A Bountiful Harvest of 14 Books
Snuggle up, it's about to get cozy in here...
Hello! I'm Sri Juneja and this is my children’s book recommendation newsletter. You can subscribe by clicking on this handy little button:
Let’s get cracking…
I bring this missive to you from the deep bowels of COVID. In 2020, when it became clear that Covid was going to be a public health crisis, I took action. Like Neo, I was dodging COVID germs left, right, and center.
And I was damn good at it. For 3.5 years, I had the wisdom of Morpheus and the reflexes of Neo. I was so good I began to wonder if I was one of those chosen few who could be exposed to COVID and just not get it. Was I one of the special few that could stop COVID in its tracks?
The answer is no.
For the past few days, I have been pummeled by COVID . A gift lovingly delivered by my very own progeny. Friends and family have reached out to see how I’m doing and ask if I have “COVID fatigue.” I’m not sure how to respond. Is it COVID fatigue? Or fatigue from quarantining with a child? A child who seemingly has zero COVID fatigue and is bouncing off the walls.
This is not quite the way I was intending on starting my favorite season of the year but when life gives you lemons, you throw up your hands and make hot apple cider. While isolating, my kid and I have been re-reading some of my favorite Fall books in the list I’ve compiled for you below. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox is only a few days away and I hope these picture books evoke all the sentimentality of this beautiful season to get you into the right spirit. These books sure are bringing us a lot of comfort (and quiet time, THANK GOD!).
📣Also, a BIG shout out to those of you who have already completed the survey I sent out last week asking for some feedback. If you haven’t had a chance to fill it out yet, the survey is still up and running. It’s 6 questions long and will help me make sure I’m giving you the types of children’s book recommendations you’re looking for!
❓A few questions for you (hit the comment button below to respond):
If you’ve had Covid, how long did it take for you to recover?
As we kickstart the cozy season, what is a cozy ritual you like to indulge in this time of year?
I’ll start off the comments by sharing my favorite cozy ritual + a picture chapter book I read that might be of interest to older kids!
For the babies and toddlers…
Little Scholastic: Welcome Fall
Written by Jill Ackerman and Illustrated by Nancy Davis
Recommended Ages: 0-2 years old
This sweet little board book introduces babies and toddlers to Fall by highlighting symbolically Fall things such as foliage, scarves, apples, etc. I like that this book is interactive—it has lift-the-flap elements and touch-and-feel elements, making it easier to keep the youngest readers engaged. I also loved that this book highlighted a father-child relationship which we don’t see too often in picture books!
Buy now
Autumn Leaves Fall
Written by Amber Hendricks and Illustrated by Gavin Scott
Recommended Ages: 1-3 years old
This lovely board book starts with green leaves still high up on the trees. With lyrical rhyme, the transition to Autumn begins to manifest. You see greens and blues transforming into vibrant reds and golds. The warm, woodland illustrations paired with the simple rhyming text ooze Fall vibes. What I like best though is that the rhymes are simple and elegant—it’s soothing to both the speaker and the listener. Even if the baby or toddler doesn’t understand everything being said, they’ll feel it (and so will you).
Buy now*
All Around Bustletown: Fall
Illustrated by Rotraut Susanne Berner
Recommended Ages: 3+ years
Honestly, I spent way too much time “reading” this wordless book. I pored through all the little details, completely captivated by the different scenes and characters. Berner, a famous German children’s book author, is renowned for her wimmelbooks (wordless picture books replete with lots of detail). The Bustletown series are large board books that are teeming (practically spilling off the page) with life. Richard Scarry is noted for his Busytown wimmelbooks but I actually prefer Berner’s work. I find Scarry’s books are a little too busy (the irony!) for me whereas Berner still crams lots of details without overwhelming. I love that many of the characters you see on the first full page spread continue to pop up on the rest of the spreads and, if you pay close attention, you can see their stories unfold. There are so many hidden gems to discover and kids of all ages will be engrossed trying to find all the little stories and characters. Berner’s artwork is delightful—beautiful characters brought to life with soft colors and nuance.
Buy now*
To learn about Fall…
In The Leaves
Written and Illustrated by Huy Voun Lee
Recommended Ages: 5-7
As someone who grew up with a different culture, this book spoke to me. Xiao Ming and his friends go on an excursion to a farm. Xiao Ming is studying Chinese and is excited to share the new Chinese characters he’s learned with his friends. What follows is a beautiful meandering through a farm as Xiao Ming shows his friends how harvest elements are pictorialized in Chinese characters and how pairings of the various characters create different words. As you learn about the meanings of two seemingly disparate characters coming together to form a unique word, it also tells of the cultural value and meanings behind these words. The collage artwork is bright, colorful, and eye-catching. I really enjoyed all that I learned from this book!
