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You Stole My Name Too: A Curious Case of Animals and Plants with Shared Names
by Dennis McGregor (Author), Blue Star Press (Producer)
Brief summary: This is a collection of humorous poems featuring animals and plants with the same names. Sometimes the reasons for the naming are evident, and sometimes not.
Comments: This is the second collection of poetry in the “You Stole My Name Series.”
The four-line poem is on the left side of the two-page spread, with the animal and plant illustration on the right.
This is an oversized book that really shows the details in his paintings. Prints of the illustrations are sold on his website.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
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Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
Fall Children’s Books: Picture Books and Nonfiction book recommendations–2023 are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
It’s Fall! (Celebrate the Seasons, 1)
by Renée Kurilla (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl shares what the fall season brings with back-to-school, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
Comments: Illustrations are in yellows, reds, and oranges. The story is in rhyme.
What a fun book to share with young readers that introduces fall vocabulary.
Large single-page, double-page spreads, and vignette illustrations make this a read-aloud recommendation.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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When Fall Comes: Connecting with Nature as the Days Grow Shorter (When Seasons Come)
by Aimée M. Bissonette (Author), Erin Hourigan (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Young readers will read how humans, wildlife, and nature prepare in the fall for the winter months ahead. Some will harvest and stock up on food, others will build places to sleep, while others will migrate to warmer weather.
Comments: This season series would be an excellent choice to have in any library. I’m looking forward to seeing When Spring Comes.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Nonfiction
On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures
by Buffy Silverman (Author)
Brief summary: When fall arrives, nature changes in many ways to prepare for winter.
Comments: Large and brilliant illustrations with fun adjectives, adverbs, and verbs to read aloud.
More in-depth explanations of fall changes are at the end of the book.
The back section includes What Treasures Will You Find in Fall?, Further Reading, and Glossary.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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Mid-Autumn Festival (Traditions & Celebrations)
by Ailynn Collins (Author)
Brief summary: Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Moon or Mooncake Festival, is globally celebrated by Asian people. Young readers will learn the origins of the holiday, the lunar calendar, and what traditions and foods people have to observe this holiday.
Comments: The back sections are Glossary, Read More, Internet Sites, Index, and About the Author. Bolded words are found in the glossary.
I wish we had these Traditions and Celebrations books when I was a child. I’m learning so much from reading them as an adult, which has broadened my understanding of other cultures.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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Orchards (Trip to the Farm)
by Ursula Pang (Author)
Brief summary: There are many orchards (farms where trees grow)producing fruit, nuts, seeds, syrup, and Christmas trees. Young readers will learn about each type of orchard.
Comments: I placed this book in the fall section as when I think of orchards, I think of apple or fruit orchards because those are the ones in my area that are harvested in the fall. I also had those teachers book requests for fall units before they went and visited a nearby apple orchard.
I enjoyed reading and learning about the different types of orchards and when they were harvested.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.
See a Pumpkin Grow (See It Grow!)
by Kirsten Chang (Author)
Brief summary: Young readers will learn the pumpkin’s life cycle and what uses there are with this fruit.
Comments: Words and photos are large, with many nonfiction text features. The back sections are Glossary, To Learn More, and Index.
This book also comes in library binding.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
This is part of the See It Grow! series.
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Pumpkin Day at the Zoo
by Susan Meissner (Author), Pablo Pino (Illustrator)
Brief summary: It’s Pumpkin Day at the zoo when the zoo animals receive yummy pumpkins to eat from families who donate their uncarved and unpainted pumpkins.
Comments: The illustrations are vivid and humorous. The text is a mix of fonts and sizes that are fun to say aloud with many descriptive adjectives, alliterations, and all in rhyming sentences.
The back page does have a word about pumpkin donations to zoos.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
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There Was an Old Lady Who Picked a Pumpkin!
by Lucille Colandro (Author), Jared Lee (Illustrator)
Brief summary: There was an old lady who went on the school bus to a farm looking for a pumpkin patch. She and the students follow the sign and see many farm items before finding the patch. Each child picks out a pumpkin and hops back onto the bus.
Comments: This is a fun fall early reader in rhyme. The book is not the usual cumulative “There was an old lady” who eats something book.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
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The Pie That Molly Grew
by Sue Heavenrich (Author), Chamisa Kellogg (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Molly plants a pumpkin seed and transplants the sprout to watch it grow into a vine with yellow flowers. After all of the care she has given to produce the ripened pumpkin, Molly bakes a pie.
Comments: Cumulative story of the pumpkin’s life cycle.
The back pages have four additional informative sections: American Pie, How to Turn a Pumpkin Into Pie, When You’re Ready to Make the Pie…, and No Bees.No Pie.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
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Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern: Halloween Comes to America
by Nancy Churnin (Author), Anneli Bray (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Lila, an Irish immigrant, is on the ship in 1850 with her mother and two siblings on the way to America, where their father waits for them to join him. They talk about a spirit named Jack that visits homes on Halloween night to play pranks. They would carve a turnip and place a glowing coal inside so Jack sees it and leaves them alone. They wear sheets and knock on doors for sweets. When Lila arrives and sees that there are no turnips, she improvises with the help of her new friend Julia, who learns about the foods and traditions of Halloween in Ireland.
Comments: This would be a great read- aloud for students to learn the origins of Halloween.
The back pages are Author’s Note and Colcannon and Barmbrack.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
The Invitation
by Stacey May Fowles (Author), Marie Lafrance (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Fern opens her mailbox and pulls out a yellow letter, too worried to open it until her friend, Fawn, encourages her to see what’s inside. It is an invitation to a surprise exhibition, but Fern does not want to go due to all of the things she imagines could go wrong. Fern goes to the museum’s special exhibition with the help of her friends who help tame her anxiety.
Comments: This could be a nice class discussion after reading this aloud. “How can we help someone who we see is afraid?” “What can you do if you have something you are afraid of, like Fern did?”
I would share this with the guidance counselor to read to those students experiencing anxiety.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
Dear Street
by Lindsay Zier-Vogel (Author), Caroline Bonne-Muller (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Alice loves her street, but only some do, making her think of writing a letter about what she loves about it and placing that letter for someone to find. She continues her letter writing whenever she hears someone complaining. Soon, others are too.
Comments: The author created The Love Lettering Project, which encourages people to anonymously write love letters and leave them for strangers to find, spreading the love.
Rating: 3.5/5📗📗📗 1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
Close to You from Far Away
by Erica Root (Author)
Brief summary: Gigi had to move away from her grandmother and misses her terribly. Her grandma tells her, “I’m close to you from far away.” Over the school year, whenever Gigi spoke to her grandma over the phone or when she wrote letters or received letters and packages, she tried to understand this saying.
Comments: I can see this being a lovely read-aloud with the children saying the “I’m close to you from far away” sentence in red capital letters on several pages in the book.
Loved the facial expressions of the grandmother and daughter throughout the book.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon’s page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
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