It may not look or feel like it yet, but the calendar has officially moved into another season. It’s goodbye summer and hello fall! I’m hoping this month’s picture book favorites will help you get ready for the changing sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that are headed our way. Since this is my second year to blog about fall picture books, I hope you’ll look back at last year’s favorites too. Enjoy!

“The Scarecrow” written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Eric and Terry Fan a/k/a The Fan Brothers (Copyright 2019, HARPER imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) is my new favorite book. Written in rhyming text and illustrated using pencil, ballpoint, and Photoshop, this is a heartwarming story and a true work of art. When a scared baby crow falls from the sky, old Scarecrow snaps his pole to bend down and save it. The baby Crow grows up in Scarecrow’s heart of hay and they are inseparable until Crow must fly out into the world, leaving Scarecrow alone. The following spring, Crow brings a mate and returns to his friend Scarecrow’s heart of hay to make a home for their family.

“Fletcher and the Falling Leaves” written by Julia Rawlinson and illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke (Copyright 2006, Greenwillow Books imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) is the story of a worried little fox named Fletcher, who thinks his favorite tree is sick when it begins to lose its leaves. Although Fletcher is not able to stop the leaves from falling, he soon learns that his tree has a surprise waiting for him. Full-color pastel illustrations transport the words in this story to its sparkling end.

“In the Middle of Fall” written by Kevin Henkes and illustrated by Laura Dronzek (Copyright 2017, Greenwillow Books imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) is one of several collaborations by this author/illustrator duo. A couple of my previous blog posts have put the spotlight on their other books about seasons, “When Spring Comes,” and “Winter is Here.” This month’s installment once again combines simple creative prose with gorgeous full-color acrylic art to display a wind-blown fall season being enjoyed by children, plants, and animals.

Other titles that are great for sharing during the fall season include the vintage books “Hello Mr. Scarecrow” and “The Lonely Scarecrow.” “Hello Mr. Scarecrow” written and illustrated by Rob Lewis (Copyright 1987, Farrar Straus Giroux) is an easy reader story for preschoolers about a year in the life of a scarecrow. “The Lonely Scarecrow” written by Tim Preston and illustrated by Maggie Kneen (Copyright 1999 by Dutton Children’s Books division of Penguin Putnam Books) is a beautifully illustrated story about a lonely scarecrow who finds some friends after a winter snowstorm changes him into a friendly looking snowman. The embossing of the book’s pages give them a textured effect that children are sure to find fascinating.

Happy fall reading!