Autumn (Petite Poems): A Picture Book

by Alexander Posey, Paige Pettibon (illustrator)

Discover the power of poetry in this simple, modern introduction to Indigenous poet Alexander Posey, featuring an ode to autumn and the changing seasonsAutumn depicts a dreamy fall day full of jaybird songs and scarlet leaves dancing through the air. In this poem, Muscogee poet Alexander Posey celebrates the changing of the seasons as the golden sun sets on summer and the world prepares for a time of rest. With stunning illustrations from Salish artist Paige Pettibon and interactive back matter that encourages young readers to create their own poetry, this accessible picture book is a joy for young poets and their parents alike.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

Published August 20, 2024

About the author

Alexander Lawrence Posey was an American poet, humorist, journalist, and politician in the Creek Nation. He founded the Eufaula Indian Journal in 1901, the first Native American daily newspaper. For several years he published editorial letters known as the Fus Fixico Letters, written by a fictional figure who commented pointedly about Muscogee Nation, Indian Territory, and United States politics during the period of the dissolution of tribal governments and communal lands. He served as secretary to the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention and drafted much of the constitution for its proposed Native American state, but Congress rejected the proposal. Posey died young, drowned while trying to cross the flooding North Canadian River in Oklahoma.

Reviews

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisite addition to Cameron Kids’ Petite Poems series. “Autumn” is a twelve-line poem by Posey, a Muscogee poet (1873-1908) who wrote about Indigenous people and the landscape of his native Oklahoma. It’s perfect for this picture book treatment. The dreamy diffuse light of a fall afternoon is beautifully illustrated by glowing, muted colors, with a young Indigenous girl and her blanket. The book invites kids to come up with their own associations with the season. With just one or two lines per page, this is a very accessible read for young poetry lovers.

Back matter includes the poem in full, a bit about Posey, and prompts for discussion. This volume of the Petite Poems series is a perfect October read aloud for classrooms and libraries.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice illustrations pair with the poem in depicting the essence of the season.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, simple, lovely, and wonderfully autumnal--both the poem and the art.

[Melanie Ceballos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poem beautifully describes autumn and celebrates the changes that come during fall. The colors, the birds, and the smells.