by Paige Bourquin

Picture this. The air has just turned cold and the leaves are falling. You are curled up in a warm blanket with the fire roaring. There’s light piano music playing in the background as you hum along to the tune. You take a sip of either your hot pumpkin spice coffee, your rich hot chocolate, or your crisp apple cider as you turn a page of your book. There are many fall books to check out at your local Winter’s Library provided by the youth service librarian, Amanda Brenner. The list of books provided are put into three categories, kids, teens, and adults.

Here are some great books that kids from small to even smaller are bound to enjoy (and you, too, when you read with them).

·         Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant & Adam Grant

This is the story of a leaf in fall who, well, doesn’t want to fall! With cute art, this book teaches about change.

·         Leaves by David Ezra Stein

A charming story about a bear who observes the leaves as they change throughout the seasons. 

·         Maple by Lori Nichols

This book follows a little girl and a maple tree, until one day she gets a baby sister, and it tells a beautiful story about change. 

·         There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro

This book holds fond memories. It tells the story of an old woman who makes a scarecrow by swallowing all the ingredients! You should read this book with a kid for a good laugh. 

For teen readers:

·         Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangil is about a girl who is obsessed with a Harry Potter-like character, and this is the story about her growing up and not wanting to let go. It’s a wonderful coming-of-age story that also deals with subjects such as mental health and not wanting to let go of stories you held dear.

·         Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Set in the late 19th century, this book is about Anne (with an “E” of course) Shirley, who was sent to live with the Cuthbert siblings, who had originally intended to adopt a boy to help them on their farm. This novel is a great story about acceptance and found family. Anne reminds us, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

·         American Panda by Gloria Chao

A story about tradition, American Panda is about a 17-year-old Taiwanese girl who is studying at MIT. The story follows her journey in making her own decisions while still holding onto her relationship values.

·         Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye

For all the fans of mystery and Jane Eyre, this book is a retelling of Jane Eyre, but if she was a vigilante serial killer instead. This book is great to curl up to under candlelight with all its wonderful twists and turns.

If you are looking for more mature books, here are some stories to read while ignoring adult problems. 

·         The Simplicity of Cider by Amy Reichert

This charming book tells the story of a family apple orchard, and the story between the skilled cider craftsman and a single father who wants to help on the farm. This is a charming story for any lovers of romance.

·         Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

This story of loss tells the story of a girl living in 1987 with her closest friend being her uncle. When her uncle suddenly dies, she learns of his lover Tobey as he tries to form a bond with her. This is a bittersweet story about loss and hope. 

·         Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere is a book with many emotions that deals with an idealized suburban town where everyone follows the rules. But what happens behind closed doors gets revealed when a single mother moves into this town, and an adoption battle rages between two families.

·         The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

A brilliant 1800s widow visits a town plagued by the stories of a monster, determined to find that this beast is no monster, but an undiscovered species. With whirlwind romance and amazing imagery, this book is really a hard one to put down.