Cozy Autumn Reads

It’s a great time to share some cozy autumn reads!  There is something for everyone here, from picture books to homeschool support.  Grab a mug of something strong (😉) and settle in with a good book or three.

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For the littles...

There is no shortage of autumn picture books, but I do have a couple of favorites. First, check out Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson.  You will fall in love with Fletcher the fox and the charming illustrations.  Make sure to check out the animated book at Scholastic Bookflix (often accessible via your public library) that includes a paired non-fiction text. 

It is autumn and Fletcher is worried because his favorite tree is losing its leaves. He wants to help but when the last leaf falls, he feels he has let down a friend… until winter arrives and his tree is transformed. 

Absolutely don't miss Autumn Story by Jill Barklem, which is part of the Brambly Hedge series (you can buy the complete collection or an individual volume).  The illustrations will transport its readers to the English countryside and the story of mice living in a hedgerow. 

Bad weather is on the way and the autumn stores are still not gathered in!

Quickly, all the mice of Brambly Hedge set to work to finish the harvesting before the rain begins. Primrose, Lord Woodmouse's daughter, meant to help, but somehow she daydreamed her way over the cornfield and into the Chestnut Woods, and before she knew it, she was lost. The sun went down, the wind rose and it began to rain. Primrose was all alone in the dark and she was frightened.

Poor Primrose, would she find her way home again?

For the in-betweens...

First in a series by Kallie George, Heartwood Hotel: A True Home is a gentle story filled with animal characters preparing for winter.  The chapters are short and there are charming illustrations.

When Mona the Mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes they'll let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury, and comfort. But the Heartwood Hotel is not all acorn soufflés and soft moss-lined beds. Danger lurks, and as it approaches, Mona finds that this hotel is more than a warm place to spend the night. It might also be a home. 

For the big kids...

Since we seem to be on a mouse theme so far, let's add in Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - adventure, family, and a bit of sci-fi rolled into one. 

Life has been hard for Mrs. Frisby ever since her husband died.  When her youngest son becomes dangerously ill and needs to be moved in order to avoid the farmer's plough, she doesn't know what to do. A wise owl advises her to ask the rats for help, but Mrs. Frisby is hesitant -- how could a rat help her?

Then she learns a surprising truth.  Not only did the rats know her husband well, but they also shared a secret with him.  they were all once laboratory captives, subject to injections and tests, which made them more cunning than ordinary animals.  In fact, the rats have built an underground city, full of secrete passageways and great machines!  They agree to help Mrs. Frisby -- but when the farmer calls for exterminators to take care of his rat problem, the rats may need more help than one little mouse can give in return.

For the grownups...

I've only read one Susanna Kearsley I didn't love (I'm not going to tell you which one, you are old enough to make your own choices).  Marianna is a great place to start.  I mean, come on, a children's book illustrator moving into an old house...this book was made for me.  

When Julia Beckett moves into a beautiful old farmhouse, she soon discovers she's not alone there. She encounters haunting remnants of a beautiful young woman who lived and loved there centuries ago. Julia finds herself transported into 17th-century England, and into the world of Mariana.

Each time Julia travels back, she becomes more enthralled with the past... until she realizes Mariana's life is eclipsing her own. She must lay the past to rest or risk losing the chance for happiness in her own time.

For the home educator...

Julis Bogart can always be depended upon to provide just what a home educator needs to hear.  Check out A Gracious Space: Fall: Daily Reflections to Sustain Your Homeschooling Commitment for a bit of support in this season.

Homeschooling parents looking for support in this daunting commitment will find it in A Gracious Space. This volume provides daily readings that offer insights into the home education experience, as well as supplies encouragement, inspiration, and companionship on the journey. The entries are honest reflections drawn from Julie's life and her interaction with the thousands of homeschoolers that are members of the Brave Writer community. Each entry is accompanied by a "quote of the day" written by a parent like you, or a notable individual. The day's entry is concluded with a "sustaining thought" to take with you. If you are looking for a safe space to reflect on your homeschooling life, free of buzz words, rigid application of ideology, and excessive cheeriness, this little volume may be just the right reading. Sink into your real lived experience and read an entry a day to find strength and resources to keep going. May your home be a reflection of who you are, and a gracious space for growth and learning.