Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Everybody’s jumping on the holiday bandwagon already but I’m still trying to hold on to the last bit of fall that’s in the air. I love Christmas but I’m just not ready for snow yet. (Not to mention the fact that I’m not ready to start shopping!) So, in an act of defiance against the weather, every retailer in the world, and the entire book blogosphere I present to you a few of my favorite fall picture books.
Written and Illustrated by: Ekaterina Trukhan
Number of Pages: 32
Age Range: 3-7
Rating: 4/5
Little Fox plays Sherlock Holmes throughout the forest to find the apples missing from his favorite tree. The bright graphic illustrations are fabulous and (spoiler!) it ends with pie, so could you really ask for more? Simple, fun, perfect!
Written and Illustrated by: Kenard Pak
Number of Pages: 32
Age Range: 4-9
Rating: 5/5
The narrator greets various pieces of the departing autumn while mentioning the preparations that nature is making for winter. The trees are letting their leaves be swept into the sky, the animals are flying south and getting ready to hibernate, clouds are covering the sky, the stars are peeking out of the darkness which slowly make way for snowflakes and frost. The watercolor illustrations are perfect with subtle details and soft colors complementing the poetic text. This is the kind of book that makes you want to curl up with a cup of cocoa and watch the snow swirling outside.
Here’s another little sneak peek, in case you aren’t convinced yet!
Written by: Bao Phi
Illustrated by: Thi Bui
Number of Pages: 32
Age Range: 6-12
Rating: 5/5
This one isn’t strictly an autumn book (though it does take place in the fall as per the illustrations it’s not specifically addressed in the text) but it’s absolutely beautiful and has a cozy fall feel. We see a young Vietnamese immigrant as he’s taken on an early morning fishing trip with his father. The struggles with money (they are fishing illegally to get food), the embarrassment over incorrect English usage and other difficulties are seen through the eyes of a child. The father shares memories of his life in Vietnam while his son makes his own connections to their life now in America.
The author and illustrator both share their personal stories as Vietnamese Americans (both were born in Vietnam but grew up in America) and how the experiences shaped not just their lives but the lives of their parents and their children. They both offer great insight into the cultures and their creation of the book. It’s an absolutely lovely book and would pair beautifully with any of the recent stories about refugees and immigrants (such as Stormy Seas or Stepping Stones or I’m New Here.)
And here’s a look at the endpages to give you an idea of the detail involved in both the storytelling and the illustrations.
Join me in the “Save Fall” movement by curling up with one of these fantastic reads and boycotting Christmas books…at least for one more day. I’ll succumb to the peer pressure when the calendar actually says “December.” 🙂 And tell me, what are your favorite fall stories?
