Camille is determined to rake her own pile of leaves—all the way up to her knees! She swishes leaves to and fro, watching her pile grow bigger alongside the piles made by Daddy and her little brother, Jayden. WHOOSH! After raking leaves to the top of her boots, a giant breeze blows the pile back down to her ankles. But Camille won’t be stopped until she gets the job done—a knee-high pile, the perfect size for . . . jumping in!

ISBN:ISBN: 978-1-59572-959-0
PUBLISHED: October 2022
FORMAT: Picture book

publishers weekly

Yard work becomes an opportunity for a child to develop measuring skills in this seasonal title with a math spin. While assisting Daddy and younger brother Jayden, narrator Camille, clad in a “big jacket” and handling a “big rake,” declares: “I’ll rake leaves all the way up to my knees!” Art washed in pale fall hues shows the trio, who present as Black, working in a fenced yard carpeted with leaves. Camille’s pile starts at the ankles (bigger than Jayden’s small pile) and then grows to boot height (still smaller than Daddy’s pile), and though a whooshing wind results in temporary setback, Camille eventually hits the mark, celebrating with a “big” jump and a “big squeeze” from Daddy. Serviceable narration models measurement-oriented comparing and contrasting skills, which are further articulated in a concluding note. Camille and family show how easy it is to weave STEM learning into the everyday. Ages 5–6. (Oct.)

tandem, Partners in early learning

“Leaves to My Knees packs volumes of research-based math, literacy, and
emotional development concepts into a sweet and simple story that children will want to read and act out again and again.”
—Kelsey Gottschalk, program director of Tandem,
Partners in Early Learning

ohio university

“This book is a great way to show both children and their caregivers that
math is everywhere and can be promoted by everyday activities at any age.”
—Dr. Eugene Geist, professor of early childhood education,
Ohio University