Reading aloud and interacting with children can develop the skills needed to help them become successful readers. The library is a wonderful place to discover new books that children will enjoy!
Fiction:
Bella’s Fall Coat by Lynn Plourde
A picture book about the fall season, centering on Bella, a little girl who has outgrown but does not want to give up her favorite coat made by her grandmother.
Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak
In a simple, cheerful conversation with nature, two young children witness how the season changes from autumn to winter.
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
In a simple, evocative conversation with nature, a young girl witnesses how the season changes from summer to autumn.
Hocus Pocus, It’s Fall! by Anne Sibley O’Brien
When the days begin to cool and the leaves change color, the magic of fall is in the air.
In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes
Introduces concepts and vocabulary of fall—autumn colors, changes in plants, animals and wind, which soon leads to the next season.
Little Elliot, Fall Friends by Mike Curato
Elliot the little elephant and his best friend, Mouse, play hide-and-seek during an autumn vacation in the countryside.
My Autumn Book by Wong Herbert Yee
A young girl rushes outside when the air is crisp and the sky turns gray to observe all of the changes that autumn brings.
Windows by Julia Denos
Walking his dog at dusk, one boy catches glimpses of the lives around him in this lovely ode to autumn evenings, exploring your neighborhood and coming home.
Wonderfall by Michael Hall
Follows the story of a single tree through the changing of the seasons from fall to winter.
Yellow Time by Lauren Stringer
A lyrical ode to that magical time in autumn when the leaves turn yellow.
Non-Fiction:
Some non-fiction books may not be developmentally appropriate for every preschooler. You know your children—if any of the text is beyond where you think they are, you can still use the book by discussing the pictures and illustrations.
A is for Autumn by Robert Maass
Photographs and simple text present a variety of things seen in the fall.
Awesome Autumn by Bruce Goldstone
A seasonal tribute to the qualities of autumn combines photographs, text and craft ideas that celebrate highlights ranging from falling leaves and migrating animals to football games and Halloween costumes.
Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre
Simple text and photographs explore the science behind the transformation that trees undergo in the fall.
Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Shapes by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky
During a harvest hayride at Pumpkin Farm, a family finds circles, squares, ovals and other shapes all around.
All the Leaves Are Falling Down
(Tune: “London Bridges Falling Down”)
All the leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down, (imitate leaves falling down)
All the leaves are falling down, it is fall.
Take the rake and rake them up, rake them up, rake them up, (imitate raking leaves)
Take the rake and rake them up, it is fall.
Make a pile and jump right in, jump right in, jump right in, (children jump forward)
Make a pile and jump right in, it is fall.
Apple Song
(Tune: “Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?”)
Have you ever seen an apple, an apple, an apple,
Have you ever seen an apple that grows on a tree?
A red one, a yellow one, a pink one, a green one,
Have you ever seen an apple that grows on a tree?
Autumn
Autumn winds begin to blow. (blow)
Colored leaves fall fast and slow. (fall motion with fingers)
Twirling, whirling all around, (turn self around)
Till at last they touch the ground. (fall to the ground)
Five Stuffed Scarecrows
Five stuffed scarecrows in the corn rows. (stand straight and tall)
The first one said, “Go away, crows!” (wave arms)
The second one said, “I am very small.” (crouch down low)
The third one said, “I am standing tall.” (stand on tiptoes)
The fourth one said, “On my head I wear a hat.” (put on pretend hat)
The fifth one said, “By my feet run a cat.” (look down and jump back)
Five stuffed scarecrows in the corn rows. (stand straight and tall)
Moving left and right as the autumn wind blows. (sway back and forth)
One, Two Leaves Fell Down
One, two leaves fell down.
Three, four they hit the ground.
Five, six they fell so quick.
Seven, eight they lay so straight.
Nine, ten let’s start again!
(Give your children some paper – or real leaves – to drop as you all say the rhyme.)
The Sky is Falling
The sky is falling down upon my head.
The sky is falling yellow, brown and red.
The sky will soon cover every bit of ground,
Making a quilt of yellow, red and brown.
Saw a Leaf
(Tune: “My Darling Clementine”)
Saw a leaf,
Saw a leaf,
Saw a leaf falling down.
It was floating,
It was twirling,
As it spun and spun around.
Tried to catch it,
Tried to catch it,
When it landed on the ground.
But it kept right on twirling,
As it danced across the town.
The Leaves On the Tree
(Tune: “The Wheels On the Bus”)
The leaves on the trees are yellow and brown,
Yellow and brown, yellow and brown.
The leaves on the trees are yellow and brown,
All through the town.
The leaves on the trees are falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
The leaves on the trees are falling down,
All through the town.
The leaves on the trees make a crunching sound,
Crunching sound, crunching sound.
The leaves on the trees make a crunching sound,
All through the town.
Let’s rake all the leaves into a mound,
Into a mound, into a mound.
Let’s rake all the leaves into a mound,
All through the town.
The children in the town jump up and down,
Up and down, up and down.
The children in the town jump up and down,
On the leaves on the ground.
