Autumn arrived this week in the northern hemisphere. Thanks to the author and illustrator who reached out to me and shared a digital review copy in exchange for an unbiased review, I am lucky to share today’s Perfect Picture Book with you as we celebrate the start of this season.
Title: My Lucky Leaf
Written & Illustrated By: Laura Smetana
Publisher/Date: Flying Cardinal Press/2026
Suitable for Ages: 3-7
Themes/Topics: fall, leaves, fallen leaves, nature, lucky leaf, wishes, trees, forest, leaf identification
Opening:
A carpet of leaves crunches underfoot.
Up, up, up above, the forest is aglow with reds, yellows, oranges, greens, and browns. The leaves wiggle, wave, and – WHOOSH!
Brief Synopsis: An unnamed narrator tries to catch a lucky leaf in the forest.
Links to Resources:
· Check out the back matter, including a glossary showing the featured leaves, an Author’s Note, Fun Activities with Leaves, and A Note on the Art;
· Discover your state tree and other symbols of your home state;
· Spend some time in a forest. Make a list or draw a picture of what you see, smell, or hear;
· Make a crayon rubbing of leaves.
Why I Like this Book:
With limited text and gorgeous cut-paper watercolor collages and crayon rubbings of fallen leaves, Smetana invites readers to enjoy the beauty and wonder of a romp through the woods on an autumn day.
Following along with our unnamed narrator, readers experience the sights and sounds of the forest. Leaves of various colors and types “wiggle, wave, and – WHOOSH” down, as she tries to catch a lucky leaf and make a wish.
It’s a simple quest – perfect for the youngest of listeners who will be happy to try and catch a leaf and make a wish, too. The repetition of “wiggle, wave, and – WHOOSH” will encourage them to join in the reading and maybe wiggle, wave, and whoosh like a leaf fluttering on its way to the forest floor.
As we journey, Smetana introduces us to the many types of leaves in this forest, from a catalpa and sycamore to bur oak and more. A glossary features all of them with the invitation to go back and find them in the text. This leaf identification activity adds an educational layer to this joyful exploration of a forest in autumn.
Whether read at home or at school, My Lucky Leaf is sure to bring a smile to little listeners.
A Note about Craft:
In a Note on the Art, Smetana explains that she collected and flattened the leaves depicted in the story and used them to create the crayon rubbings that fill these pages. In her Author’s Note, she shares that the lucky leaf finally caught by the narrator is a white oak leaf from the state tree of her home state, Illinois. Such a lovely detail!
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
