Autumn Picture Books Every Child Should Read

September 20, 2025September 24, 2025 The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Autumn Picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(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 Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. All of these title can be found in my Amazon Storefront under Autumn Picture Books– https://amzn.to/466w5i5 .)

Apples and Pumpkins

by Anne Rockwell (Author), Lizzy Rockwell (Illustrator)

Summary: A young girl, her father, and her mother visit a farm during autumn to pick apples and the perfect pumpkin to make a jack o’ lantern for Halloween.

Comments: This book is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers who are learning about fall traditions.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Every Autumn Comes the Bear

by Jim Arnosky (Author)

Summary: A black bear appears each fall in the woods, encountering forest animals like ravens, a bobcat, and a fox along the way before getting ready to hibernate.

Comments: The book is beautifully illustrated with watercolors and is an excellent read-aloud choice for introducing the concepts of hibernation or animal behavior.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Fall Leaves

by Loretta Holland (Author), Elly MacKay (Illustrator)

Summary: A boy and a girl walk through the countryside in autumn, observing how nature has transformed and continues to change. They notice how the vibrant orange and yellow tones of autumn are giving way to the cooler gray and blue tones of winter, all illustrated beautifully in the landscape.

Comments: The light-box illustrations are so eye pleasing and really set the whole autumn and winter moods of the book.

There are two sets of text. We see the large print word playing, such as they do with fall and leaves. Underneath is a smaller, detailed print explaining what is happening in Nature as it is changing.

This STEM picture book is a superb addition to any library.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

by Julia Rawlinson (Author), Tiphanie Beeke (Illustrator)

Summary: Fletcher, a young fox, is very worried about a tree that is losing all of its leaves. He believes the tree is sick, so he gathers the fallen leaves and even tries to reattach them. His mother explains to him that this is the tree’s way of preparing for winter. After taking a nap, the little fox wakes up to see the tree’s new, beautiful winter appearance.

Comments: The lovely watercolor illustrations match the mood and changing seasons.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

by Kenard Pak (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A girl with her dog walks through the town and country, talking to the nature around them as the summer season changes to autumn. She says goodbye to summer and welcomes autumn.

Comments: The illustrations complement the changing seasons and create the tone of each season.

This is a season series by Kenard Pak. I recommend all four. More information about them can be found on the series’ Amazon page.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

In November

by Cynthia Rylant (Author), Jill Kastner (Illustrator)

Summary: Various animals prepare for the oncoming winter season by gathering food, while humans gather inside, especially for Thanksgiving.

Comments: This is an autumn-to-winter transitional book with cozy illustrations. The smells and sounds of November are incorporated. This book was one that teachers shared with their students each fall.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

In the Middle of Fall

by Kevin Henkes (Author), Laura Dronzek (Illustrator)

Summary: A child and dog are being observed by a squirrel as they walk, noticing fall all around them, the leaves, pumpkins, apples, and slowly transforming to winter.

Comments: The text captures the essence of autumn days by focusing on vocabulary related to the season.

Perfect for little ones in toddler and kindergarten.

This is a season series with the titles as In the Middle of Fall, Winter Is Here, When Spring Comes, and Summer Song.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Pumpkin Jack

by Will Hubbell (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A boy’s carved pumpkin decays and transforms through the seasons into new growth.

Comments: This is an engaging introduction to the life cycle of plants and the concept of decomposition.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

It’s Pumpkin Time!

by Zoe Hall (Author), Shari Halpern (Illustrator)

Summary: Two siblings plant pumpkin seeds and learn to care for them by watering and weeding throughout the summer until autumn, when they ripen just in time for Halloween.

Comments: This is an excellent book for science tie-ins about plant life cycles.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Leaf Man

by Lois Ehlert (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: Leaves in the autumn wind turn into Leaf Man, who travels on the breeze over marshes, orchards, and farms. Other leaves change into other forms along the way.

Comments: This book would be the perfect inspiration for leaf art projects. Read this first and have the students go out gathering leaves for their leaf creatures.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The Scarecrow

by Beth Ferry (Author), Eric Fan (Illustrator), Terry Fan (Illustrator)

Summary: A lonely scarecrow helps an injured baby crow recover. Once the crow is well, it leaves. The scarecrow is alone again until the following spring when the crow returns with its mate. Together, they build a nest in the scarecrow. Soon, the scarecrow finds itself with a family..

