Leap!

“A flea asleep / in the deep green moss / nettled by midges / wakes up cross, / starts to fidget / and turn and toss.” Then his “lever-legs twitch” and he LEAPS into the path of a grasshopper. Which so startles the grasshopper that, she, in turn, LEAPS onto a bunny. And so it goes, dog, fish, bullfrog, horse and dog again, each leaping and upsetting the next. Until the dog finds herself in that same deep green moss. The flea sees his chance and leaps onto the dog. And, at last, they both fall asleep!Award-winning JonArno Lawson’s delightful circular story poem is a playful romp, much like a game of tag. With its rollicking rhythm and a rich array of action words — besides leaping, the animals lunge, plunge, bound, gambol and lurch, for example — this book will inspire and encourage children to move, making this an excellent introduction to the power of language. Award-winning Josée Bisaillon’s beautiful mixed-media collage art provides visual motion and energy in tune with the rhyming narrative. This is a perfect book for a dynamic read-aloud sure to invite active listening. It’s also just the right combination of engaging story and art that will encourage pre-readers to repeat the fun and silly story all on their own. Small children are fascinated by leaping creatures, making this an enjoyable exploration of animal behaviors and habitats from pond to field, with seven different leaping animals in all.