The Best Children’s Books About Fall

Cynthia Rylant is known for her lyrical prose and for pulling you right into a world. In November is a gorgeous story with incredible illustrations about all the wonders and joy of a month nestled right in the middle of fall.

Little Fletcher is a little panicked when he sees the leaves start to fall. What does it all mean? But soon Fletcher learns about the changing of the seasons, and what it means for something new to occur.

Even leaves can be worried. In The Very Last Leaf, Lance Cottonwood is the biggest and brightest of all the leaves. But when it’s time to fall — his final exam — he loses all confidence in himself. This sweet fall-themed story is also a story of trusting yourself, determination, and dealing with big transitions.

You just can’t go wrong with a story about Biscuit. The sweet little pup takes a visit to the pumpkin patch in this adorable board book, and it’s the perfect way to introduce your tiniest ones to the joy of fall.

Fall brings apple cider and pumpkin patches and Halloween costumes to mind, but it’s also an important time for farmers and others who rely on the harvest moon and change of seasons. This delightful story has some beautiful illustrations representing the harvest moon and what it means for so many.

In a story of whimsy, Marla’s pumpkin has decided to take off — it’s straight up rolling away from her. Your kids will love following along with the lovely fall illustrations as Marla tries to catch up to her giant pumpkin with some help along the way. (There’s also a lot of other harvest veggies found in these pages, so it’s a great time to talk about the foods of fall with your kids.)

Part poem, part sweet story, this one will give you all the fall feels as it discusses the spirit of autumn, and how change affects all of us.

This has been a family favorite since my oldest was a toddler. Sweet Daniel Tiger’s little neighborhood is getting ready for a fall festival, and everyone’s involved in making it the best one yet. It just really puts you in the mood for family, friends, and all the sweet things fall brings.

This cute little rhyming story follows Dog and his attempts to plant a garden — specifically to grow some pumpkins. He’s trying so hard, but when other animal friends get in the way, he wonders if they’re really just trying to help.

With a sprinkle of halloween in this one, this little picture book really makes you feel like autumn is knocking on your door. It follows Ollie and her cat Pumpkin on a fall walk when they discover a tiny kitten lost in a pile of leaves. Ollie brings the kitten home, but as Lost Kitten posters pop up around town, she realizes she has to give the kitten back to its owner. It’s such a sweet little tale, with the perfect pop of halloween.

Fall brings with it so many change — routines, school, holiday prep — and it can be a little hard to say goodbye to the summer. In this story, a little girl will lead your children through a forest as the world changes from summer to fall, welcoming all of the subtle differences that lead up to something big and beautiful.

Curious George always knows how to explore, and in one of his classic tab books, he explores all of the wonderful things about fall. The trees, the food, the hobbies — it’s all here.