This was adorable! I loved the art and the cute references to school for our little protagonist. I enjoyed the mix of educational and entertaining when it came to the story, and the science explanations at the end are going to be a big hit with teachers and parents alike. The message for kids on how to overcome fears made me really happy. A+ for this one!

Thank you Netgally and the author for the free review copy.

Starting off the illustrations in this book are adorable! I loved the art style. The story was cute, I think the outcome could have been different, technically being scared isn't failing. So everything this little leaf did he excelled at.

I know he had a little blip but meh. Still cute though.. Definitely recommend it for smaller children or anyone who enjoys adorable illustrations.

3.75 stars

The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade. Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Description from 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?

Thank you to @NetGalley, @capstonepub for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
This book has great pictures and the colours are vibrant. For young readers, it’s more of a read-aloud book, because there are big words relating to science, such as wind-resistance (though there are descriptions at the back to help explain the science). Also, it is best to read-along, because the story touches on fears, anxieties and social interactions. Expect to add more information for discussion purposes when it comes to the social-emotional parts. Overall, it’s a great picture book that is a mixture of science and emotions. Also, a good conversation starter about emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I know the saying is to not judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly how I came across this one.

The illustrations are fantastic and the text is on par. I appreciate the lesson learned in this one and the facts seamlessly woven in to the story.

My one concern is that if kids know or learn that fallen leaves die and become food for the tree (as mentioned in the book), this may take on a different tone. And if you're reading it with that tone, this could almost be read as a horror. I recognize that may just be how my brain works, but I guarantee there are kids out there who are the same.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. Very cute, but kids like I was might see the death part of the story and get freaked out. Be prepared to answer their questions.

Good, i like the illustration and the layout
However, I don't understand why it must relate the process of falling with education. I mean, what do it learn? It just too abstract for me

An adorable story that reminds kids it's okay to be afraid to do something new. It helps for them to see that even Lance who seems to be good at everything has something that he is afraid to do until he finds the confidence to take that leap. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging for children. The 4 and 6 year olds that I nanny were very interested in this story and the 2 year old just wanted to look at the pictures but still sat with us while I read it.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has such a wonderful message on teaching kids to overcome obstacles and challenges that may seem scary. It is so easy to get comfortable and be envious of others and what they have. Lance cottonwood was afraid to leave his tree and looked longingly at Doug Fir who didn’t have to experience change. I can see so many valuable ways to use this book.

I loved it! Not only is it educational about trees, but about personal growth and overcoming fear. I really hope we get this book in when it is released!

This lovely illustrated book covers both science and emotions. I definitely recommend it for helping children realize it is okay to be afraid and that fears can be overcome, while also learning about the science of trees.

This story gave me so many emotions as a parent watching my kids anticipating what Lance was going to do. A story of trying your best, perseverance and celebration for goals accomplished. A cute tale with an even bigger message.

Love the art in this book and the message is great especially for kids. The colors really added to the story. A very sweet little book.

Nice book about being courageous and addressing ones fears. I enjoyed the illustrations and reading this book to my daughter.

Love the message and it’s accompanied by such adorable artwork. Perfect message for a child that’s worried about failing.

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

That cute little leaf on the cover made me request this book and I am so glad that I did. Jennifer Davison did a beautiful job illustrating this picture book; the first thing we see in picture books are the illustrations so it's important to get it right. There is a simplicity to her work that is deceiving as it is full of detail that keeps the focus on Lance and the other leaves.

A picture book can't rely solely on illustrations - it's got to have a strong message and skilled writing to convey the message. Truly great picture books are those that have something for young children to older children and even to adults. Wade skillfully weaves twists of phrases that are common in our speech but add humor to the book. Younger readers may miss these but what an excellent way to begin to introduce them to these phrases and concepts.

This book has both great illustrations and an empowering message that is true for anyone, no matter their age.

