Fall Children's Books
Falling For Fiction! 16 Kid-Friendly Books That Celebrate Fall
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School is back in session, which means your children's teachers are probably frequently reminding you they should be reading at least 20 minutes a day, which also means books are probably always on your brain. Luckily, Fall is the perfect time to cozy up with a stack of good books and get lost in a story purely because you want to. Or, you know, your kids want to. Our suggestion? Wrap your little one in a comfy sweater, grab a kid-friendly pumpkin spice latte, and encourage them to grab one of the following 16 books, all of which celebrate the season of leaves, apples, pumpkins, and more. From simple board books that will introduce the littlest readers to the wonders of Fall to funny and sentimental takes on pumpkin searches and giving thanks, these books — both new and classic — are musts for any Fall-loving family's library.
1 Apples and Pumpkins
In the classic Apples and Pumpkins ($5), a young girl spends a beautiful Fall day picking apples and searching for the perfect pumpkin to carve for Halloween. Bold, autumnal-colored paintings capture the feeling of the season.
2 Bear Picks a Pumpkin
Bear Picks a Pumpkin ($9) is the perfect board book for Fall. The rhyming text tells the story of a little bear on a quest to find the perfect pumpkin. Will he choose a tall one? A tiny one? Or maybe a pumpkin white as snow? Read along to find out.
3 Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn
Join a young girl as she takes a walk through a forest and a town, taking in all the signs of the coming season in Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn ($10, originally $17). In a series of conversations with every flower, animal, and gust of wind, she welcomes Fall.
4 Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin
In oversize board book Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin ($8, originally $11), New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Tad Hills brings out the feathered friends to find a big, beautiful pumpkin. The pair look in an apple tree, in a leaf pile, and inside a hollow log.
5 Fall Mixed Up
"Every Septober, Every Octember, Fall fills my senses with scenes to remember" is one of the many silly lines in Fall Mixed Up ($18), which mixes up Fall happenings in words and pictures. Kids will love finding the funny mistakes.
6 The Very Best Pumpkin
In The Very Best Pumpkin ($10, originally $13), a boy who's grown up on a pumpkin farm cares for one lonely pumpkin he finds growing all by itself. When it becomes the very best pumpkin of all, he must decide whether to keep it for himself or pass it on to gain a friend.
7 Fancy Nancy and the Fall Foliage
Fancy Nancy shows off her love for Fall — the fashion, the weather, and the colors of the leaves — in Fancy Nancy and the Fall Foliage ($5). As she helps her parents rake leaves, she gets a stupendous idea to do something unique with the most beautiful leaves she finds.
8 The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night
In Peter Spier's beloved Caldecott Honor Book The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night ($14, originally $18), a wily fox roams a town in search of a meal. In this restored and colorized reissue of the book, readers will swear they can hear the crackle of crisp Fall leaves and the ripples of the moonlit river.
9 The Ugly Pumpkin
A wacky twist on The Ugly Duckling, The Ugly Pumpkin ($7, originally $8) tells the story of a pumpkin who's waited all October for someone to take him home. Because he doesn't look like the other pumpkins, no one chooses him. He leaves the patch in search of a place where he'll fit in, eventually making a surprising discovery about who he is.
10 We're Going on a Leaf Hunt
Join three friends on a fun adventure in We're Going on a Leaf Hunt ($7). This fun version of the popular song follows the kids as they go hiking over a mountain and through a forest to collect leaves of all shapes and colors. Easy rhyming text and fun sound effects will delight kids.
11 Hello, Fall!
Hello, Fall! ($17) is a touching story about the season from New York Times bestselling author Deborah Diesen and illustrator Lucy Fleming. A grandfather and his granddaughter welcome Fall in a sweet story about finding beauty and wonder in every moment.
12 I Love Fall!
Touch-and-feel board book I Love Fall! ($6, originally $7) celebrates the season with simple, rhyming verses and vibrant illustrations. Little ones will enjoy feeling the textures of plump orange pumpkins, woolly scarves, crunchy leaves, and more.
13 Pete the Cat Five Little Pumpkins
A groovy rendition of the children's song, Pete the Cat Five Little Pumpkins ($8, originally $10) is filled with vibrant, engaging illustrations. Little fans of pumpkins, Halloween, or just Pete the Cat will enjoy chanting along to the classic lines.
14 Leaves
Leaves ($7) is a a great way to teach young children about the changing seasons through the simple, charming story of a young bear's first Fall. Surprised when leaves start falling off the trees, Bear tries to reattach them. When it doesn't work, he gets sleepy and burrows into the fallen leaves for a long nap. When he wakes up, it's Spring, and there are new leaves all around to welcome him.
15 Llama Llama Gives Thanks
In Llama Llama Gives Thanks ($6), it's Thanksgiving time — time for yummy food and leaves and being thankful for everything! With simple rhyming text, this Llama Llama board book is perfect for budding little readers.
16 Too Many Pumpkins
Classic tale Too Many Pumpkins ($8) tells the story of Rebecca Estelle, who has hated pumpkins ever since she was a little girl. When an enormous pumpkin falls off a truck and smashes in her yard, she shovels dirt over the pieces and forgets about it. But that Fall, she finds herself with a sea of pumpkins. She eventually finds a silver lining, figuring out how to make other people happy with the squash she can't stomach.
