New Fall Kids Books to Explore Nature, Holidays, and Celebrations
One way to spread reading magic is to share seasonal stories with kids. đź“š We love a field trip to the library to check out their newest releases or a visit to a favorite bookstore. This diverse collection of new fall kids' books includes all sorts of stories that explore and celebrate autumn holidays, traditions, and themes.
We challenge everyone to add a book to their collection about a holiday or tradition that’s new to them, as well as one that’s familiar to them. 📖 Sharing stories is one powerful way to spread empathy. Which books will you add to your bookshelf this year?
You can learn more about these books and purchase and/or donate them at our Bookshop.
Autumn's Abundance: An Indigenous Celebration of Nature
Author: Kaitlin B. Curtice | Illustrator: Eduardo Marticorena | Publisher: Convergent Children's
In this joyous celebration of autumn, a young Indigenous boy learns how to receive love from Creator and Mother Earth—and how to share that love with others.
Bo, a proud Potawatomi boy, loves the coming of autumn—the turning of the leaves, the cooling weather, the last harvests from his garden. All around him he can see the love and abundance that Creator and Mother Earth give to all living creatures. But Bo knows that not everyone feels abundance in their lives. What can Bo and his friends do to share love and abundance with those around them?
I'm Sorry for the Bagel Burps: A Yom Kippur Apology
Author: Jacob Sager Weinstein | Illustrator: Jason Kirschner | Publisher: Rocky Pond Books
A very funny yet heartfelt sibling story about Yom Kippur apologies, just right for high holiday sharing.
Benji's older brother, Aaron, is fasting on Yom Kippur for the first time, and doing plenty of bragging about being more grown-up than his little brother. It's so irritating to Benji that he decides to rub his own eating in Aaron's face all day long—with a cream-cheese-scented burp during services, a mouth full of ice cream in the afternoon, and other attempts to make Aaron miserable in his hunger.
But Yom Kippur is about repenting for the things we've done wrong. Will Benji find a way to apologize to Aaron? And will Aaron return the favor?
Mr Crump the Heartless Grump
Author: Pog | Illustrator: Stephanie Leon | Publisher: Floris Books
Mr Crump doesn't like holidays or cheer of any kind. And he especially detests children. Can anyone warm Crump's old, cold heart? A darkly comic story for fans of the Grinch and Tim Burton.
Everyone avoids curmudgeonly Mr Crump, but they don't know the old man has a secret. He LOVES teddy bears. When trick-or-treaters accidentally uncover his cuddly collection, Mr Crump feels something strange... Could it be that Mr Crump is not so heartless, after all?
Day of the Dead
Author: Anne-Florence Lemasson| Illustrator: Dominique Ehrhard | Publisher: Prestel Junior
Flowers bloom, candles glow, and skeletons dance in this lively pop-up celebration of DĂa de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
Filled with color and movement, this pop-up book invites young readers into the joyful world of DĂa de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, where families honour loved ones through dancing, music, food, flowers, and shared celebration.
Each page opens onto an animated paper scene that transforms the festival’s most vivid imagery into moments of surprise and discovery. Decorated altars rise from the page, festive figures appear mid-dance, and nighttime gatherings glow with candlelight, creating spooky scenes that feel busy, playful, and alive.
Let's All Celebrate Diwali!
Author: Hasrhita Jerath| Illustrator: Becky Paige | Publisher: Tiger Tales
Lively text and heartwarming artwork show young readers how fun and exciting it can be to share one’s culture with friends. This book introduces children to Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, which is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs mainly in India but also in many communities around the world. This is a joyful introduction to the religious holiday and reinforces the importance of sharing special occasions with the people who mean the most to us.
Family Found: A Queer Friendsgiving Celebration
Author: Joanna McClintick | Illustrator: Keisha Morris | Publisher: Candlewick
When celebrants gather for their annual Friendsgiving—Thanksgiving with their chosen family—each has a unique story to tell as a child tries to piece together how it all began.
No one remembers how it started.
The Friendsgiving gathering is moving into high gear, and for one child in the group, it’s a good time to ask some questions about the event’s history. Great-Uncle Billy, while snapping some green beans for the meal, says he was the one who started the tradition, back when people had to speak in code to keep being gay a secret. Miss Mona thinks that she was the originator, after her car broke down one year and she had to make a change of plans. Grandma Jane and Nana Rose tell their version of the tale while the smell of cinnamon and apples fills the air. As more people (and dogs) arrive and the music is turned on, it grows clearer that the details may not matter; what counts is the love they all share. With warm, jubilant artwork and a welcoming text that introduces moments from LGBTQIA+ history, Family Found celebrates one family as they come together on a day of gratitude.
A Hanbok for Hana
Author: Korena Di Roma Howley | Illustrator: Jaime Kim | Publisher: Candlewick
Hana loves Chuseok, but the Korean holiday doesn’t feel the same in her new small town as it did in the big city where she used to live. This is a heartfelt story about family and navigating changes.
It’s almost time for Chuseok! Hana always looks forward to the stories, laughter, games, and delicious treats that come with the holiday. And she loves wearing her traditional Korean hanbok, with its big, billowy skirt and a soft rustle. But Hana and her Eomma have moved from a bustling city to a small town, and nothing is the same. Worse, Hana’s hanbok is now too small! Last time she needed a new hanbok, they went to a dress shop that smelled of ginseng tea. But here, the only place to buy a hanbok is on the computer screen.
