Top 10 Books for Fall

1) The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger. A little yellow leaf clings is hesitant to let go of a giant oak tree. As he hangs on out of indecision he watches the signs of fall turning to winter unfolding. It isn't until he spies another leaf hanging on that he gets the courage to let go, now that he doesn't have to do it alone. The illustrations are fabulous mixed media.

2) Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert.The wind has picked up a man made of leaves and carried him away. Follow his travels as you see leaf collages and die cut illustrations Ehlert is famous for.

3) Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson: A look into family tradition as a boy from the city goes to the farmer market with his family, buys apples, and makes homemade applesauce. A recipe is included. Perhaps it will encourage you to start a family tradition your own.

4) The Very Best Pumpkin by Mark Kimball Moulton: I just discovered this book a few weeks ago and fell in love. It is the story of a boy who lives on a farm with a pumpkin patch. The best pumpkin and grown far away from the others and the boy gives it special attention. The pumpkin helps form a friendship with a neighbor.A truly sweet and remarkable friendship. If you go to pumpkin patches during Harvest Season this will provide tons of text-to-self connections for your little ones. 

5) Goose by Molly Bang: A goose egg falls into a woodchuck's den. She loves her adoptive family and all the skills they taught her, but is sad knowing she doesn't totally fit in. It isn't until falling off a cliff and discovering she flies that she really embraces her uniqueness. Bang has such a talent to making books that make you think and leaves room for wonderful discussion.

6)Look What I Did With a Leaf by Morteza Sohi: This is actually a craft book that shows multiples of animal creatures you can make from leaf collecting. A great companion to Leaf Man. I pull this book out every year to create something with the freshly fallen Autumn leaves.

7) Thank You Sarah- The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson: Well, technically Thanksgiving is in the Fall and if you haven't heard of how it became a national holiday you must read this picture book. It was a woman named Sarah who petitioned to numerous Presidents over 38 years with numerous letters to make it a reality. Fun fact mentioned in the book: This Sarah is the same woman to create the "Mary Had a Little Lamb" rhyme.

8) Goose's Story by Cari Best: Based on a true story that happened to the author. The geese arrive every Spring and they notice one who is missing a foot. After the flock shuns it the little girl befriends it (without trying to interfere too greatly). Slowly the goose learns to survive with the missing limb. When it returns the following year the flock has had a change of heart. This story does take place in the Spring but in the Pacific Northwest Canadian Geese come in September/October for their migration. So here we associate Geese with Fall.

9) Pumpkin Town! Or, Nothing is Better or Worse Than Pumpkins by Katie McKy: A family of pumpkin farmers accidently scatter pumpkin seeds that the wind carry to the nearby town. When the town becomes overrun with pumpkins they try to fix the consequence of their actions. A great read-aloud with the coolest, funkiest illustrations.

10) How Many Days To America- A Thanksgiving Story by Eve Bunting: A modern tale of how a family a boards a boat for America to escape soldiers in his Caribbean country and finally be free. They arrive on Thanksgiving. This is great to read in conjunction to Molly's Pilgrim by Barabara Cohen.This is a very short chapter book about a Russian Immigrant child, who when asked to make a pilgrim doll for school makes it resemble her mother. She argues that since she game to America for religious freedom that makes her a pilgrim as well.

As I was writing this list I realized I could have kept going. Autumn is by far my favorite time of the year and I would love to hear your recommendations as well.

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