Buy now
We Gather Together: Celebrating The Harvest Season
Written by Wendy Pfeffer and Illustrated by Linda Bleck
Recommended Ages: 6-9
The book’s vivid, inviting illustrations beckon you to learn all about the autumnal equinox and how the harvest season is celebrated. The book begins by sharing the natural changes that happen during Fall: animals gathering food for the winter, days getting shorter, etc. I really enjoyed the illustrations that explained the equinoxes and the solstices. My favorite part of this book though is the beautiful journey we take through time and cultures around the world to learn what the harvest meant to them and how it was celebrated. It isn’t just a focus on Western cultures but truly a tour around the world. The end of the book has some fun activities you can do with kids to celebrate the harvest and all the new things they’ve learned.
Buy now
Fall Leaves
Written by Loretta Holland and Illustrated by Elly MacKay
Recommended Ages: 7-10
This book feels like you’re in an art museum. If you’re anything like me in an art museum, you first observe the bold, beautiful artwork and then, out of curiosity, meander over to the blurb next to the painting that tells you more about what you’re seeing. This book is exactly that. The illustrations are majestic; reds, golds, and yellows fading into one another and, in the foreground, are children frolicking in this most beautiful season. If you aren’t able to make it out to see the fall foliage this year, grab this book instead. Each gorgeous illustration is paired with scientific explanations about all the natural transitions—why flowers stop blooming, why leaves fall, etc. The explanations are simple and easy to understand. Having said that, the illustrations are truly the draw here.
Buy now*
For some Autumnal whimsy…
Wild Child
Written by Lynn Plourde and Illustrated by Greg Couch
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years old
This book is breathtaking in its resplendence. Illustrators are often credited second in picture books. In this one, Greg Couch’s illustrations absolutely steal the show. And that’s saying something because I loved the tale Lynn Plourde spins in this seasonal story. Mother Earth—like every parent ever—is trying to cajole her wild child to go to bed. But—like every child ever—there are many requests before agreeing to go to bed. The text switches between rhyme and non-rhyming verses of delightfully satisfying descriptions of Fall:
So Mother Earth gave her child a song… / Crinkle, crackle, leaves snapple. / Chutter, chatter, chipmunks patter.
While beautiful, my small complaint is that when reading aloud it’s easy to slip into a rhythm when the text rhymes but because this one only occasionally rhymes it’s hard to get into a good speaking rhythm. The illustrations are truly sublime. You see Mother Earth comprised of green hills, her hair melting into clouds and twilight; her knotted branch-like fingers holding her wild child, enrobed in red-gold leafy finery, aloft. The more closely you observe the illustrations, the more awestruck you’ll be by the effort and thoughtfulness Couch has poured into the artwork. This is hands down one of my absolute favorite books on this list.
Buy now*
By The Light Of The Harvest Moon
Written by Harriet Ziefert and Illustrated by Mark Jones
Recommended Ages: 5-7 years old
A harbinger of Fall is the harvest moon—moonlight so bright it would let farmers work late into the night to gather the harvest. To celebrate the harvest moon, the leaf people come alive and throw a (pretty epic) party! The leaf people have pumpkin heads and leafy bodies—the concept could err on the side of creepy but the illustrations are vivacious and warm and the leaf people look like a friendly bunch. The festivities feature fun Fall activities like bobbing for apples, stringing popcorn garlands, and eating lots and lots of pies. If you’re looking to get kids into the Fall spirit in a magical, whimsical way, then this is the book you want.
See if your library has this one!
For funny Fall reads…
The Leaf Thief
Written by Alice Hemming and Illustrated by Nicola Slater
Recommended Ages: 3-6 years old
There are lots and lots of books featuring a lone leaf on a tree, stubbornly refusing to fall. This is not that story. In this hilarious title, Squirrel is desperate to figure out who is stealing the beautiful golden, red, and yellow leaves from the tree. Squirrel turns to neighbor Bird to help figure out who the thief is. Squirrel interrogates other woodland animals and when Bird becomes a suspect, Bird finally shows Squirrel who the real thief is. The illustrations are vibrant and do a great job of demonstrating the personality of each character, namely Squirrel and Bird. I also thought it was interesting how the typography changes throughout to emphasize emotion and tone. The story and visuals pair so nicely together and the cliffhanger ending will delight young readers.
