The Gold Leaf - by Kirsten Hall (Hardcover)

About the Book

When the forest animals find a gold leaf, they fight about who gets to have it.

Book Synopsis

Hall and Forsythe team up to great effect in this sensitively paced, gorgeous book about truly appreciating the natural world.​

A gold leaf appears in the forest. As soon as the animals notice it, each wants it more than anything else in the world. But in their struggle for it, the leaf is destroyed. Heartbroken, the animals wonder: Will we ever again see such a leaf?

Review Quotes

STARRED REVIEW! ★ "Hall's understated writing reads like poetry, and Forsythe's graphic, even geometric, paintings have the feel of animation stills."--Publishers Weekly

Winner of the 2018 Bull-Bransom Award
Selected for The Globe 100: The Globe and Mail's Best 100 Books of the Year 2017

"The animals in Kirsten Hall's picture book The Gold Leaf occupy a forest of shadows and dappled light, of 'jungle green, laurel green, moss green, mint green, pine green, avocado green, and, of course, sap green.' In Matthew Forsythe's breathtaking illustrations, we see creatures respond with wonder and cupidity as autumn's arrival reveals a single, gleaming gold leaf. 'Each wanted it more than anything in the world, ' we read of a fox, deer, mouse and others. 'But who would get it first?' Though competition tears the leaf to fragments, this is not a fable of greed but of gratitude, with rich, mystical illustrations that will stir the young reader's heart."--Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal

"A beyond stunning addition to the children's literature world."--The Reading Ninja

"A book about wonder, patience and sharing, this picture book is particularly golden."--Waking Brain Cells

"A truly breathtaking book."--Miranda Rosbach, My Bookbloom

"Accompanied by poetic and vividly detailed prose, the richly layered and almost magically iridescent woodland scenes are a feast for the eyes."--Picture This Book

"An enchanting modern fable about possessiveness redeemed by unselfish appreciation of life's shared wonder."--Maria Popova, Brain Pickings

"At first glance The Gold Leaf by Kirsten Hall might be a classic picture book from the 1940s - a rediscovered Margaret Wise Brown. Montreal artist Matthew Forsythe's paintings, with their mid-century modern shapes, could almost be by Leonard Weisgard. The thick black sans-serif type marching reliably across the bottom of each spread even has an echo of Little Golden Books. The theme, as well, feels comforting and retro, showing forest animals through the changing of four seasons."--Quill and Quire

"Rich mixed-media illustrations layer color and texture, creating a quiet, glowing atmosphere. The titular gold leaf shines in its embossed glory. The simple, unassuming text adds to the magic of the forest. [...] A beautifully illustrated selection for classroom or one-on-one sharing."--School Library Journal

"The Gold Leaf is a visually stunning picture book with a beautiful message of kindness, cooperation and community spirit. [...] Kirsten Hall and Matthew Forsythe, in The Gold Leaf, have created a magical world in which appreciation is valued higher than consumption. This is a timeless story and a wonderful lesson to share with your kids."--Northerly Magazine

"The Gold Leaf is an unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended addition to family, preschool, elementary school, and community library collections."--The Midwest Book Review

"This book is a like a Little Golden Book lovers dream, full of nostalgia. With illustrations that are rich yet soft and a story with a moral that even the smallest reader can understand."--Secret Society of Books

"With beautiful, rich language, Kirsten Hall tells a story set in the changing of seasons. [...] Matt Forsythe's use of color is intuitive, poetic and evokes an emotional response from the reader. His color stories are breathtaking and his page spreads are immersive and impossibly beautiful."--Michelle Sterling, Avery and Augustine

"You'll look at this cover and immediately want to open it to see what treasures can be found inside. You'll be captivated by the radiant illustrations that excite and calm at the same time. You'll be charmed by Hall's language, how she describes the animals, the forest and the colours that make it a place of wonder. And you'll be impressed by the underlining message shared."--Summer Te Ariki, Reading Is Our Thing

About the Author

After getting an MA in early childhood education from NYU, Kirsten Hall taught both preschool and elementary school for several years while writing learn-to-read books for Scholastic and engaging in the book world in many other ways. Today, Kirsten is the sole proprietor of Catbird Productions, a book packager and boutique literary agency. The Jacket, her debut picture book, was a New York Times Notable Book of 2015. This is her second book.

Matthew Forsythe was born in Toronto and grew up in London, England. He has lived and worked in Dublin, London, and Seoul. After publishing his first books with Drawn & Quarterly, he moved to LA where he worked as a head designer on Adventure Time for Cartoon Network. Matthew now lives in Montreal where he designs for animation and makes picture books and comic books.