Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann is a powerful picture book that promotes themes of compassion, environment, fears and loneliness.
A polar bear arriving in a wood. “The strange white creature carried upon the dark waves towards the shore.” The native animals hide in the trees, too frightened to approach the stranger.
Watching the bear collect colourful leaves from afar they name him Leaf.
Leaf places the leaves over his body and charges through the woods towards a cliff and into the water.
The animals realise Leaf is attempting to get home and they come together to help the stranger return to its family.