Wild Child by Lynn Plourde, ill. by Greg Couch Mother Earth settles her wild child Autumn down for a nap with a song, a snack, pajamas, and a kiss. The text and paintings weave together to form a luscious feast for the mind, where Mother Earth emerges as the changing hills -- her hair is a waterfall, then a golden hillside, then a red rockface -- and her Autumn child is a brilliant explosion of color and joy, bursting out through the landscape. Finally, Mother Earth puts her restless Autumn child to sleep and lays her own head down to rest... only to be awakened by the child Winter. Many parents will recognize these impish, playful little girls with their persistent attempts to stay Awake! Children should be able to identify with the eager seasonal children, encouraging a conscious identification with the earth itself. Greg Couch uses acrylic paints and colored pencils to create a rich landscape that echoes the best of dreams. This is a land that speaks in every color, texture, and curve. Plourde's text is lyrical and rhythmic, closer to poetry than to prose. All together, Wild Child suggests a very sensory experience of the earth and her fall season.

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