Fall books

It's Fall y'all!!! Well maybe just in the wee hours of the morning here in Texas, but I will take what I can get. I'm still anxiously awaiting for the moment when I will actually need a sweater or at least a quarter sleeve shirt. In anticipation of the new season, we decided to surround ourselves with a few books that have a great fall-tastic theme. Books where we can admire scarves, leaves of various colors and fields of pumpkins and apple trees. I dream of one day visiting an apple orchard! If you are already enjoying crispy cool days, please send your fabulous weather my way. If you are still in sleeveless shirts and flip flops, turn the air low, cuddle under a blanket and check out what has been on our bookshelf recently!

The Apple Pie That Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson:
I stumbled upon this book last year when I was trying to hunt down some good Fall reads. What first caught my attention, was the illustration. They look aged, old and a bit folklore. However, this book was published in 2007! It follows the story of a papa making an apple pie for his daughter. It discusses everything from what goes in a pie, to picking the fruit and finally what is needed to make the apple tree grow in the first place. The best part is the story is very repetitive because it is told in a cumulative style. I also loved all of the descriptive words used in each sentence. Charlotte was two when we first read this one, but she always sits through and listens intently as I read it.

Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka:
This book will definitely have your readers giggling. Just as the title states, the young boy gets his facts all mixed up and jumbled when he is telling us about everything that goes along with Fall. Is it Octember when apples turn orange, kids jump in piles of sticks, geese hibernate and you trick-or-treat for turkey legs? Hmm, that doesn't sound quite right, but it sure is entertaining. The simple rhymes and fun illustrations make this book a quick favorite. Charlotte loved correcting me and pointing out all of the various things that are mixed up!

Cori Plays Football by Christine Florie:
Football and Fall go hand in hand. What I like about this book is it gently introduces the sport to my toddler. Another plus is the main character is a girl - who wants to play football! This is a short, simple book that tells the story of a girl whose dad drives her to try out for a football team. She's anxious and nervous, but quickly realizes she loves football and just wants to play. Will she make the team? So many great little messages in this one tiny book!

The Very Best Pumpkin by Mark Kimball Moulton:
Who doesn't love going to the pumpkin patch every October? This is a cute story about a boy who lives on a farm with his grandparents. They grow strawberries, sweet corn and of course pumpkins. Follow along as the boy discovers a very special pumpkin that he takes care of, slowly grows and even finds the perfect person to give it to. We love this book!! The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous. I was hesitant that the story would be too long for my three year old, but she was mesmerized each and every time we read through it.

When Autumn Falls by Kelli Nidey:
This book is the perfect introduction to what occurs in Autumn. It includes colorful leaves, cool weather, apples, seeds and even football players. Nidey gently describes how each of these things fall during this season with easy, smooth rhymes. We really enjoyed the illustrations too. They are done in a 3D collage style and even include a few hidden items if you look closely.

We're Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger:
Charlotte always enjoys books that are told in the same style as Michael Rosen's popular story We're Going on a Bear Hunt . In this tale, three children set out on an adventure up the mountain, through the woods, across the pond and even over a waterfall in search of leaves. I like that it introduces children to a variety of different leaf types such as: hickory, birch, aspen, and red oak. This was one book that definitely spurred our recent Decorating Fall Trees craft. Instead of having a bear at the end, there is another woodlands animal that scares the children home. Trust me, it is sure to get a good laugh!

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne F. Rockwell:
This is a simple, sweet story perfect for preschoolers. It is about a little girl and her parents who travel to a nearby farm to spend a day picking the reddest apples and selecting the best pumpkins. You then follow the family home and watch as they carve their pumpkins for Halloween and enjoy a night of trick-or-treating. I like this book because it mimics the traditions that we like to do every year leading up to October 31. The illustrations are extremely cute too!

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson:
Have you met Fletcher yet? If not, I highly encourage you to! He is a little fox who is extremely worried when Fall arrives and his favorite tree starts changing colors and slowly loosing all of its leaves. He constantly checks on his tree and tries everything possible to help it from going completely bare. I can not stress how sweet this story is. Paired with the beautiful illustrations it teaches children that change can turn out to be a truly stunning experience. I love that is shows other animals and how they depend on the falling leaves to survive as well. This was another story that is a bit longer than our normal reads, but Charlotte was enchanted the entire time and was pleasantly surprised by what we found on the last page!

Do you have any other favorite books that you like to read at the beginning of Fall? Please leave us any suggestions so we can look them up! Happy reading little bookworms.