Fall Books For Preschoolers: 18 Essential Autumnal Reads
From fiery leaves to the apple harvest, fall is a season of wonder. We only have to look at the youngest among us to witness the majesty of fall through fresh eyes. Autumn childrens books definitely capture the beauty of the cooler months and often use fall as a launching point for stories about friendship, change, and community. In this list of the 18 best fall books for preschoolers, youll find must-read fall stories for kids, with a focus mainly on picture books.
Older Fall Book Treasures For Kids
The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri is one of my favorite preschool books. It will remind you a bit of Eric Carles The Very Busy Spider.
Lois Ehlert has two treasures to celebrate fall. One is Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf and the other is Leaf Man. The kids will be inspired to create their own leaf art after reading.
A is for Autumn by Robert Maass takes us through the alphabet on a fall photography journey.
Full of rhyme and perfect to sing as a chant is Were Going on a Leaf Hunt. It was one of the books I featured on my Were Going On A Book List.
Linda Glaser brings us Its Fall. Beautiful language helps kids notice changes in the environment including the weather and animals.
Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber would pair nicely with Wellingtons My Leaf Book. Its another good one to use for leaf identification.
Bear is puzzled by all the leaves on the ground. He tries unsuccessfully to put them back on the tree. After his winter nap, he discovers that there are new leaves on the trees. All of this happens in Leaves by David Ezra Stein.
Autumn Stories And Books
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Although the leaves may be the most obvious sign of autumn that your toddlers and preschoolers may see there are plenty of more seasonal items that autumn brings about. Check out these general autumn-themed books for toddlers and preschoolers for more ideas of what to add to your book basket this season.
Take a look at my list of my kids favourite fall books.
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Childrens Books About Fall
Sophies Squash by Pat Zietlow MillerOf all the fall books weve read, I dont know that any delight my children quite like this one about Sophie who adopts a butternut squash and refuses to let her parents eat it. Of course, as the season progresses and winter comes on, the little squash starts to get soft and spotty and Sophie has to make a big decision.
In November by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Jill KastnerHumans, animals and nature all react to the changing seasons, as the trees change, animals store food and prepare to hibernate and families gather around to celebrate the holidays. This is just the coziest autumn book, perfect for now and for Thanksgiving!
Of all the books about fall, this is probably my very favorite. The illustrations are absolutely stunning and its the sweetest story about one little leaf that is still holding on as winter approaches.
Autumn Leaves by Ken RobbinsFor every child who has asked a million questions about falling leaves, this striking photo book features thirteen trees with life-size photographs of the leaves and the tree itself, plus details about how to identify it. Its not your typical picture book, but its really nifty.
Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Lizzy RockwellOriginally published in 1988, this is one of those perfect fall books for preschoolers as a young girl spends the day outdoors picking apples and selecting just the right pumpkin. Its a classic for a reason!
Pumpkin Jack By Will Hubbell
Tim carves his very first jack-o-lantern and gives him the name Jack. Unfortunately, after Halloween, Jack starts to rot, so Tim puts Jack in the garden to see what happens. Then, in the spring, Tim finds a new pumpkin plant growing.
Pumpkin Jack is a preschool-friendly book about the life cycle of pumpkins.
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Delightful Childrens Books About Fall
Autumn is the perfect time to snuggle up with a big stack of fall books! These 17 childrens books about fall are just right for these cool, crisp days.
I know autumn isnt really officially here until much later in the month, but as soon as the calendar flips to September, Im READY for fall!
I love that I finally live somewhere that has a real, stunning fall and I cant get enough of it!
The air is cool in the morning, even if by mid-afternoon its back in the 90s, and obviously were stocking up on picture books about autumn.
Ive collected some of my favorite childrens books about fall here these are perfect for reading with a cozy blanket or with some apples you picked yourself .
Stars By Mary Lyn Ray
Stars is a lovely story written by Mary Lyn Ray and Illustrated by Marla Freeze. The book promotes imagination and is filled with themes about friendship, self-esteem, and more.
As you turn the pages, children are encouraged to think about stars and their significance. A star is a sign that its about to be night time. A star is how you feel when youve done something really great. Keep a star in your pocket for days when youre not feeling so shiny.
The author demonstrates a variety of ways children may imagine with a star. Are you a sheriff or a fairy with a magic wand? Ray then points out all of the stars of the place may be found in nature encouraging children to get outside and explore.