Comments: Stunning illustrations with a lovely theme of compassion and kindness.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Book cover to red leaf, yellow with read and yellow fall leaves

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

by Lois Ehlert (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A child tells the story of his sugar maple tree. He shares how it started growing in the woods and eventually became a sapling. It was then harvested and sold at a garden center, and finally, it came home with him to live and grow in his yard. The child describes how the tree changes with each season, with fall being his favorite time when the leaves turn vibrant shades of red and yellow.

Comments: This is ideal for science lessons about trees and life cycles. The illustrations are collages, which is Lois Ehlert’s specialty.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Strega Nona’s Harvest

by Tomie dePaola (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: Strega Nona teaches Big Anthony about planting, harvesting, and sharing food. However, he decides to plant his own garden behind the shed and does not listen to his grandmother, a witch. As a result, his magical garden overgrows with an abundant amount of bounty.

Comments: This story connects gardening with responsibility and generosity. It reminds me how everyone in my neighborhood would share their surplus vegetables.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The Pumpkin Book

by Gail Gibbons (Author)

Summary: This nonfiction picture book explains the life cycle, history, and uses of pumpkins.

Comments: This book is excellent for science or seasonal lessons, providing children with factual knowledge through colorful visuals. The author creates all of the visuals for this nonfiction book using watercolors.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever

by Steven Kroll (Author), Jeni Bassett (Illustrator)

Summary: Clayton, a house mouse, is eager to win the town’s biggest pumpkin contest, while Desmond, a field mouse, hopes to carve the largest jack-o’-lantern possible. Unbeknownst to each other, they both select the same pumpkin to nurture. As a result, the pumpkin grows larger than all the others.

Comments: A fun story that highlights cooperation and sharing, a great read aloud.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Autumn Picture Books–New

September 20, 2025November 13, 2025 The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Autumn Picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(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 Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. All of these titles can be found in my Amazon Storefront under Autumn Picture Books — https://amzn.to/4m9XIve .)

❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗

A man with a top hat and women with long hair dancing in the middle of the autumn forest with a pair of deer and pumpkins. Book cover

Night of the Deer

by Mary Morel (Author), Mira Miroslavova (Illustrator)

Summary: Arabella is riding in the pickup truck with her parents on their way to school when the family spots a buck and a doe in the woods. Her parents share with her the belief that deer walk among them.

On the way home that day, the girl called out to a pair of deer, inviting them to the school’s harvest dance that evening. Two strangers appeared and danced the night away. Only Arabella knew who they were.

Comments: This story is beautifully told and wonderfully illustrated, capturing the magic of autumn. It would make a superb read-aloud.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

A turkey is walking down a dirt path in the woods with forest animals around it and in the air flying. Book cover

Twelve Days of Autumn

by Sherri Maret (Author), Thomas Hilley (Illustrator)

Summary: This picture book follows the style of the traditional “Twelve Days of Christmas,” featuring animals preparing for autumn.

Comments: This would be a cute counting and autumn read-aloud.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

This is part of a season series. For more information about that series, please see the author’s Amazon page.

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

A fox and mole are walking around the hilly countryside. The fox has a basket of berries. Crows are sitting in the tree nearby. Book cover

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole

by Cecilia Heikkila (Author), Polly Lawson (Translator)

Summary: Mole visits Fox’s house each day at 6 pm to eat cookies and jam while Fox tells a story about a scary raccoon. Mole’s forgetfulness and messiness get the better of Fox, who slowly transforms into a monster.

Comments: This is such a wonderful read-aloud with the hint of autumn spookiness.

Illustrations were created using a combination of watercolor, gouache, pastels, and digital methods.

Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

Two siblings in jackets playing in the autumn fallen leaves. Book cover

Fall Feast: Nature’s Harvest (Seasons in the Wild)

by Sean Taylor (Author), Alex Morss (Author), Cinyee Chiu (Illustrator)

Summary: Two siblings go on a nature walk with their Mom and Mama to explore the autumn season, discovering such things as falling leaves, berries and nuts, fungi, and migrating birds.

Comments: The back sections include more information about fall, animals, plants, and decomposers.

This is the last book of the Season in the Wild series. The other can be found at this Amazon page.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.

Pumpkin and Acorn squash sitting amongst cornstalks, sunflowers, and gourds. Book cover to Squash & Pumpkin

Squash & Pumpkin: #SquashGoals

by G.G. McQueen (Author), Michael Slack (Illustrator)

Summary: Pumpkin and Squash are best friends until autumn arrives, when Pumpkin becomes famous. Everywhere she goes, people adore her: pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, and pumpkin pies.

