An unbelievably gorgeous book with a great story! A book to be looked at and savoured again and again. Reading the author's note about her grandfather and how gold leaf is used in design and architecture adds to the book. This is a true treasure, like a gold leaf!

This book is a masterpiece. The illustrations sweep you away, and the story is very well-told and poignant. I will pick it up again and again, and share it with others as much as I can.

This books is full of themes about friendship, sharing, and life cycles, matched with brilliant colors and the gold leafing art form, used first by the Ancient Egyptians. It features all of the elements a great picture book should - a simple story with rich vocabulary, that relies on the pictures to tell the complete story. Highly recommend for a classroom read aloud.

The Gold Leaf ranks as one of the most beautiful picture books I have ever seen, I would nominate this book for a Caldecott Medal. Kirsten Hall writes a lovely cautionary environmental tale, but it is Matthew Forsythe's watercolor and mixed media illustrations that pulse with luminous gold leaf (a clever play with the title) and dramatic scale. Forsythe uses black inky contrast so effectively to make the forest glow with light. A true beauty. *Miss Kitty's reviews focus mainly on illustration*

In a jungle full of “laurel green, moss green, mint green, pine green, avocado green, and, of course, sap green” resides one golden leaf that is sought after by all of the forest animals.

A gentle environmental tale about the beauty of the natural world, the scarcity of a plant species, and greed.