Fall Mixed Up

A boy ran down the stairs and out the door as his dog quickly followed behind. It was autumn and the leaves had were beginning to turn color and swirl above his head along with the pages of a calendar. "Every Septober, / Every Octember / Fall fills my senses with / scenes to remember." His blue striped scarf blew in the breeze as the colorful leaves floated up in the sky. Children could be seen up in a hot air balloon catching leaves and raking them into a net. When the apples had turned orange and the pumpkins red, it would soon be time for the old bears to climb into the trees to hibernate and the geese to crawl into their dens for a long winter's nap. Zzzzzzz! There are such wonders to be seen when fall is all mixed up. Have you seen squirrels forming a perfect figure eight in the sky just before flying south? "Scarecrows stand guard / over candy corn sprouts . Milkweed pods open, and / monarchs fly out." It's ever so much fun to rake up piles and piles of sticks and run and JUMP right into them! There are those bonfires for everyone to gather `round. It's a little bit chilly in the fall so it's time to put your hats on your fingers and gloves and mittens on your ears. Brrrrr! "Warm apple syrup, / Baked maple seeds, / And caramel pumpkins taste yummy indeed." Can you think of things you enjoy in Septober, Octember, and Nocember? This is an amusing book of a mixed up season that the young reader will enjoy sorting out. I've seen a lot of books that lend themselves to a read and discuss time during circle or storytime in the homeschool, library, or classroom setting, but this is one of the most unique. Everything in this fun, charming book is just "off" enough to elicit a few giggles and a LOT of correction. Monarchs don't pot out of milkweed pods or do they? There are many interesting non-facts to find and explore in this book from the candy corn sprouting from the corn husks to wolves saying "meow," and people handing out "stuffing and drumsticks for treats." This is another Raczka art treat, sans the drumsticks, that will be a quirky classic you might want to consider adding to your list! This book courtesy of the publisher.

If you are a mom, like me, and get tired of reading the same book, over, and over, and over again, here is a book for you. This book has plenty of mixed up messages buried in the pictures. Read this book and spend hours with your child laughing at the witty fun pictures and spotting the places where the traditions are mixed up. This is also a great book for a beginning reader, there aren't too many words per page and the text directly relates to the images, so they can get contextual clues. A solid addition to any home library.

This book is hilarious and captures the essence of fall. The illustrations are breath taking and make Bob Rackza's silly rhymes come to life. As a parent, I feel that this book will become a new favorite during the fall months. Fall Mixed Up is a great book for lap reading that will get parents talking with their kids about Bob's quirky idea of fall. As a teacher, I can't wait to get an actual copy for my classroom library. This book will be a great read aloud to talk about the sessions and a wonderful example of how the imagination can be let loose to see the world in a mixed up way. This will make a good mentor text that will inspire young authors to mix up the other seasons. If you plan on teaching kids revision, then consider using Fall Mixed Up as a starting point. Kids will enjoy rewriting the book with the mixed up ideas back in order.