Playing in his garden one Autumn day, Christopher is surprised to discover a strange young boy sitting in the maple tree, clad in fall colors and crowned with golden leaves. September - the son of both cold Winter and warm Summer - has come to play, and he and Christopher set off through the garden, in search of Christopher's lost ball. Along the way they meet the gooseberry boys and girls, Old Man Blackcurrant, the scarecrow amidst the sweet peas, Mrs. Bramley of the apple tree, and many more garden residents, whose playful antics give Christopher a better appreciation of the bounty they offer him and his family.

Originally published in 1923, as Lasse liten i trädgården ("Little Lasse in the Garden"), this is another of classic Swedish picture-book author and artist Elsa Beskow's titles featuring anthropomorphized forces of nature. Like the more well-known Peter in Blueberry Land, it follows an ordinary young boy through his encounters with the magical representatives of the natural world, and is a delightful celebration of the abundance that it offers. As always, the artwork is just charming - I particularly liked the painting of the two Misses Plum, one dark and one golden - and will grab young children's attention. A sweet little book, Christopher's Harvest Time is a title I would recommend to children looking for engaging Autumn tales, and to fans of Elsa Beskow's artwork. ( )

The songs were a little corny and not in with the time. But it was still a good story line and the art was detailed and very colorful. An older child might like this story to learn about autumn and
what harvest time is. ( )