I am one of those parents who love to collect seasonal books. I keep a set of picture books for all the seasons and holidays, and pull them out each year to reread. I also refresh our home library to ensure we always have the best fall picture books on hand when the seasons change.
Over the years, we have gifted the kids special picture books to add to our collection at Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. Books we loved when the kids were younger, or that came as special gifts, we have kept for when our children possibly become parents.
When October approaches and Autumn officially arrives, our favorite picture books about fall will be back on the shelves for reading, both at home and at the library where I work. Here are the best fall picture books to read this cozy, pumpkin spice season, according to my kids.
The Ugly Pumpkin By Dave Horowitz
The ugly pumpkin waited all October for someone to take him home from the patch. He was harassed by the trees, left behind by the children, not even the Hallowe’en skeletons wanted anything to do with him. October 31st came, and the ugly pumpkin was still alone and unused. As he walked into November, the distraught pumpkin stumbled upon a patch of gourds. Could it be that all this time, the ugly pumpkin was not a pumpkin at all? Find out what happens by Thanksgiving in this heartwarming story about an oddly shaped pumpkin.
Gosh, my children always loved this story when they were younger. What a sweet story with a fantastic ending, inspired by the classic book ‘The Ugly Duckling’. I am also a children’s yoga teacher, and I always include this book in my fall lesson plans. It celebrates the differences in all of us, even a pumpkin, and reminds children to look beyond the surface. I always recommend this picture book to teachers during the Halloween and Thanksgiving seasons; it’s not only festive but also delivers a great message.
Pumpkin Orange, Pumpkin Round By Rosanna Battgelli
A rhyming tale of a family of cats and their pumpkin adventure. A simple read for toddlers and preschoolers, Pumpkin Orange, Pumpkin Round, has all the fall fun. The verse follows the cats from the pumpkin patch and back home to clean and carve their pumpkins. As they celebrate the Hallowe’en season, the feline family dresses up for trick-or-treating and displays their pumpkins. The book ends as the cats return home for bed.
My children were just wee when this book was read to them. They enjoyed the fun illustrations, which reminded them of pictures from their own coloring books. Lots of autumn colors and typical autumn scenes fill the pages of this storybook. Children love rhyming and repetition, and this favorite fall picture book has both. Pumpkin Orange, Pumpkin Round is read more like a song or a poem than a story, inviting kids to chime in alongside their parents.
Pete The Cat Falling For Autumn By Kimberly And James Dean
Our beloved Pete the Cat is sad that summer is over. Sound familiar? Pete’s mom encourages him to discover all the wonderful things that come with the changing of the seasons. With his family and friends, Pete bakes a pumpkin pie, visits a corn maze, takes a hayride, plays football, and goes apple picking. Pete quickly rediscovers the beautiful sights, sounds, and smells of autumn. After a fun-filled day of pumpkins, corn, pie, and leaves, Pete has fallen for fall.
Pete the Cat picture books are so popular with children today. My kids read them growing up, and they are constantly in and out of circulation at the library. Pete’s adventures always tell a fun but relevant story for children, making them books children want to hear over and over again. My children were not ready for summer to end either. They love the warmth, swimming, and trips to the beach. Like Pete’s mom, in this favorite fall picture book, I too talked to the kids about all the fun and beautiful things that come with the arrival of autumn. This is a great book to remind children that change can bring new opportunities and deserves its place among the best fall picture books.
Leaves By Robert Muncsh
‘Leaves’ by beloved Canadian author Robert Munsch is always one of our favorite fall picture books. Alex and Sidney want to rake the leaves on the front lawn, but when they go to look for the rakes, they find the leaf blower instead. The kids accidentally bury each other in the biggest pile of leaves. They have leaves everywhere! Dad takes them in for a bath and tells the children next time ‘rakes only’. But what happens when Dad gets the leaf blower out for the backyard?