At the Harvest Festival, Acorn Squash sets up a booth showcasing all the delicious squash dishes. Their friendship has turned into a rivalry, but they eventually find a solution together.

Comments: A humorous read-aloud about friendship.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

The Wishing Leaf

by Kallie George (Author), Paola Zakimi (Illustrator)

Summary: Bear patiently waits for the last leaf of autumn to fall because he believes that if he makes a wish on the leaf, it will come true. Bear and his friends watch and wait, but as fall turns into winter, they realize they need to sleep. Mama Bear allows Bear to wait a little longer. When the leaf finally falls, Bear makes a wish before heading inside to sleep.

Comments: Ideal for reading aloud as fall transitions into winter. Students can share their wishes and their thoughts on Bear’s wish.

The illustrations were made with pencil and watercolor and digitally altered.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

Little Red, Autumn on the Farm

by Will Hillenbrand (Author)

Summary: Katie and her pickup truck, Little Red, help various vehicles around Shady Acre Farm when they break down while preparing for the harvest festival.

Comments: This story will delight toddlers and preschoolers who love vehicles. The theme of helping one another to create an event is valuable.

The illustrations were created digitally using Adobe Fresco and were designed to complement the autumn color scheme.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

The Secret of Fall

by John Coy (Author), Kristen Adam (Illustrator)

Summary: This narrative nonfiction picture book explores tree leaves when they are green and why they turn colors in the autumn season.

Comments: What a wonderful book to explain photosynthesis in the simplest terms that young readers will understand.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

In the Autumn Forest

by DANIELA KULOT (Author, Illustrator), Elisabeth Lauffer (Translator)

Summary: Crow, Fox, and Mouse share the things they will miss about summer, while Squirrel is happy about autumn. In the distance, they all see a storm approaching, causing them to take shelter. After it passes, they come together in the forest again to share how they now feel about autumn approaching and are okay with it after the wind has shaken all of the fruit and nuts to the ground.

Comments: A lovely story to share with students in September before autumn arrives.

The illustrations were created with digital media.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

The book cover of How the Forest Feels with a grandson and grandfather walking in the autumn forest.

How the Forest Feels: Sensory Play Nature’s Way

by Wendi Silvano (Author), Mirka Hokkanen (Illustrator)

Summary: A grandpa and his grandson take a walk in the forest during autumn, noticing all of the nature around them through touch, such as rough bark, feathery plants, and prickly thistle.

Comments: This is an interactive sensory story with rhyming text and beautiful illustrations created with watercolor on paper with digital touch-ups.

The back of the book has four helpful pages: “Author’s Note, “Make a Texture Mystery Box,” Go On a Texture Hunt!,” and “Stay Safe on Your Adventure.”

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page .

The cover for It's Fall is a young girl has her hands above her head where there are leaves falling from a tree. She is smiling as well as her dog and a flying bird

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 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A multigenerational family and their dog are on a fall hike walking over rocks in a stream with trees of orange and yellow behind them

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 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Blue tennis shoes are standing on fall colored fallen leaves

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 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Hanging lit lanterns are handing from the ceiling

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

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

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.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

10 Winter Picture Books 2024

November 20, 2024June 9, 2025 The Retired School Librarian2 Comments

“10 Winter Picture Books” recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

Picture Books

1. The Most Beautiful Winter

by Cristina Sitja Rubio (Author), Vineet Lal (Translator)

Brief summary: Winter is here, but Badger does not feel like sleeping. He goes to Mr. Bear’s place, but Mr. Bear is asleep. Marmot is also sleeping, and Nighthawk is snoozing. Badger goes back home and keeps himself busy with hobbies.

Later, he goes outside to find someone to play with, only to discover that many more creatures are hibernating. Will he find someone to play with?

Comments: The illustrations were created using Ink, gouache, and watercolor. (The Amazon description does say “crayon illustrated,” but the book says otherwise.)

The back sections are A Beautiful Winter for Everyone and How Can I Help Animals in Winter?

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.

2. Counting Winter

by Nancy White Carlstrom (Author), Claudia McGehee (Illustrator)

Summary: This beautifully illustrated concept picture book highlights winter animals in the Alaskan tundra. Young readers learn to count from 1 to 12 using lyrical verse.

