Bear sits all alone under a shady tree. It’s windy and cold and he feels so lonely.
When a single leaf falls from the tree, swaying this way and that until it lands on his tummy, Bear thinks that it is the most ‘greenest, most beguiling leaf’ he has ever seen. It is waxy and smooth and quiet and calm. It reminds him of ‘mourning’.
Bear decides to call the leaf, Greaf.
Bear takes Greaf everywhere with him, hugging him tight. When the wind blows he hugs him tighter, when the rain falls he takes him into home and they sit in the dark together. They walk in the woods and up and down hills, along rivers and streams. They go everywhere together. Sometimes they wrestle together, just like Bear did with his brothers and sisters.
That is until one day Bear finds Greaf is no longer smooth and green. Greaf is feeling rough and dry and brittle.
This gentle book is a story of loneliness, grief and loss, but also of the rediscovery of life and lightness. Of course, it is also one of hope. The soft illustrations convey Bear’s emotions and are a beautiful work of art.
A Leaf Called Greaf shows us that what is gone is not, as it will always be in your heart.
Reviewed by Jane Stephens
Age Guide 3+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly Canby is an award-winning, internationally published, illustrator and author of over two dozen books for children. Kelly was born in London, England, but has lived in Australia since the age of three, which is probably around the same age she started playing with pencils and crayons, and it was probably only a few years after that that she decided playing with pencils and crayons was something she wanted to do for the rest of her life.
Kelly’s second picture book The Hole Story won the prestigious 2018 Western Australian Premier’s Book Award for Writing for Children, while Littlelight was shortlisted for the same award in 2019. Rodney, The Hole Story and Littlelight have all been Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notable books for Picture book of the year. Kelly is also well known for her illustration work on writer Jaclyn Moriarty’s Kingdoms and Empires series of books. Together they have made four books which have either won or been shortlisted for several awards.
With a Bachelor of Art in Design from Curtin University, Kelly applies her quirky style to the pages of everything from picture books, to chapter books, to early reader books, to colouring books and beyond!
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