There’s just something about pulling out our seasonal books that makes the start of a new season feel official! Every few months, I switch out the books on our bookshelf to match the season or upcoming holidays, and our fall bookshelf might be one of my favorites.
Rotating books throughout the year is such an easy way to make books we already own feel new again. Instead of having every book out all year long, I tuck our seasonal ones away and bring them back when the time is right. By the time fall rolls around again, they feel exciting all over again!
Our fall books for kids are a mix of stories about colorful leaves, changing seasons, pumpkins, apples, acorns, woodland animals and all of those little things that make autumn so much fun. We have silly books, sweet stories, beautiful picture books and a few interactive ones mixed in too.
And you definitely don’t need to buy an entirely new collection of books every season! The library is a great way to add new books stories into your rotation. You can use books you already have, grab a few seasonal favorites from the library, and slowly add the ones your family really loves to your own collection each year.
For our September bookshelf, I pulled together 30 of our favorite fall books for kids, and I’m sharing all of them below! I’ve divided the list into different fall themes to make it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for, or to build your own autumn bookshelf at home!
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How We Rotate Our Seasonal Books for Kids
One of my favorite ways to keep reading exciting is to rotate our books throughout the year. Instead of keeping every book out all the time, I switch our bookshelf with the seasons and holidays. Fall books come out for autumn, then Halloween books in October. I add Thanksgiving books in November, before moving into our Christmas and winter favorites.
It’s such a simple thing, but it really does make books we already own feel new again! When a favorite has been tucked away for months and it suddenly shows back up on the shelf, there’s more excitement about reading it.
And a seasonal bookshelf definitely doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy a whole new collection of books. Use your local library! It’s one of the easiest ways to try new seasonal books without committing to buying every single one. If we find one we absolutely love and know we’ll want to read it year after year, then it can always become one we add to our own collection later.
For our September bookshelf, I keep things focused on fall and the changing seasons. Lots of colorful leaves, acorns, apples, pumpkins, woodland animals and those first signs that summer is turning into autumn. When November rolls around, I’ll swap some of these out and bring in more Thanksgiving-themed books.
30 of Our Favorite Fall Books for Kids
Whether you’re creating your own seasonal bookshelf, planning a fall themed story time or just looking for a few new autumn books to check out from the library, these are the 30 fall books for kids currently making up our September bookshelf.
Fall Picture Books About Autumn & the Changing Seasons
These books are all about that magical shift into fall. From cooler days and changing colors to all the little things that make the season feel special. They’re some of our favorite fall picture books for celebrating the start of autumn and everything that comes with it.
Nothing Ever Happens on a Gray Day by Grant Snider
A gray, gloomy day might not seem very exciting…until you hop on your bike and head outside to see what you can find! My daughter especially loves that this story follows a girl riding her bicycle because we are VERY into bikes in this house right now. I love the sweet reminder that even a gloomy day can turn into an adventure. Shop Nothing Ever Happens on a Gray Day
Little Goose’s Autumn by Elli Woollard
Little Goose is trying to figure out where she belongs as all of the animals around her are busy preparing for the changing season. It’s a really sweet autumn story with plenty of woodland animals and beautiful fall scenery along the way. It’s also a rhyming story, which we always love around here! Shop Little Goose’s Autumn
The Berenstain Bears’ Fall Family Fun by Stan & Jan Berenstain
This one earned a spot on our shelf mostly because it brings back SO many childhood memories for me. I used to love the Berenstain Bears books! This collection includes two fall stories, with one taking place around Halloween and the other after Thanksgiving. Since it doesn’t really fit neatly into one specific fall holiday, I like putting it out early and letting us get excited for everything that’s ahead. Shop The Berenstain Bears’ Fall Family Fun
Yellow Time by Lauren Stringer
This one captures that magical little window when the leaves suddenly turn yellow and fall is REALLY showing off. The illustrations are great and I love how it takes such a simple seasonal moment and turns it into something that feels extra special. Shop Yellow Time
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
This is one of my favorites for that in-between time when summer starts winding down and the first signs of fall start showing up. I especially love it for kicking off our fall reading because it encourages kids to notice all of those little seasonal changes happening outside.We especially love the beautiful illustrations throughout. Shop Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn
It’s Fall by Renee Kurilla
This might be one of my favorites on our fall bookshelf!The illustrations are SO fun and cute, it’s a rhyming story (which we always love!), and it takes you through the whole season, from those first early fall moments all the way through to Thanksgiving. It covers so many of the fun events and traditions that make fall special, which makes it such a good one to keep on the shelf all season. Shop It’s Fall
In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes
A beautiful look at what happens outside as fall really settles in. Changing colors, cooler days, animals preparing for winter, and eventually those first hints of another season on it’s way. It’s a simple, cozy read that fits perfectly on a fall bookshelf. Shop In the Middle of Fall
When Autumn Comes by Ekaterina Trukhan
A sweet celebration of everything that happens when autumn arrives, with really fun illustrations throughout. We especially love the search and find list at the back, which gives you another way to interact with the book after reading the story. Our copy also includes a scannable audiobook version too! Shop When Autumn Comes
Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka
My daughter thinks this one is hilarious! Everything about fall has gotten completely mixed up, so we love going through each page together and pointing out all the silly things that just aren’t right. Orange apples and red pumpkins…? That’s not right!!! It’s such a fun and interactive way to talk about all of the things we associate with fall. Shop Fall Mixed Up
Fall Leaf Books for Kids
Is there anything more quintessentially fall than colorful leaves? These books are filled with falling leaves, leaf piles, and changing trees, and they’re especially fun to read before heading outside for a fall walk or a little leaf collecting of your own.