Comments: The illustrations were created using scratchboard and watercolor.

This book could be incorporated into various educational units, such as counting 1-12, the winter season, or the tundra environment.

Additional sections at the back of the book include Animal Profiles, Author’s Note, and Illustrator’s Note.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.

3. Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows

by Marine Schneider (Author), Vineet Lal (Translator)

Brief summary: The Ursidae family of brown bears are all hibernating except for Hiro. Hiro packs a bag and walks outside, where she experiences snow on her paws for the first time. She wonders what Winter could be and notices unfamiliar paw prints in the snow.

The bear follows them and the scent of toasting marshmallows. All run away when they see the bear. Hiro sits roasting a marshmallow over the fire, crying, having scared everyone away from the bonfire party, when a small boy named Émile comes out behind a tree. Too curious to run away from a talking bear, Émile stays asking, “What’s it like being a bear?”

Will they become friends, or will it all go horribly wrong?

Comments: The illustrations were created with colored pencils, watercolors, acrylic paint, and markers.

This is a sweet bedtime story.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.

4. Just Us

by Molly Beth Griffin (Author), Anait Semirdzhyan (Illustrator)

Summary: A young girl’s family usually celebrates the holidays by having extended family come from all over to share a meal and play games. However, the snow made it too dangerous for everyone to visit. Her mom, mama, and brother decided to improvise and prepare a meal together. They even called Grandma for advice on how to make a dessert.

Comments: The digitally created illustrations showed details of all of the relatives. Many young readers may wonder what to do if traditions cannot be kept. This story shares how we can still have a good holiday by making the best of what we have.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

5. Jonny Lambert’s Bear and Bird Winter Wonderland Adventure: A Snowy Search and Find Story

by Jonny Lambert (Author)

Summary: In the forest, Bear and Bird search for berries and nuts to prepare for winter. The next morning, snow fell. As Bear and Bird walk through the forest, they encounter several other woodland creatures. Curious, these creatures follow Bear and Bird to the top of the hill, where they all share something beautiful.

Comments: The “Can You Spot?” panels on the sides of the pages encourage students to stop and observe the illustrations. Additionally, there are question panels that pose questions about the story as it progresses.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

6. Duck, Duck, Goose!

by John Hare (author and illustrator)

Summary: Two ducks are flying south when they come across a goose flying in the sky too. To their surprise, they see a moose in a flying contraption. They decide to all travel together to head south for the winter, with a few hiccups along the way.

Comments: Young readers will enjoy the humorous adventures of these fowl and moose as they migrate to a warmer environment.

The art was created with hand-drawn pencil and with digital color and accents.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

7. It’s Winter!

by Renée Kurilla (Author)

Summary: The town is covered in snow. The children come outside dressed in warm clothing to slide down the hill, build snowmen, skate, and have snowball fights. Later, they create garlands and decorations before being released from school for winter break. They enjoy holiday foods and celebrate the winter holidays.

Comments: This is a book that highlights the winter weather, clothing, food, and holidays.

It is illustrated using Adobe Photoshop.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

If you like this book, the author has another seasonal book: “It’s Fall! (Celebrate the Seasons, 1).”

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

8. Wonder & Awe

by Annie Herzig (Author, Illustrator)

Summary: A girl creates a snowwoman she calls Wonder. She and Wonder play throughout the forest with the snowwoman pointing out the beauty around them which leaves the girl in awe. Each day, they play and say goodbye at the end. One afternoon, they both realize that they do not have much time together as spring is coming soon.

The girl shares with her friends all of the wonderful things in Nature that she and Wonder noticed together during their winter discoveries. Will she ever see her friend again?

Comments: The illustrations were created using watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, graphite, and water-soluble crayon.

It is a beautiful story about a magical friendship who discovers together the beauty of Nature.

Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Nonfiction

9. It’s Winter (The Seasons in Mr. Green’s Garden)

by Ruth Owen (Author)

Summary: Mr. Green and Mo turned a city lot into a garden and share what happens to the garden in winter. They explain the changes to plants, insects, animals, and birds.

Comments: The illustrations are a collage of photos and drawings.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

This season series would be a superb addition to any library. Continue reading for more details and buying options on these books’ Amazon page.

10. Winter Solstice Wish

by Kate Allen Fox (Author), Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)

Summary: A family spends a day at the beach on the shortest day of the year. As the sun goes down, they share wishes around a bonfire. In opposition, on the other side of the earth, a family celebrates the longest day of the year at the beach.

