title: Leaves (Designs for Coloring)
author: Ruth Heller
description: After receiving a fine arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley and completing two years of graduate work in design at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, <b>Ruth Heller</b> (1923-2004) began her career designing wrapping paper, cocktail napkins, greeting cards, and coloring books. After five years of rejection and one complete revision, Heller's first book,&#160;<i>Chickens Aren't the Only Ones</i>, about egg-laying animals, was published in 1981. It was so successful that the sequel, and second book to be published,&#160;<i>Animals Born Alive And Well</i>&#160;(1982), about mammals, quickly followed. In 1983 and 1984, her third and fourth titles,&#160;<i>The Reason For A Flower</i>&#160;(about plants that have seeds and flowers) and&#160;<i>Plants That Never Ever Bloom</i>&#160;(about plants that do not) were published.<br><br>She then began work on a collection of six books, the&#160;<i>How To Hide</i>&#160;series on camouflage and the magic of this phenomenon in nature, which covered the entire animal kingdom -- insects, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and sea creatures. The next collection of books became a five-volume series on parts of speech:&#160;<i>A Cache of Jewels and Other Collective Nouns; Kites Sail High: A Book About Verbs; Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives; Merry-Go-Round: A Book About Nouns;</i>&#160;and&#160;<i>Up, Up and Away: A Book About Adverbs</i>. She also wrote and illustrated the unique and fascinating book&#160;<i>Color</i>, a charming and instructive guide to how art goes through the four color printing process.<br><br>Among the notable people who have had an influence on Heller's writing have been: Ogden Nash, Gilbert and Sullivan, Edward Lear, Hilaire Belloc, and Dr. Seuss. Heller says of her work, "All my books are nonfiction picture books in rhyme. I find writing in rhyme enjoyable and challenging, and I think it is an easy way for children to learn new facts and acquire a sophisticated vocabulary. Children are not intimidated by big words. I try to make my writing succinct and allow the illustrations to convey as much information as possible."
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  This book made available by the Internet Archive.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  FOR MATT, BECKY, MARK, AND JOE, WITH ALL MY LOVE
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  H A PTE R^i
  
  
  MASTER NAVAN
  
  
  I had thought learning the magic of the sun wizards would be the most
  fascinating subject in the world. I was wrong.
  
  
  “Again, repeat after me,” Master Navan said. “I am. Be 