The Gold Leaf
- Subject
- Animals - General
- Age
- 3-5 years
- Format
- Hardcover
- Pages
- 48
- Publisher
- Enchanted Lion Books
- Size
- 20.6 cm × 28.2 cm
- ISBN
- 9781592702145
Hall and Forsythe team up to great effect in this sensitively paced, gorgeous book about truly appreciating the natural world.
A gold leaf appears in the forest. As soon as the animals notice it, each wants it more than anything else in the world. But in their struggle for it, the leaf is destroyed. Heartbroken, the animals wonder: Will we ever again see such a leaf?
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What reviewers said
“Accompanied by poetic and vividly detailed prose, the richly layered and almost magically iridescent woodland scenes are a feast for the eyes.”
"An enchanting modern fable about possessiveness redeemed by unselfish appreciation of life’s shared wonder."
Winner of the 2018 Bull-Bransom Award
Selected for The Globe 100: The Globe and Mail's Best 100 Books of the Year 2017
One of the “12 Picture Book Recommendations for the Young Ones in Your Life” from Orion Magazine
"The animals in Kirsten Hall’s picture book The Gold Leaf occupy a forest of shadows and dappled light, of 'jungle green, laurel green, moss green, mint green, pine green, avocado green, and, of course, sap green.' In Matthew Forsythe’s breathtaking illustrations, we see creatures respond with wonder and cupidity as autumn’s arrival reveals a single, gleaming gold leaf. 'Each wanted it more than anything in the world,' we read of a fox, deer, mouse and others. 'But who would get it first?' Though competition tears the leaf to fragments, this is not a fable of greed but of gratitude, with…
"At first glance The Gold Leaf by Kirsten Hall might be a classic picture book from the 1940s – a rediscovered Margaret Wise Brown. Montreal artist Matthew Forsythe’s paintings, with their mid-century modern shapes, could almost be by Leonard Weisgard. The thick black sans-serif type marching reliably across the bottom of each spread even has an echo of Little Golden Books. The theme, as well, feels comforting and retro, showing forest animals through the changing of four seasons."
"The Gold Leaf is a visually stunning picture book with a beautiful message of kindness, cooperation and community spirit. […] Kirsten Hall and Matthew Forsythe, in The Gold Leaf, have created a magical world in which appreciation is valued higher than consumption. This is a timeless story and a wonderful lesson to share with your kids."