Buy now*
Sophie’s Squash
Written by Pat Zietlow Miller and Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
Recommended Ages: 3-6 years old
This is a heartwarming gem of a book—one you’ll reach for every Fall. It will make you and your kids laugh and smile. Sophie, a little girl, selects a squash at the farmer’s market and adopts it. Naming the squash Bernice, Sophie takes care of Bernice as though it were her own baby. But when Bernice begins to decay (as squash does), Sophie buries her in the ground so she can get better. The plot may be about a squash but the soul of the story is all Sophie. Her empathy and steadfast loyalty to Bernice is touching. You can’t help but chuckle at her parents’ attempts to convince her to let Bernice go; even so, Sophie keeps Bernice close only letting her go to help her recover. The watercolor sketches are simple and endearing and do a brilliant job of bringing Sophie (and Bernice) to life.
Buy now*
Fall Mixed Up
Written by Robert Raczka and Illustrated by Chad Cameron
Recommended Ages: 4-7 years old
This amusing picture book is truly mixed up and it’s a fun romp for kids to untangle it all. The rhyming verses are funny and as you go along they get so good it becomes a blink-or-you’ll-miss-it situation or you become so used to the mix-ups you can’t tell which side is up anymore. The artwork is soft and cozy but also hilarious because it geniously illustrates the mix-ups (my favorite are the flying squirrels). This is a fun read-aloud book that the kids will get involved in as they call out all the goofs.
Buy now*
For cozy Autumn stories…
Woodland Dreams
Written by Karen Jameson and Illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Recommended Ages: 3-5 years old
A young girl explores the woods with her trusty dog and we, as the reader, see the woodland animals wandering nearby. Each animal has a lyrical rhyme sweetly coaxing them into their homes for the long slumber ahead. Finally, the young girl is the subject of a small poem as she too tucks in for the night. The illustrations are stunning and set the mood so well with their vivid detail and lush color—you can almost feel the crunch of leaves beneath your feet or the wondrous feeling of snow falling in a quiet wood. This would be a lovely book to read before bedtime.
Buy now*
Leaves To My Knees
Written by Ellen Mayer and Illustrated by Nicole Tadgell
Recommended Ages: 3-6 years old
This sweet little book does a brilliant job capturing the essence of Fall, sibling relationships, persistence, and teaches math concepts to boot. Camille is determined to rake a pile of leaves up to her knees. She knows that a leaf pile that big is just the right size for jumping. You see camaraderie as Camille works alongside her dad to rake up all the leaves. There’s some good-natured jibes thrown her little brother’s way. When the wind blows away the leaves, Camille sighs and picks up her rake again to make a pile again. Throughout the story, you see Camille sizing her pile of leaves and using specific words to describe measurements; it’s even better that this is all done subtly so kids never feel like they’re being lectured or taught. There’s a teaching guide at the end to keep the conversation about measurements flowing. The watercolor illustrations are dreamy and comforting; you’ll feel like you’re witnessing an intimate family moment.
Buy Bilingual version now*
I Know It’s Autumn
Written by Eileen Spinelli and Illustrated by Nancy Hayashi
Recommended Ages: 3-5 years old
I liken this book to a cup of warm apple cider on a crisp Autumn day. It’s a rhyming walk through all the best parts of Fall. Told from the point of view of a schoolgirl, each scene begins with the refrain of “I know it’s autumn…” and follows with things that are quintessentially Fall, like swapping summer jackets for coats and making acorn art at school (side note: it also highlights turkey stickers which really sent me back in time to my own school days). I loved that the schoolgirl’s family is multicultural, multigenerational, and so very American. The illustrations in this book will stir nostalgic memories of Fall for everyone but especially for Americans with its loving illustrations of bright yellow school buses and nighttime hayrides in what looks like the American Midwest.
Buy now*
A few questions for you (hit the comment button below to respond):
If you’ve had Covid, how long did it take for you to recover?
As we kickstart the cozy season, what is a cozy ritual you like to indulge in this time of year?
I’ll start off the comments by sharing my favorite cozy ritual + a picture chapter book I read that might be of interest to older kids!
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Ok so my favorite ritual is insanely simple but I *love* sipping a good hot beverage while I’m watching TV right before bed. My husband will make this ginger hot chocolate that’s so yummy and perfect for mindless TV watching.
A book I recently read that I really enjoyed is Applesauce Weather by Helen Frost. It’s suited for kids 8+ and reads like a chapter book. However, it’s unique in that the entire story is communicated in verse and each page is told from the perspective of a different character. It’s a lovely story about an older man managing his grief over the loss of his wife and still showing up for his great-niece and nephew. It’s about the gnawing absence of someone you love and knowing things just don’t feel the same. It’s a very wholesome book with really lovely sketch illustrations.
My cozy ritual is to light a fall scented candle during naptime, after I tidy the house a bit. Then, I curl up with my book and read for an hour or so. It's even better on the weekends after a full house cleaning, windows open, and something simmering on the stove.