“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” ~ Lauren DeStefano
The cold weather crept in slowly this year in our little patch of the world. The leaves are falling in gold, red, brown, and my favorite anthocyanin, pink.
I love books as seasonal harbingers. I’ve curated a few here to get you in the mood with excellent seasonal imagery.
“An uplifting story about confronting big emotions from the author of The Night Box, stunningly illustrated by Julia Sarda.
Ed’s bad mood begins as something really small, hardly a thing at all. But before long it grows, gathers pace, and spreads through the whole town. Can Ed sweep his troubles away?”
I’ve shared this book many times since I stumbled upon its pages and it swallowed me whole. The story is poetic and lovely, and the illustrations are magical. Together, they swirl you up in the storm of sweeping emotion.
SOLD OUT
“Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of no haunting after dark, no stealing socks, no eating all the food.
But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.”
Matthew Forsythe creates illustrations that are an utter delight to step into. Aggie is instantly lovable, and who doesn’t want some quiet time? Well, maybe not TOO quiet.
“Bear and Bird are the kind of friends who just want to make each other happy. So when Bird realizes Bear has had a leaf stuck to his face all day, she goes to comical extremes not to embarrass him—even if it means encouraging a new trend. And when they both grab the same excellent stick on a windy day, they outdo each other trying to give it back—until Bear comes up with a better use for their imagination. Whether following a hilariously—and touchingly—circular path on Swapsy Day or discovering there are as many times of day as there are things to do.”
The Bear and Bird series by Jarvis is such a delight. Stick and leaf hunting are perfectly respectable and fun autumnal activities. Soft illustrations make these sweet characters even more lovable.
“Jasper the Rabbit is back! A little older and wiser, he collects creepy stories to share as cautionary tales. If you’re ready for some chills and chuckles alike, tune in as Jasper weaves the yarn of Charlie Marmot and the particular pickle he found himself in.
See, Charlie here has had his tonsils become infected and has to come out. No biggie, right? But when he decides he wants to keep them in a jar for show and tell, things get creepy… First, strange slurping sounds in his room keep Charlie awake the night before his surgery. Then, he goes to the doctor only to be told his tonsils are already gone! Could it be they’re out for revenge?”
Fans of the picture books Creepy Carrots, Creepy Crayons, and Creepy Pair of Underwear will love this as a readaloud for those starting to read on their own.
“In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?”
Children are instantly drawn to Jon’s illustrations; many recognize them from The Hat series. I admit to being surprised when kids don’t find this one spooky. Otilla and her newfound friendship with a skull win children over with her adventures. Settle in with some tea and cozy up as only Jon can make the disturbing enjoyable.
“For as long as the Vickery twins can remember, they’ve only ever been able to leave the house together once a year, on Halloween. The rest of the year, Lee and his mother serve Memory, while Felix and his father assist Death. This is the Agreement.
But one Halloween, Gretchen Whipple smashes her way into their lives. Her bargain is simple: If the twins help her solve the murder of local girl Essie Hasting, she’ll help them break the Agreement. The more the three investigate, however, the more they realize that something’s gone terribly wrong in their town. Death is on the loose, and if history repeats itself, Essie’s might not be the last murder in Poplar Wood.”
We’ve read this book several times, and by ‘we,’ I mean my children and me. They re-read it because it’s a perfect blend of friendship, family, and scary in an autumnal setting. It will definitely kick-start your spooky season if you’re a fan. Also, we highly recommend the audiobook read by Brian Holden, his impersonation of Death is top-notch.
“Everyone knows Fall Hollow is haunted. It has been ever since Abigail Snook went into the woods many years ago, never to be seen again. Since then, it’s tradition for the sixth graders at Beckett Elementary to play the Bellwoods Game on Halloween night. Three kids are chosen to go into the woods. Whoever rings the bell there wins the game and saves the town for another year, but if Abigail’s ghost captures the players first, the spirit is let loose to wreak havoc on Fall Hollow—or so the story goes.
Now that it’s Bailee’s year to play, she can finally find out what really happens. And legend has it the game’s winner gets a wish. Maybe, just maybe, if Bailee wins, she can go back to the way things used to be before her grandma got sick and everyone at school started hating her. But when the night begins, everything the kids thought they knew about the game—and each other—is challenged. One thing’s for certain, something sinister is at play… waiting for them all in the woods.”
This book gets you in its grip right away. It’s imaginative, entertaining, and properly spooky. Don’t worry, though; it has a wholesome ending, leaving you with a warm feeling for the season.
“Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say goodbye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.
But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.”
Romance reading is on the rise, and this graphic novel is pure pumpkin eye candy. From petting zoos to corn mazes (map included), you might find yourself wanting a Pumpkin Bomb (Vanilla ice-cream sandwiched between two wedges of pumpkin pie dipped in chocolate), so grab some kettle corn and head to the s’mores pit with Josiah and Deja’s autumnal adventures.
