to share among his equally fascinated classmates. Salati's illustrations, drawn with pencil and colored digitally, have a soft, textured look. The animals are thin and angular, walking on two legs (though only adults sport clothing), and the colors are muted, but the characters express clear emotion. Rear endpapers show labeled outlines of the leaves of 14 trees.Readers will want to head out to discover a collection of their own. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
A young fox named Lawrence is unhappy about a school assignment to bring in a collection for show-and-tell. While his classmates chat about their various collections, he remains silent. Back home, his father assures him that a walk in the woods will yield something interesting for him to share. Salati's immersive full-bleed spreads place the reader in the forest alongside Lawrence. Crisp air and falling leaves hallmarks of fall in many areas are rendered in woodsy pencil drawings, digitally colored in earth tones. When a storm comes through, Lawrence and his father are separated, leaving the youngster scared and alone. It is then that he takes notice of the gently stirring trees around him. He catches a falling leaf, which he finds astonishing in its beauty. Papa soon finds hix son, and together they gather a wide variety of leaves. When Lawrence returns to school, he has plenty to share with his friends. An especially well-designed double-spread shows the class arrayed in a circle around Lawrence's leaves. They, like the reader, are enjoying this visual ode to the beauty of nature.--Lucinda Whitehurst Copyright 2019 Booklist
