Sandra Dieckmann

When a strange white bear comes ashore and takes up residence in the local cave, all of the woodland residents thereabouts are disturbed. Frightened of this solitary newcomer, at first they see only the danger he represents, and are blind to the distress he is clearly demonstrating, through his odd behavior. It falls to the crows, who had been advocating talking to the stranger, to bring the polar bear and the woodland residents together, leading to better understanding and compassion, when the latter discover that their ursine guest was transplanted unwillingly from his home, and is missing his family...

The first book I have read from author/illustrator Sandra Dieckmann, Leaf is a title that I picked up at my public library, drawn in by its beautifully distinctive cover art. This makes sense, as it is published by the London-based Flying Eye Books, whose picture-book catalog invariably features titles with appealing artwork. The story itself is inspired by issues of climate change, and highlights the importance of communication, when attempting to resolve communal problems, as well as the deleterious effects of being displaced. Although I do sometimes wonder about the wisdom of using polar bears as the poster children for climate change concern - yes, polar ice is shrinking, but at the same time, polar bear populations are booming, so make of that what you will - I do think these are important things to think about. Dieckmann's story is engaging, and I was rooting for the animals to get together (however unnatural this scenario might be, in the real world) and come up with a solution. The artwork itself is, as promised by the cover, simply gorgeous. The color palette itself is lovely, and the composition of each page just magical. I would definitely seek out other books from this artist! Recommended to picture-book readers who appreciate beautiful artwork, or who are seeking stories about welcoming newcomers, and avoiding jumping to conclusions about them.… (more)