Fall will always be synonymous with falling leaves, and for children, raking big piles to jump in is a rite of passage. I remember growing up picking leaves out of my hair after a day of raking with my parents. My kids will remember the same. Munsch is one of those authors who bring life’s simple moments into storybook treasures. Funny, silly, and full of sound effects ( as Munsch books usually are), ‘Leaves’ reminds us all what it is like to be a kid in the fall.
The Night Before Thanksgiving By Natasha Wing
What does happen the ‘night before Thanksgiving’? Using the classic poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas”, Wing lyrically depicts the preparation for a family’s Thanksgiving celebration, from baking the pies to watching the parade and setting the table. Parents and kids follow the children in the book as they prepare for Thanksgiving dinner and welcome family. Wing has an entire “on the night before“ series written to help inspire children on the eve of special moments, including “On the Night Before Kindergarten“. In my opinion, this would make a sweet set for a new parent.
My children enjoy this book for its fun changes to the classic verses we all know. “While visions of turkey legs danced in their heads”, is probably our favorite line. The illustrations of dancing turkey legs are adorable. Using the rhyming prose of a story we all know makes this fall picture book engaging from the first page. The story paints the picture of what families will do the night before, the day of, and at the actual Thanksgiving dinner (including the leftovers!). This Thanksgiving tale will have your kids laughing, we have no doubt!
Little Critter: The Fall Festival By Mercer Mayer
Classic and heartwarming Mercer Mayer books are always popular at the library. In this endearing story, children will read about Little Critter’s day at Critterville’s Fall festival. On this adventure, Little Critter and his family embark on a day of fun fall activities. Little Critter goes apple picking, on a hayride, plays Fall fair games, and picks out the perfect pumpkin. This picture book is part of the “I Can Read” early readers collection, making it a great option for new readers to practice with their parents during this time of year.
This story is sweet and simple, told from Little Critter’s point of view. His excitement for the festival is relatable, as is his overindulgence in the sweet apples. My kids all loved “I Can Read” books when they were first learning to read. They are designed for success and to inspire a love of reading. Mayer’s books remain very popular at the library among families, as their storylines are timeless. We had to include Little Critter’s Fall Festival on our list of favorite picture books for fall.
Penguin And Pumpkin By Salina Yoon
It’s fall in Antarctica, but the ground is still covered in snow. The curious penguins want to know what fall looks like off the ice. The colony of penguins decides to take a trip to find fall, but poor wee Pumpkin penguin is too young to go. The penguins travel by iceberg to find land where real fall colors exist. What will they see and what will they tell Pumpkin back home?
Author Salina Yoon has a whole series of Penguin books. We love them for their bright and fun illustrations and sweet messages. The penguins discover what fall is like off the ice and find a way to bring the joys of the season back home to little Pumpkin. This book is among my family’s favorites for the fall season and is excellent for sparking conversations about how not all countries experience seasons. Growing up in Canada, my children experienced all the seasons in full effect, so it was an interesting concept for them to learn. Not all children see the leaves change color and bright pumpkins filling up the farmer’s fields, but they can all experience it through a book. It’s an adorable addition to any collection of the best fall picture books.
The Perfect Thanksgiving By Eileen Spinelli
In the ‘Perfect Thanksgiving,’ a young girl compares her messy, loud family to the ‘perfect’ family of Abigail Archer. From the escargot served at dinner to the lace and fine china that decorates the dinner table, Abigail’s family Thanksgiving is perfection. The narrator’s family is too boisterous, and their Thanksgiving gathering too chaotic. But do different ways to celebrate the holidays really mean better?
With a busy household of four kids, four cats, and a dog, my children see themselves in the narrator’s busy, less-than-tidy house. We do not provide intricately folded napkins, overnight guests do not receive eye masks, and the pies on Thanksgiving are all store-bought. We love this Fall picture book for its funny comparisons, but it also conveys an essential message: that everyone’s perfect looks a little bit different, but none are less important.
