Review - The Very Last Leaf

The Very Last Leaf
by Stef Wade
illustrated by Jennifer Davison
Date: 2020
Publisher: Capstone Editions
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Lance Cottonwood is the best and brightest of the leaves, but even the top students on the tree have worries. Can Lance conquer his fear of falling and just let go when the time comes for his final exam, or will he let his worries take over? In this funny and encouraging picture book, best-selling author Stef Wade (A Place for Pluto) tells an engaging story and deftly addresses social and emotional struggles many kids encounter each day...feeling anxious, wanting to be perfect, facing fears, etc. These themes combined with illustrator Jennifer Davison's delightful characters and rich autumnal colors make The Very Last Leaf a perfect book for the start of a new school year, the arrival of autumn, or any period of transition in life.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I... really don't know what to make of this.

The text is solid. The illustrations are appealing. The facts about leaves that are woven into the plot and included in Lance's report card at the end are interesting.

But this story is just weird. Basically, it's about a leaf being encouraged to essentially commit suicide by his teacher and peers. I mean, when a leaf falls from a tree, it dies. Lance had every right to be scared! It just seemed very odd that the teacher (who was the tree he was attached to) was encouraging him to end his life, especially since the book completely glosses over that part of a leaf's life cycle.

I guess this would be okay for kids who aren't going to pick up on the morbid aspects of the text. But for older readers, Mrs. Timber's tactics might seem creepy and predatory. Yes, leaves must fall. But I've seen trees with straggling leaves that manage to hang on long past all the others. Why was the teacher so obsessed with all her students getting to the ground to begin the process of decay? (Easy for her to say. She's the one who benefited from all her students' hard work.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone Editions for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.5 out of 5