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Looking for the BEST fall picture books to read aloud to your elementary students?
Fall is the perfect time to bring seasonal read-alouds into your classroom. Changing leaves, cooler weather, squirrels, scarecrows… there are so many fun fall themes that work perfectly with reading skills you’re already teaching.
And the best part? A good fall read-aloud doesn’t have to be just for fun.
You can use these books to practice visualization, character traits, making inferences, main idea, vocabulary, and more.
Below are six of my favorite fall picture books for elementary students, plus easy ideas for using each one during your reading block.
If you want to bring a little poetry into your fall reading lessons, Autumnblings is a great choice!
This collection of fall-themed poems covers everything from changing leaves and cooler temperatures to pumpkins and animals preparing for winter.
Try it for: Visualization, poetry, word choice, and main idea
Because the poems are short and packed with descriptive language, they’re perfect for practicing visualization.
Read one of the poems aloud without showing students the illustrations. Have students draw what they picture in their minds as they listen.
Afterward, reveal the illustration and compare it to what students visualized.
You can also have students look for interesting words and phrases the author uses to help readers picture fall.
Click HERE to check it out.
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn follows a young girl as she takes a walk through her neighborhood and notices all the little signs that summer is ending and fall is beginning.
She talks to the trees, animals, flowers, and other parts of nature as the season begins to change.
Try it for: Making connections, visualization, and identifying details
This is a great book to use when talking about how authors use details to help readers understand a setting.
As you read, ask students to listen for clues that show the season is changing.
After reading, students can brainstorm signs of fall they’ve noticed in their own lives. Maybe the leaves are changing, the mornings are getting cooler, or they’re seeing pumpkins pop up on front porches.
You could even create a class list titled “How We Know Fall Is Here.”
Click HERE to check it out.
Squirrel has a BIG problem.
His leaves are disappearing!
Naturally, Squirrel assumes someone must be stealing them. He becomes increasingly worried as more and more leaves disappear from his tree.
Of course, readers eventually discover that there isn’t a leaf thief at all. It’s simply fall!
Try it for: Making inferences, character traits, and cause and effect
The Leaf Thief is especially fun for making inferences because students can use clues from the story to figure out what’s really happening before Squirrel does.
You can also stop throughout the story and ask students what Squirrel’s words and actions tell them about his character.
After reading, discuss the actual cause-and-effect relationship:
Cause: The season changes from summer to fall.
Effect: The leaves change color and fall from the trees.
This one usually leads to some pretty fun conversations!
Click HERE to check it out.
The Scarecrow is a beautiful fall picture book about an unlikely friendship.
Scarecrow has spent his life alone in a field. The animals are afraid of him, and he keeps his distance from everyone around him.
Then one day, a baby crow falls nearby.
Instead of frightening the crow away, Scarecrow helps him — and an unexpected friendship begins.
Try it for: Character traits, character change, theme, and making inferences
This book gives students plenty of evidence they can use to describe Scarecrow.
Ask students:
How would you describe Scarecrow at the beginning of the story? What evidence supports your thinking?
Then ask the same question after reading.
Students can compare Scarecrow at the beginning and end of the book and identify what caused him to change.
It’s also a wonderful book for discussing friendship, kindness, and why we shouldn’t always make assumptions about others.
Click HERE to check it out.’
Lance Cottonwood is a leaf who has worked hard at everything he’s supposed to learn in leaf school.
There’s just one problem.
Eventually, every leaf has to fall from its tree — and Lance isn’t sure he’s ready.
Try it for: Character feelings, making connections, problem and solution, and theme
Students can track how Lance’s feelings change throughout the story and identify evidence that shows how he’s feeling.
It’s also a great book for making text-to-self connections.
Ask students to think about a time when they were nervous to try something new.
What helped them feel brave?
How is their experience similar to Lance’s?
This can lead to a great conversation about facing fears, trying new things, and growing more confident.
Click HERE to check it out.
If you’re looking for a fall read-aloud that will make your students laugh, Those Darn Squirrels! is a fun one.
Old Man Fookwire loves painting the birds that visit his backyard, but every year the birds fly south for the winter.
He builds elaborate bird feeders to convince them to stay — only to discover that some very clever squirrels have figured out how to get to the food.
And these aren’t just any squirrels.
They’re VERY determined squirrels.
Try it for: Character traits, problem and solution, making predictions, and summarizing
Before revealing how the squirrels solve each problem, stop and let students predict what they might try next.
You can also compare Old Man Fookwire and the squirrels.
How are their personalities different?
What evidence from the story supports each character trait?
After reading, have students summarize the story by identifying the main characters, problem, important events, and solution.
Click HERE to check it out.
Fall fun doesn’t have to stop with your read-alouds! If you’re looking for an easy way to bring a little fall into your math block, these FREE math multiplication worksheets are a fun, no-prep option for 3rd grade.
FREE Halloween Color-By-Number Multiplication Worksheets
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If your students love the Halloween activity, keep the seasonal math fun going with these Fall Math Color-by-Number Worksheets!
They have a mix of fun activities and color-by-numbers, and all cover materials that 3rd-graders are learning RIGHT NOW!
They’re packed with 3rd-grade math practice and are perfect for morning work, centers, independent practice, or early finishers.
3rd Grade Fall Math Color-by-Number
Make fall math practice a little more fun! These no-prep color-by-number worksheets give 3rd graders practice with addition, subtraction, place value, rounding, multiplication, and more.
Happy Fall, y’all!!!!