When Hana misses the way they did things before, her mom says that she moved to this country at Hana’s age and there were a lot of changes then, too—traditions and friends left behind, new friends and experiences discovered. When Hana’s mail-order hanbok doesn’t fit, she comes up with a sweet solution that blends new and old—perfect for this year’s celebration. Lively illustrations enhance this story of creating new traditions and finding community. Back matter includes the history and a description of hanboks, as well as details about Chuseok.
I am Indigenous
Author: Anne Tenning | Illustrator: Aedan Corey, Emily Côté, Lynne Hardy, Emma Hassencahl Perley, Aaron Kaleinani Kai, Soni López-Chávez, Kelsey Mata Foote, Lannie McCullough, Onedove,
Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, Madeson Singh-Whiteknife, Jordan Stranger, Kameron White | Publisher: Orca Books
My Indigeneity is woven into my identity, going all the way back to my ancestors, whose spirit I carry in my heart. I am proud of who I am.
Featuring illustrations by Aedan Corey, Emily Côté, Lynne Hardy, Emma Hassencahl-Perley, Aaron Kaleinani Kai, Soni López-Chávez, Kelsey Mata Foote, Lannie McCullough, Onedove, Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, Madeson Singh-Whiteknife, Jordan Stranger and Kameron White.
With mindful affirmations and stunning artwork, I Am Indigenous is a thoughtful exploration of what it means to be Indigenous. Powerful statements honor the richness of Indigenous experiences, showing how strength can be found in identity, inclusivity and respect, while acknowledging the vast variety of languages, territories, appearances, family structures, cultures and traditions. Each illustration was created by a different Indigenous artist, showing unique, personal expressions that highlight the diversity of Indigeneity in North America.
Beneath the Same Round Moon: A Mooncake Festival Story
Author: Jasmine Fang | Illustrator: Rong Pham and Ving Nguyen | Publisher: Beaming Books
A Mooncake Festival story about a family celebrating a holiday together, even when miles apart
Pearl is eager to welcome loved ones to her house for the traditional Mooncake Festival dinner. But her family is spread far and wide, and this year they won't be able to travel to reunite over the special dinner. Her big sister is away at college, her dad is working as an airline pilot, and her grandfather, YĂ©ye, has passed away. Will it still be a special day with only Pearl, her mother, and her grandma?
When NÇŽiNai arrives with baskets of ingredients, the three generations work diligently to cook dinner, bake mooncakes, and make lanterns, with each element reminding Pearl of the people she misses. On the night of the Mooncake Festival, they need to be creative in how they celebrate as a family, showing Pearl that no matter where they are, her family is still connected beneath the same round moon.
A relatable story of celebrating virtually for holidays when families are separated by distance, and a reminder that our holiday traditions connect us even when we're not together in the same place. This Mid-Autumn Festival story includes lovely details about the traditions around this holiday, including backmatter with a mooncake recipe and instructions for making a paper lantern.
My Wheel of the Year: A Celebration of Nature's Magic
Author: Nikki Van De Car | Illustrator: Kiki Kita | Publisher: Running Press Kids
Celebrate the changing seasons and your connection with the natural world with a book honoring the mystical underpinnings of the cycles that make up the pagan Wheel of the Year!
From Samhain and Yule to Ostara and Mabon, there are eight pagan festivals that make up the year, known in witchy culture as Sabbats. With detailed information about the history of each holiday and a corresponding ritual to help families celebrate the magic of the seasons, this book is a perfect introduction to the pagan calendar for the mini mystic in your life.
Rosh Hashanah Square-Circle-Star: A First Shapes Book
Author: Joy Nelkin Wieder | Illustrator: Aura Lewis | Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Learning shapes is easy in this unique board book celebrating the holiday of Rosh Hashanah
From baking a circular challah to listening to the blast of a spiral shofar to folding triangular napkins for the dinner table, young readers will grasp the concept of shapes as they learn about the Jewish New Year!
With simple but clever rhyming text paired with stylish, appealing art, this is a perfect starter board book for children just beginning to learn core concepts―and it doubles as the ideal Rosh Hashanah gift! The book also includes an age-appropriate explanation of Rosh Hashanah and the ways in which the holiday is celebrated.
Pumpkin Smash!
Author: Michelle Schaub | Illustrator: Rilla Alexander | Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Tee it up and take a swing…Launch it from a sling…Climb up high and let it drop…Turn it into pumpkin slop!Instead of dumping rotting jack-o-lanterns in the bin, award-winning picture book author Michelle Schaub invites readers to take them to a pumpkin smash! Stomping and squashing pumpkins into compost helps them to decompose―providing nutrients for the soil, seeds for next year’s harvest and plenty of post-Halloween fun. With lively, lyrical text and Rilla Alexander’s bright, beguiling illustrations, Pumpkin Smash is an upbeat and playful celebration of Halloween―and a call to action to reduce landfill waste and support local ecosystems.
We Are Mighty: 12 Ordinary Americans Who Did the Next Needed Thing
Author: Sharon McMahon | Illustrator: Susanna Chapman | Publisher: Norton Young Readers
"America's Government Teacher" and author of the New York Times bestselling The Small and the Mighty pens a hopeful picture book about twelve ordinary Americans who stood up to do the next needed thing.
One kind act. One spark of bravery. One big idea from someone nobody expected.
In this beautifully illustrated collection, you'll meet twelve real people from America's past--some famous, most not--whose choices changed the course of history.
You'll meet MarĂa de LĂłpez, who drove ambulances during World War I and helped win the vote for women. You'll read about two boys--Norman and Alan--who met at a campout, stayed friends for life, and helped lead the country together. And you'll discover how teachers, kids, and quiet changemakers made a mighty difference in their communities.