It is easy to connect this story with other activities. Many teachers use this book as inspiration for lesson plans and parents will enjoy all of the activities that naturally spawn just from reading this book.
We think that Stars will be loved by adults just as much as by the kids.
What We Love:
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Sophies Squash By Pat Zietlow Miller And Anne Wilsdorf
Kids often form ironclad attachments to objects, whether its a special blanket, a stuffed animal, or, in this picture books story, a squash. Sophie befriends a yellow squash she names Bernice, yet she disregards her parents warning that the vegetable will soon rot. Sophies Squash is a tender and funny book that takes a gentle approach to teaching children about softening attachments to precious items.
Preschool Books About Fall
Fill your book basket with a great collection of books about autumn. Most of these books can be found at your local library or used bookstore.
If you have a hard time finding them, you can order them through my Amazon affiliate links by clicking the images below.
Hello, Harvest Moon While tired farmers and their families are in bed, the harvest moon silently climbs into the sky and starts working its magic. For some, it is the nightly signal to rise and shine. It is time to hunt, to work, or to play in the shadows. For a little girl and her cat, it is an invitation to enjoy the wonders of the night and a last flood of light before the short days of winter set in.
Awesome Autumn Autumn is awesome! Leaves change color. Animals fly south or get ready to hibernate. People harvest crops and dress up as scary creatures for Halloween. And then there are pickup football games to play, Thanksgiving foods to eat, leaf piles to jump inall the amazing things that happen as the air turns crisp and cool.
Fall Mixed Up Fall is all mixed up in this silly book from Bob Raczka! Can you find his mistakes in the words and pictures?
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Where The Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things are is 50 years old. Written by Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are is the story of Max who makes a bit of mischief one night and is sent to bed without his supper.
Max makes a trip out to a desert island where he discovers the land of the wild things. After staring into their yellow eyes, Max learns that he can control their terrible roars and gnashing of their terrible teeth and their terrible claws. He becomes the most wild thing of all and soon becomes king of all the wild things. Before long Max makes the decision to sail back home. He misses his Mother and is hungry. The Wild Things do protest but alas Max sails home.
This story captures what its like to be young and have wild emotions. Its a fun book for children who are developmentally learning how to express and control the wild things that are in us all. We selected this book because the story is timeless, imaginative and the illustrations are inspirational. Though a quick read, theres so much scope for a young childs imagination.
We are certain your little one will want to hear about the story of Max over and over again.
What We Love:
Where The Wild Things Are is available on Amazon!
Book List: Fall Books For Preschool
Looking for the best fall books for preschool? Check out our favorites!
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Books About Seasons For Preschoolers
These fall preschool books are great for parents, teacher, or homeschoolers!
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn was written and illustrated by Kenard Pak. As a young girl takes a walk in the woods, she says hello to the many signs of autumn around her. The illustrations are full of bright, vibrant colors, and the color palette changes as the seasons shift.
Fall Is Not Easy was written and illustrated by Marty Kelley. This book explores the seasons from the point of view of a tree. The simple text shares how the tree feels about the different seasons, while the colorful illustrations are full of entertaining images of the tree trying out different styles.
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves! was written by Lucille Colandro and illustrated by Jared Lee. This seasonal spin on the classic childrens rhyme follows the little old lady as she swallows up all kinds of fall themed objects. Kids will love the silly story and the fun twist at the end.
Leaves was written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein. When Bear notices the leaves falling off the trees, he tries to reattach them. He eventually gets overwhelmed, and curls up for a nap. The ending is a great way to introduce kids to the changing seasons. Check out these fun activities to pair with the book!
List Of Fall Books For Toddlers And Preschoolers
This book is all about exploring Autumn in the best place you possibly could the forest! Follow along with a little chipmunk who is busy collecting things and preparing for winter. This is a lift-the-flap surprise board book, so its a wonderful way to introduce fall and celebrate the season with your toddler!
Each season has something special about it, and in these books we explore each one. What shall we wear, where shall we go and what will we see? New sensations, noises and tastes so much that is new! Follow the children as they spend time discovering the joys of indoor and outdoor play. Creative and inventive, interesting and funny, you will find lots of things to inspire you.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves
Based on the book There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, the old lady is back and at it again! This time she is swallowing fall items. I dont particularly care for these books, but my preschool-aged children sure do love the silliness! The illustrations might be a bit much for toddlers, but its one of those great fall books for 3 year olds!