The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade
When it’s time for a little leaf to fall from his tree, he’s not so sure he can do it! A sweet story about facing your fears, being brave and taking that next big step, all wrapped up in a cute seasonal story. Great conversation starter about trying new things even when you’re scared. Shop The Very Last Leaf
Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
A great story about being helpful and understanding change. I especially love the beautiful, soft artwork throughout this one. It has such a pretty, almost watercolor-like quality to it (it may be watercolor!) And the icy little surprise at the end might be my favorite part. Shop Fletcher and the Falling Leaves
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
This is such a classic fall book, and I love the collage illustrations throughout! It follows the life of a tree, while also explaining the different parts that make up a tree, so there’s a little bit of learning mixed into the story too. There’s even a simple recipe for a bird treat at the end, which would be such a fun fall activity to pair with the book! Shop Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf
The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
My daughter LOVES this series. We have the spring book too. In this one, Squirrel is very concerned that someone keeps stealing the leaves from his tree and it makes for such a funny story. This is definitely one that gets some laughs in our house! Shop The Leaf Thief
Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
This is such a fun one for fall! The illustrations are made from collages of colorful leaves and other fall treasures that have been transformed into all kinds of shapes, animals, and scenes, plus there are fun cutout details along the tops of the pages that my daughter loves. It’s beautiful to look through and perfect for using as inspiration for a fall craft. Collect some leaves on a nature walk and see what you can create with them afterward! Shop Leaf Man
Jump in the Leaf Pile by Kelly Green
My daughter loves this interactive one! Throughout the story, kids are asked to shake, spin, and twirl the leaves, with sliders that reveal different leaf surprises as you go. I love all of the different ways it gets little ones involved in the story instead of just sitting and listening. It makes reading together so much more fun! Shop Jump in the Leaf Pile
A Very Big Fall by Emmy Kastner
When the leaves start talking about the big fall that’s coming, one of them isn’t so sure she wants any part of it. This is a cute story about friendship, change, and finding the courage to try something new, with an adorable fall storyline to go along with it. Shop A Very Big Fall
Leaves by David Ezra Stein
This is such a good one for very little readers! We bought the board book version when my daughter was really little and have been reading it every year since. It’s a simple, sweet story with cute illustrations about a young bear experiencing falling leaves for the first time. Shop Leaves
Sweep by Louise Greig
This one isn’t specifically about fall, but the gorgeous illustrations, piles of leaves and overall feel of the book make it fit right in on our fall bookshelf. The story follows Ed as a bad mood sweeps him up and seems to take everything along with it. I love that beneath the beautiful illustrations, there’s a sweet story about big feelings and working through a bad mood. Even the cover is gorgeous! Shop Sweep
Fall Leaves by Loretta Holland
This one is a beautiful mix of story and nature, following all of the changes happening as summer turns into fall and the leaves begin to change. I love books that encourage kids to notice what’s happening outside them, and this is such a pretty one to pull out when those first fall colors start appearing. Shop Fall Leaves
Acorn, Woodland & Fall Nature Books for Kids
Acorns, squirrels, woodland animals and all the changes happening outside make for some of the sweetest fall stories. I love these books for encouraging little ones to notice more of what’s happening in nature during the season and maybe inspiring an outdoor adventure afterward too!