Comments: This ode shares how the earth is located relative to the sun so that one can have both the shortest and the longest day. Community and family celebrations are emphasized.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.

Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is the complimentary copies she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.

Children's Book Recommendations

Fall Children’s Books: Picture Books and Nonfiction–2023

October 4, 2023September 12, 2025 The Retired School Librarian5 Comments

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 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

When Fall Comes: Connecting with Nature as the Days Grow Shorter (When Seasons Come)

by Aimée M. Bissonette (Author), Erin Hourigan (Illustrator)

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 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

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 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Traditions & Celebrations)

by Ailynn Collins (Author)

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

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

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.

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.

Children's Book Recommendations

Garden Picture Book Recommendations

July 5, 2023April 10, 2024 The Retired School LibrarianLeave a comment

Garden picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.

(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.)

Garden Walk

by Virginia Brimhall Snow (Author)

Brief summary: Grammy and her four grandchildren walk through the forest and to the garden, learning about plants, animals, and insects. They place a blanket on the ground and picnic while Grammy reads to them. Narrated by one of the children.

Comments: Blue ink illustrations with the plants, animals, or insects highlighted with full-colored words that match the subject.

Picnic recipes are in the back.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

If you enjoy this book, you may be interested in Virginia Brimhall Snow’s Seasonal Walks series. For more details or to buy, continue reading o this book’s Amazon page.

A grandfather giving his granddaughter a pot of peonies

Love Makes a Garden Grow

by Taeeun Yoo (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: A young girl and her grandfather tend a garden together until he moves to an apartment where he brings some of his plants.

She grows up and lives far away, but her grandfather sends her a gift of peonies. When her daughter grows, the granddaughter visits the man showing her little one how to tend the house plants and flowers like he taught her.

Comments: An Author’s Note in the back explains how this story is based on her relationship with her grandfather.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2

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A girl in a polka dot dress on the rooftop garden gathering fruit and fegetables for her basket while a cat is chasing butterflies

Linh’s Rooftop Garden (Where In the Garden?)

by JaNay Brown-Wood (Author), Samara Hardy (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Lihn needs to find blueberries for their brunch and walk around the rooftop looking at all the fruits and vegetables. The girl describes what a blueberry looks like and compares those characteristics to each plant methodically until she finds them.

Comments: There is a blueberry and banana pancake recipe in the back.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

If you enjoy this book, you may be interested in the other three books of the Where in the Garden? series:

A child with flowers all around them wearing a necklace of daisies.

Watch Me Bloom: A Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists

by Krina Patel-Sage (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: A collection of twenty-four haikus about different flower species, all illustrated with lovely bright colors, including the paste-down end pages.

Comments: There are Floral Fun Facts in the back of the book.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A word on a rock with quilled plants growing beside it

Just a Worm

by Marie Boyd (Author, Illustrator)

Brief summary: Worm begins its day crawling through the garden when two humans cause it to have self-doubt. The worm crawls through a garden talking with each insect and creature it comes across, asking what it can do. Will the worm realize its importance to a garden and regain self-confidence?

Comments: The back pages include Make Your Own Quilled Butterfly, Earthworm Facts, and a Glossary. Illustrated using quilling techniques to make the plants.

I recommend that this picture book be read to supplement a quilling unit.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

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George Washington Carver as a young man with a moustache holding a large pot of white flowers

George Washington Carver: More Than “The Peanut Man” (Bright Minds): More Than “The Peanut Man”

by Janel Rodriguez (Author), Subi Bosa (Illustrator)

I’ve only known George Washington Carver as the “peanut man” and updated my education when reading this narrative nonfiction about this knowledgeable and talented man nicknamed “Plant Doctor.”

Brief summary: This book begins with his life as a child who studied plants and painted them. It continues with his young adulthood of going to college, learning, and experimenting with plants. The book tells of his adulthood of going around in a Jesup wagon, educating farmers on improving their crops and livestock. Readers will learn about many of his inventions and personal life too. I enjoyed reading about this remarkable man.

Comments: This book is full of a variety of nonfiction text features. The back sections include Your Turn!, Glossary, Index, and Further Reading.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

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A child tending a garden with plants and animals. Geese are flying overhead.

Little Land

by Diana Sudyka (Author, Illustrator).