Hedgehugs Autumn Hide And Squeak By Steve Wilson And Lucy Tapper
Hattie and Horace Hedgehog are best friends. On a windy autumn day, Hattie is sad about the falling leaves that will leave the trees bare. Sweetly, Horace tries to put the leaves back on the tree to cheer her up. As they look at the empty trees, the pair discovers a new friend… a squeaky little bat. The three friends play hide and seek amongst the toadstools, the brambles, and the pumpkins. After the game, they return to the dilemma of the bare trees. Squeaky the bat has an idea. How will he cheer up Hattie?
The Hedgehugs series, by Wilson and Tapper, is another popular collection at our library. My son has a love of hedgehogs, so this picture book has made our list of favorite fall reads. The illustrations are adorable, and the friendship between Hattie and Horace in every story makes for a sweet lesson in kindness. Our ‘Autumn Hide and Squeak’ story is perfect for inspiring outdoor play and discovering nature. My children love taking a fall walk and going to the pumpkin patch every year.
It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown By Charles Schultz
Football, pumpkins, and trick or treating are front and center in this classic Charlie Brown story. Written in 1966, this storybook continues to grace the library shelves and our home’s fall book display. Linus is in search of the ‘great pumpkin’, which arrives every Halloween in the patch. He skips out on the Peanut gang’s traditional celebrations to wait for his beloved ‘great pumpkin’. Linus’ sister Lucy arrives in the middle of the night to retrieve her disappointed brother.
Bordering on a Halloween read, ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ still makes my kids’ favorite fall picture books list. Charlie Brown, for many, is synonymous with holiday specials, especially during the months of October and December. Trying to keep up this tradition with my own kids is important, hence his secure place in our Fall read line-up. After all, Peanuts are a pop culture classic sure to endure many more years in our hearts. This classic is certainly on many lists for the best fall picture books.
Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall By Kenard Pak
Take a walk and explore all the changes in nature as summer slowly turns to autumn in ‘Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn’. The beautiful illustrations, by Kenard Pak, are like painted pictures, highlighting the passing of time through greens and blues, to reds, oranges, and yellows. The weather is sunny to cool, the winds are from subtle to brisk, the leaves are green to orange, and the sun is longer to shorter; all things observed in the picture book for fall. The child witnesses the playful foxes and chipmunks as they prepare for colder days and new bugs that arrive with the change of seasons.
My children liked this selection not only for its beautiful appearance but also as an educational story. The story takes children beyond the fundamental changing of the leaves, exploring the seasonal changes in weather, animals, bugs, and other vegetation. We recommend this book to young families who want to learn about and be inspired by the changes that occur throughout the seasons. As well, check out the other books by this author, Goodbye Spring, Hello Summer and Goodbye Winter, and Hello Spring.
A Very Big Fall By Emmy Kastner
The leaves in the trees are preparing for their big change. Adventurous Birch, nervous Oak, and grumpy Maple each have their own way of coping with what is to come for them this Fall. They feel the wind growing brisker and notice their colors shifting from green to orange, red, and yellow. The pesky squirrels delight in warning the trio of leaves about the big ‘fall’. What will happen when the leaves leave the tree for their next adventure?
This is a brand new book on my family’s radar, and we couldn’t resist adding it to our list of favorite fall picture books. It is an adorable story about not only fall but also of new beginnings. It is a lesson for kids. It speaks to how change can be both scary and beautiful, as well as fun. This story would also be an excellent resource for families preparing for back-to-school or with a kid starting kindergarten, or even during a time of a significant life change. My kids love this heartwarming fall read, and we think you will too!
As summer officially “leaves” us, change is all around. Trees are showing signs of change, days have gotten shorter, our apple tree is ready for picking, and soon temperatures will fall. The cozy nights of autumn are the perfect time to snuggle up with a book. Whether you visit your local library, purchase books at a bookstore, or have your own collection of family favorites for the best fall picture books, reading with your family is a wonderful way to spark conversation and create memories. Happy fall, y’all!
