Fall is such a wonderful season full of changes and celebrations! Children (and parents) are establishing their school routines, and the weather and nature around us begins to change as leaves turn color and fall. And then of course there is always Halloween and Thanksgiving to look forward to!
Whatever kind of fall mood your readers are in, we’ve got the perfect recommendations! Learn more about the autumn season, tap into your spooky, witchy side, or embrace the warmth and love (and stress) that comes with Thanksgiving with these great books to enjoy these next few months!
Fall season
Spirited, rhyming text and colorful, graphic art reveal an energetic cast of babies having an action-packed day of play in the park on a cheerful fall day. Featuring diverse characters and highlighting early concepts like shapes and repetition, this board book encourages an appreciation of nature and outdoor imaginative play.
By playing, fishing, toasting, and listening to music by the firelight, one boy and his father enjoy the great outdoors. It’s a well-crafted introduction to the fun of being in the woods, exploring the many things to do outside, and enjoying nature’s beauty. Soft colors and beautiful scenery will excite the explorer in every child!
In the Woods is a charming board book about a boy and his father camping together. Each page brings a new rhyme and a new sight for any child to enjoy. A perfect addition to your family’s reading experience!
This wonderful story captures the love between Big Bear and Little One. Beginning with the first buds of spring, Big Bear teaches Little One all about life in the forest. The two enjoy eating, playing, and swimming as the seasons change from one to another. As winter returns, Big Bear and Little One also return home, where they can wait for the next spring.
Young readers will love exploring alongside Little One and connecting their own experiences with one who is also seeing the world for the first time. Cuddle up and enjoy reading such a heartwarming picture book with your little one!
Chicken likes Scarecrow’s hat and Scarecrow will glad hand it over, but for a walking stick in return. Clever as Chicken is, she embarks on a quest to find a walking stick amongst her farm animal friends. Presented with a fun problem, one chicken seeks a solution that will have children fully engaged!
With bright watercolor pictures and a beautiful setting, children will love joining Chicken in search of a walking stick to swap for Scarecrow’s straw hat! A delightful page-turner that’s sure to be a favorite!
In the vast expanse of Utah, Mary Ann lives with her family and her special friend: a wheat-filled doll named Betty. Mary Ann knows that Betty watches over her while she does her daily tasks; she even listens to all of Mary Ann’s secrets. One day, a storm rolls in and Mary Ann is unable to save Betty from the winds and rain. Determined to find her lost friend, Mary Ann continues to search for Betty even when it seems that Betty is truly gone. Time passes, winter melts into spring, and Mary Ann spots a familiar face growing in the grass!
Set in the 1800s, this classic tale of childhood friendship and devotion shares a beautiful lesson of never giving up. It’s the perfect book to read alongside your child and their favorite toy!
One late afternoon in early September, Jilly sees something. It looks like it’s raining black pepper from a clear blue sky. Then the black rain becomes a wispy mist. And then a shimmering orange cloud. What can it be?
This imaginative description of monarch butterfly migration from author Sandra Markle reminds us that a loving parent can empower a child to discover the mysteries of the natural world—and to enjoy that discovery again and again.
Halloween
Deep in the forest lives a witch named Willow, a good witch who only uses good magic―until she meets Hansel and Gretel. Willow never used to worry about messy breadcrumb trails. Or entire portions of her gingerbread house being devoured. Or anyone fiddling with her spells and magic books and causing a ruckus. But Hansel and Gretel are two very naughty and very rude children, and they are trying Willow’s patience.
This subversive and deliciously wicked retelling of “Hansel & Gretel” from Bethan Woollvin, as well as her other fractured fairy tales Little Red and Rapunzel, are perfect for Halloween storytimes (and for costume inspiration)!
Overworked, Angela decides that it’s time for her mangy cat Old Tom to help out a bit around the house. But Old Tom has other ideas. So while Angela is busy dusting and scrubbing, Old Tom gets busy too…changing into the Man of Mystery! Angela bakes some cakes and notices fur on her freshly scrubbed floor. Later she finds crumbs on the carpet that has just been swept. And when Angela is awakened by strange footsteps, she decides it is time to investigate. Soon she is off on her own adventure, shadowing the Man of Mystery!
This humorous story with an air of mystery is a great read for the whole family and perfect for Halloween.
Trick or Treat on Monster Street
A boy’s dread of things that go bump in the night fills his head with monstrous thoughts. So when he is separated from his older brothers on Halloween night and finds himself alone on Monster Street, he fears the worst! Lightning flashes. Bats flap overhead. Doors squeak open. Hairy arms and tentacles drop spiders into his sack. The boy is relieved when he finally meets up with another trick-or-treater. That is, until his new friend removes his mask…
The ghoulishly entertaining illustrations capture the playful mood of the clever verse. Children will love the surprising twists and turns of the plot, especially how the young hero conquers his fears…with a little help from his new fiendish friends.