Brief summary: This is an ecological/environmental story from the beginning of the earth to its present of how the land and its inhabitant have changed and how to live in balance.

Comments: I included this book under gardening(although it could be under ecology or environmental) as it highlights how to tend a little bit of land.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

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A little girl in a red hoody looking at a flower with her black and white dog. She has a box of seeds.

Every Little Seed

by Cynthia Schumerth (Author), Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)

Brief summary: A young girl with her mother and grandfather plant seeds in the spring garden and tend them to grow, observing how the seed changes to develop. Birds and bugs visit the garden. Soon fall comes when the plants begin to produce seeds they gather for the next planting.

Comments: A plant’s cycle.

A story in rhyme.

Facts about seeds are in the back of the book, including a seed diagram.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A Flower is a Friend

by Frieda Wishinsky (Author), Karen Patkau (Illustrator)

Brief summary: An animal/creature is paired with a flower in the garden, and readers are asked why they coexist so well. Answers are in the book of how they benefit each other.

Symbiosis.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

garden and flowers in a circle with a white picket fence with a city scape background

My First Garden: For Little Gardeners Who Want to Grow

by Livi Gosling (Author)

Brief summary: This nonfiction book is a beginning guide to gardening with step-by-step instructions. Everything one needs to know is covered with illustrations.

Comments: This is for the primary children to learn by looking at the lovely illustrations or for older elementary students who want to start a gardening club.

I usually stick to picture book reviews, but this nonfiction book’s illustrations make a difference with the covered topics by clarifying the lesson.

Ratings:4/5 📗📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

A young girl and her mother with henna on their hands.

A Garden in My Hands

by Meera Sriram (Author), Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

Brief summary: A little girl has her hands Painted by her mother for a wedding the next day. Her mother tells her memories as she paints a garden of flowers and decorations. She sleeps with gloves on over the henna to wake and brush the flakes off to reveal her red garden of stories and the fragrance of henna.

Comments: Facts about henna are in the back of the book.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

G is for Gardening (A Gardening ABC Primer)

by Ashley Marie Mireles (Author), Volha Kaliaha (Illustrator)

Brief summary: Readers will learn their ABCs of gardening, discovering tools, plants, and animals in a garden.

Comments: Large and colorful illustrations. A good builder of garden vocabulary.

Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗

Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.

Apples and Pumpkins

Every Autumn Comes the Bear

Fall Leaves

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

In November

In the Middle of Fall

Pumpkin Jack

It’s Pumpkin Time!

Leaf Man

The Scarecrow

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

Strega Nona’s Harvest

The Pumpkin Book

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever

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Night of the Deer

Twelve Days of Autumn

The Slightly Spooky Tale of Fox and Mole

Fall Feast: Nature’s Harvest (Seasons in the Wild)

Squash & Pumpkin: #SquashGoals

The Wishing Leaf

Little Red, Autumn on the Farm

The Secret of Fall

In the Autumn Forest

How the Forest Feels: Sensory Play Nature’s Way

It’s Fall! (Celebrate the Seasons, 1)

When Fall Comes: Connecting with Nature as the Days Grow Shorter (When Seasons Come)

On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures

Mid-Autumn Festival (Traditions & Celebrations)

Orchards (Trip to the Farm)

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Picture Books

1. The Most Beautiful Winter

2. Counting Winter

3. Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows

4. Just Us

5. Jonny Lambert’s Bear and Bird Winter Wonderland Adventure: A Snowy Search and Find Story

6. Duck, Duck, Goose!

7. It’s Winter!

8. Wonder & Awe

Nonfiction

9. It’s Winter (The Seasons in Mr. Green’s Garden)

10. Winter Solstice Wish

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It’s Fall! (Celebrate the Seasons, 1)

When Fall Comes: Connecting with Nature as the Days Grow Shorter (When Seasons Come)

Nonfiction

On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures

Mid-Autumn Festival (Traditions & Celebrations)

Orchards (Trip to the Farm)

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Garden Walk

Love Makes a Garden Grow

Linh’s Rooftop Garden (Where In the Garden?)

Watch Me Bloom: A Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists

Just a Worm

George Washington Carver: More Than “The Peanut Man” (Bright Minds): More Than “The Peanut Man”

Little Land

Every Little Seed

A Flower is a Friend

My First Garden: For Little Gardeners Who Want to Grow

A Garden in My Hands

G is for Gardening (A Gardening ABC Primer)

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