The simple text and imagery in this book make it a perfect book for a younger toddler. Reviews of this book are mixed because it is not very long. But it has bright, vivid colors, and the touch and feel aspect keeps my toddler entertained, so I still think that it is worth it.
Tractor Mac: Autumn is Here: Billy Steers
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn: Kenard Pak
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Autumn Themed Read Aloud Books
Lawrence in the Fall-Matthew Farina Lawrence the fox is upset when his teacher asks them to bring in a collection. All the other kids seem to have wonderful collections, but Lawrence doesnt have anything to share with his class. His father takes him on a walk in the autumn woods and on that walk, Lawrence notices the beautiful yellow, orange, and red leaves falling from the trees. Now Lawrence has a beautiful Fall themed collection to share with his class! This book is whimsically illustrated and it may inspire your kids to go out into the woods to start a leaf collection of their own.
The Ugly Pumpkin-Dave Horowitz In a clever twist on the classic ugly duckling story, a young pumpkin in the pumpkin patch is sad when all the other round, perfect pumpkins are chosen and he is not. He realizes he doesnt look like the other pumpkins, so he leaves the pumpkin patch in search of a place where he belongs. At the end of the story, he finds out that the reason he never looked like the other pumpkins is because hes not a pumpkinhes a squash!
Pumpkin Spice: The Friendship Garden-Jenny Meyerhoff Anna and her friends in the community garden are excited about the pumpkin growing contest. They grow the biggest and best pumpkin they can, but their massive pumpkin disappears right before the Windy City Pumpkin Fest! Where did it go? Will they be able to find it before the festival?
Books About Change Of Seasons On Trees
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson takes us through the seasons so kids will get to see new buds, full-grown leaves, leaves falling, and bare limbs. This is an interactive book making it perfect for a whole group read-aloud. You might even want to try this Tap the Magic Tree activity to accompany the book.
Tree by Britta Teckentrup uses cut-out pages to show how a trees leaves change over the seasons. Its a gorgeous book.
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Thanking The Moon By Grace Lin
Grace Lins Thanking the Moon is a must-have if youre building your collection of fall books for preschoolers. In this diverse seasonal story, a Chinese American family celebrates the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Preschoolers can learn about this traditional holiday in Chinese culture through this inviting picture book.
Great Toddler Books About Fall
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This collection of Fall books for toddlers is a great one to print off and take to your local library. Isn’t Fall such a beautiful season. The colors changing, the leaves falling, it really does make for a beautiful time to get out with your toddlers and explore. We love to link our activities to the seasons, and I always like to start off a new season with some great toddler books. These toddler books about Fall are perfect – I’m sure you’ll love them as much as we do.
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Were Going On A Leaf Hunt By Steve Metzger And Miki Sakamoto
A rhyming picture book with lots of opportunities to repeat lines and say funny side effects. Three friends are on adventure hiking of a mountain looking for leaves. By reading this aloud, you and your young readers will be able to join them on their hunt.
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Little Tree By Loren Long
As his neighbors, family, and friends drop their leaves come autumn, Little Tree holds tight to his, afraid to let them go. What will finally make him accept a necessary change? Loren Long uses the turning of the seasons to propel this poignant tale about embracing the inevitability of growing up and finding your courage
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Printable Fall Theme Lesson Plans
Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 playful learning activities related to the theme, and weve provided different versions for home preschool families and classroom teachers so all activities are geared directly toward your needs.
Explore the signs and symbols of fall with hands-on activities and fully developed fall theme lesson plans. Watch this short video to see just a few examples of the types of activities and printables included in this set:
Fall Picture Books For Preschoolers
I love fall! Its a beautiful season with changing trees, crisp cool air, beautiful pumpkins and gourds, and so much more. My favorite thing is all the color that fall brings. We live in a place where the trees are just gorgeous this time of year. It is my absolute favorite time of the year!
A wonderful way to teach children about fall is through picture books. These picture books teach so many science concepts through stories or fun facts. I think its great for children all over the world to read books about the fall season, even kids who live in areas that dont experience changing of the seasons. It helps them see what other parts of the world look like!
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Today Im sharing my favorite picture books for fall. Just click on the links to buy them on Amazon.
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