What do you dread eating the most? For the hero of this story, it’s peas. A young boy thinks he’s discovered a way to avoid eating his peas—he makes a bargain with a fiendishly funny monster. First the deal is simple: the monster will eat the boy’s peas in exchange for his soccer ball. But with each new encounter, the monster’s demands escalate. Eventually, our hero faces a daunting decision—can he conquer his loathing for peas or will he lose his most prized possession?
Readers who enjoy monster stories (and maybe don’t enjoy certain foods) will find the imaginatively disgusting monster in this humorous rhyming tale delightful.
A math-phobic boy faces another dreaded evening of multiplication when a monster suddenly appears in his room and offers him a deal he cannot refuse. After a quick signature on a contract, the boy’s problems are solved, and his homework is ready to turn in the next day. At first, everything adds up perfectly. But when the boy’s math knowledge is tested at school, his troubles begin to multiply. What did the fine print on that contract read?
Author Danny Schnitzlein brings another monster to life in this hilarious cautionary tale about taking responsibility.
13 Monsters Who Should Be Avoided
Come along with Professor LeGrand as he warns readers about the outrageous habits and appalling behavior of thirteen mischievous monsters whom the creature teacher hopes the readers never have to meet. There’s the Scarce Sissyfoos, Mess Monsters, and the Hedge-Standing Snit, just to name a few!
This laugh-out-loud picture book includes entertaining rhymes, creative monster names, and amusing and colorful illustrations that can get any reader in the mood for trick-or-treating.
At dusk on the holiday known as Day of the Dead, a Mexican family has set out fiesta offerings in the graveyard in hopes that departed loved ones may return to visit. Graveyard skeletons shake, rattle, and roll in this spirited Day of the Dead celebration. Author-illustrator Richard Keep’s rollicking rhyme―sprinkled with Spanish words―captures the bone-rattling sounds and fun of the evening. An illustrated afterword gives information about the customs associated with el Día de los Muertos, a Mexican celebration of honoring relatives who have passed on.
Claude and Sir Bobblysock join a dance troupe and head to the theater to perform their act. But being backstage gives them the heebie-jeebies! It’s so dark and spooky…could the legend of the theater ghost be true? This quirky book from the delightful Claude series is great for readers looking for a hilarious thrill with a hint of mystery. And maybe even a ghost!
Charlie Bumpers vs. the Squeaking Skull
Charlie and Tommy have big plans for Halloween. They’re going to trick-or-treat and sleep over at Alex’s house. But when Charlie finds out that the entertainment at the party will be the “Scariest Horror Movies Ever,” he is struck by panic. Charlie loves candy, he loves sleepovers with his friends, but he absolutely hates horror movies. Can Charlie face his fear of horror movies and enjoy Halloween?
When notorious candy gangster Eddie de Menthe asks for her help to find a missing teddy bear, Nelle Faulkner is on the case. But as soon as the teddy turns up, Eddie himself goes missing! As a seemingly innocent investigation unravels into something more sinister, Nelle and her friends quickly find themselves swept up in a shady underworld of sweets smugglers, back alley deals, and storefront firebombs. If Nelle has any hope of tracking down her missing client, first she’ll have to unmask the true faces behind the smuggling ring. Can Nelle and her friends find a way to take the cake? Or will they come to a sticky end…?
Davia is afraid of many things, and everything about her elderly great-aunt Mari and her spooky-looking plantation home terrifies her. And when she encounters Emilie, the tortured ghost of a well-to-do adolescent girl from the nineteenth century, she is even more frightened. Davia gradually begins to learn from Aunt Mari secrets about Emilie and about her own family’s past—stories of premature endings and regrets. As Aunt Mari’s health deteriorates, she and Davia become closer. Together, they hope to release Emilie’s spirit from the mansion and the world of the living.
Part psychological realism, part supernatural thriller, this YA novel about living in the present and conquering fear is a great page-turning read for those interested in ghost stories.
Thanksgiving
It’s Thanksgiving in the Bumpers’ household and Charlie has to be the perfect host to his annoying little cousin, Chip. Chip makes everything hard for Charlie—gets him in trouble, ruins his things, and generally makes a nuisance of himself. On top of that, for homework, Mrs. Burke has assigned Charlie the task of writing what a family is to him. How will Charlie be able to see past his “turkey” of a cousin to understand the real meaning of family?
This story really captures the essence of family get-togethers during the Thanksgiving holiday. For some Bumpers-approved activities and crafts to do with the family, check out this blog post!
Find these books and more at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble.
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