As an educator, this book has a lot to offer in the classroom. At first glance, it's a wonderful way to bring literacy into a science lesson on the life cycle of plants, specifically leaves, as well as how plants work including concepts such as photosynthesis and a simple explanation as to why leaves change their color. Wade uses rich vocabulary like jealous, sturdy and quivering to explore the growth and emotions that Lance has. Finally, this book is an excellent choice to strengthen social-emotional skills. Whether we are 4, 10, 15, 35 or 72, we all have moments of the unknown that can cause us to hesitate out of fear, which is where Lance finds himself when Autumn comes. I appreciate that Wade doesn't just send the message to "face your fear and jump" but to talk about your worry, prepare and then leap with confidence, all in a gentle, encouraging way. Certainly this is a great book to open the discussion for preschoolers as they are faced with so many new experiences in their world that can cause them concern. If we examine childhood in full, we will see that this is true for our middle grade students, our pre-teens, and our teenagers. I could see this book being used for all of those ages, with varying depth of discussion.

There is one element that I find slightly confusing in this book. The book begins with a reference to Lance's "first day of school in the Spring". This will be confusing to young readers as we start school in the fall here in the states. It makes perfect sense when you think about the life cycle of a leaf. I am not sure if this book would be great for fall when we talk about leaves changing color and falling or for spring when we talk about life cycles.

As I first began to read this book, I had a thought that this would be a wonderful graduation present for a high school senior, much in the way that Oh the Places You'll Go has been used. As much as we would like to think that life is smooth sailing, we know that there are bumps and potholes along the journey. What an inspiring message to send that you believe a graduate has done so well and will continue to do so.

I gave this book: ★★★★★
★★★★★ = I loved it

This is a charming story with vibrant illustrations that teaches kids that fear is not failure. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a preschooler or younger elementary aged child.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This is an excellent book about excelling and being afraid too. There's a great message for kids to learn in this bright and fun picture book.

The illustrations of "The Very Last Leaf" truly make the book: the leafy characters are particularly cute, with warm and inviting colors. The story is sweet with an inspiring message about courage and taking chances. This book will appeal to teachers looking to integrate social and emotional learning into their curriculum, as well as to those looking for an introductory science book about seasons. Best suited for children 3 and up.

"The Very Last Leaf" allows children to discuss the changing of the leaves and accepting your fears and working beyond them. The writing is simple enough for children to grasp the scientific aspect of the book. The illustrations are great! I also love how the book discusses that it is ok to be afraid. In my opinion, this book would be more suitable for older (grades 2-5) elementary age children.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Coming from a school librarian perspective, this book touches on so many important topics that I can easily see being incorporated into multiple school lessons. It first touches on autumn's changing leaves and sprinkles a few advanced vocabulary words, like "photosynthesis", throughout. For this reason, I think that it is better suited as a read-aloud where you can discuss the meaning of these words as you come across them. It also has a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) ties because the leaf is worried about falling and wants to stay like his friend, an evergreen, even though he is meant to fall and his friend is not. The topic of worry, comparison, and confidence are all feelings my students can relate to in school and at home; I think this is a great way to incorporate SEL into science curriculum.

The Very Last Leaf is about a leaf named Lance Cottonwood who is in school learning all about the leaf process from budding to photosynthesis to falling from a tree. He's very good in school, but is very afraid to take his final exam and fall from the tree. Will he hold on to his worries and stay safe in the tree or will he be courageous and take the leap?

What I truly loved about this book were the illustrations. The colors were vibrant and so stunning as was the attention to detail with the leaf expressions. I could really tell when leaves were laughing or sad.

What I didn't love about this book was that I found it confusing right from the start. The illustrations seem to be for a younger audience, but on the first few pages of the book you are seeing words like photosynthesis and wind resistance. I feel the concepts don't match the illustrations and instead of enjoying the book, I was trying to figure out what I was reading. The book description say it discusses social and emotional struggles, but I felt this was barely touched on and there wasn't enough dialogue between the leaves to really make an impact. It truly felt like a very surface level beginning to an actual lesson for kids at an age that was not clear. I wanted much more description and conversation. If I were reading this to my own kids I would have had to add in a lot of extra conversation explaining most of the social interactions in the book and what Lance was feeling. And again, the illustrations and the concepts are so mismatched to me that it was quite disjointed to read.

Overall this is a gorgeous book, but I believe it will take some modifying if read to younger children while older children may find the illustrations too juvenile.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book!