Acorn Was a Little Wild by Jen Arena
This is such a fun story about trying something new, exploring the world around you, and discovering that a little change can lead to something pretty great. I also love that is showcases that being a little wild, having fun, and going on adventures is great too. Shop Acorn Was a Little Wild
Tidy by Emily Gravett
This one is a favorite in our house. It’s not exactly a fall themed book, but we love all the leaves throughout. The illustrations are SO fun, but I especially love the environmental message hidden within the story. Pete the badger wants everything to be tidy and takes things a little too far, showing that sometimes having everything neat and tidy isn’t always the right answer. Shop Tidy
Hide and Seek, Nuts to Eat by Tracy C. Gold
Such a fun little book about squirrels and some of the things they do throughout the year! The story itself is great for little readers, but I especially love all of the extra information at the end explaining why squirrels do certain things. There are also pictures and descriptions of different types of squirrels from around the world, which makes the one a fun story with a little bit of learning mixed in too! Shop Hide and Seek, Nuts to Eat
Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer & Adam Schaefer
This is such a great, easy read for little readers! The text is short and simple, with beautiful illustrations that show how everything in nature is connected, all starting with one tiny acorn. Not necessarily a fall book, but I love that it introduces a bigger concept in a way that’s really easy for little ones to understand. Shop Because of an Acorn
The Golden Acorn by Katy Hudson
This one is a cute story about wanting to win but having to learn to compete as part of a team. It’s a woodland story about friendship, teamwork, and realizing that sometimes the people you’re with is more important than winning overall. Shop The Golden Acorn
Pumpkin, Apple & Harvest Books for Kids
You can’t have a fall bookshelf without a few pumpkins and apples mixed in! From sill pumpkin adventures to cozy stories about some of our favorite fall foods, these books are perfect for pumpkin patch and apple-picking season.
The Roll-Away Pumpkin by June Wonders
Marla’s giant pumpkin has rolled away and now everyone is joining in to chase it through town. It’s a silly and playful pumpkin adventure with plenty of rhyming repetition along the way, which my daughter loves to help yell out from each page. Great for little ones to join in while you read. Shop The Roll-Away Pumpkin
You’re the Apple of My Pie by Rose Rossner
Another board book we’ve had since my daughter was very little. It’s filled with fall puns and lots of love, making it cute for little readers. It’s short, colorful, and easy to read together and the board book is perfect for smaller toddlers who don’t know how to handle more delicate books yet. We have a few from this series! Shop You’re the Apple of My Pie
The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry
The illustrations in this one are absolutely gorgeous, but the story is just as sweet. It’s a story about an unlikely friendship, kindness, and helping someone who needs you. I love this one because it feels just as fun for the grown-up reading the book as it does for the little ones listening. Shop The Scarecrow
Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper
This one is about friends who have their own special routine for doing something, until one of them decides they was to try to do things a little differently. It’s a cozy fall story about friendship, sharing, and navigating through those moments when everyone doesn’t always agree. I also love the vintage feel the illustrations have and, obviously, pumpkin soup feels right at home on a fall bookshelf. A fun recipe is included with the book too! Shop Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin Day at the Zoo by Susan Meissner
Pumpkins and zoo animals make a pretty fun combo for fall! The one follows the animals in the zoo as they get their very own pumpkins to play with, explore, eat, and enjoy. It’s a cute seasonal pick, and we especially love going through each page and talking about each of the animals. A great pick for kids who are animal lovers! Shop Pumpkin Day at the Zoo
Apple Cake: A Gratitude by Dawn Casey
This is such a sweet story about gratitude and appreciating all of the little things that come together to make something special. And one of our favorite parts? There’s an actual apple cake recipe at the end! I love the idea of reading this one together and then heading into the kitchen to make your own apple cake. Shop Apple Cake: A Gratitude
Creating You Own Fall Bookshelf for Kids
You definitely don’t need 30 books to create a fun fall bookshelf at home! Start with a few seasonal favorites you already own, then use your local library to switch things up and discover new books throughout the season.
I love rooting our books because it makes old favorites feel new again without having to constantly buy more. And if we check out a book from the library that becomes a favorite, I can always add it to our own collection later!
You can also switch things up as the season goes along. Our September bookshelf is filled with lots of colorful leaves, acorns, woodland animals, apples, pumpkins, and books about the changing seasons. Once November rolls around, I’ll swap a few of these out for some of our favorite Thanksgiving books and stories about gratitude.
It’s such a simple little tradition, but I love how it keeps our bookshelf feeling fresh and gives us (me especially! Ha) something new to get excited about throughout the year. It’s definitely a passion project of mine, but I love that my daughter has fallen in love with them too.
Save this list for your next library or bookstore trip! And if you have a favorite fall children’s book that we’re missing, leave it in the comments because I’m always looking for new ones to add to our list!
Shop our complete fall bookshelf on Amazon!
More Fall Favorites: Pumpkin Biscuits with Maple Butter & How to Setup a DIY Chili Bar!
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