There’s a chill in the air! The leaves are starting to change and every grocery store’s shelves are filled with pumpkin-flavored goodness. Fall is here! It’s also the perfect time to spruce up your kid’s reading material with some seasonal Fall favorite reads.

From back-to-school to a friendly little acorn’s date with destiny, here’s a round-up of some of the best fall books for kids that I love reading with my elementary-aged daughter.

1. We Are A Class by Bob Sanders

We read this book the night before school and the sing-songy story plus positive and inclusive messaging was just what the doctor ordered for an anxious kid. For teachers, We Are A Class by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Hannah Abbo could be a great book to read aloud with the class as a promise and commitment to having a great school year.

2. Poppy’s Perfect Crayons by Sally Garland

Poppy, an adorable little pig with a brand new box of crayons, cannot seem to bring herself to color with her new set because she doesn’t want to ruin them. As she observes all her classmates using their own crayons (breaking them and bending them), she realizes that life is too short to keep things perfect. Things need to be used in order for beautiful things to be made!

She and her classmates make a beautiful mural with crayons, and Poppy learns to let loose a little! A great lesson on taking risks and making messes, Poppy’s Perfect Crayons has been in constant rotation during bedtime at our house.

3. The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming

An adorable squirrel with anxious tendencies that my kid can relate to? Sign me up! When Squirrel counts the leaves on his tree, he realizes one of the leaves is missing! Now, he’s on a quest to find the missing leaf. Teaming up with his good friend, Bird, the duo work to try and figure out who the leaf thief could be among their forest friends.

With gorgeous illustrations by Nicola Slater, kids can truly see the beauty of the fall season on each page. A great lesson on change and how kids (and adults!) can experience a lot of uncomfortable feelings during it.

4. Sweep by Louise Greig

From award-winning author Louise Greig and acclaimed illustrator Júlia Sardà, Sweep centers around how we deal with big feelings.

Ed, a young boy dealing with life’s ups and downs, starts his day off in a bad mood after a falling leaf hits him in the face. Now, he is determined to sweep away his troubles, and readers witness Ed’s emotional rollercoaster firsthand.

Ed has to learn how to navigate his big moods, and how sometimes they can go as fast as they come, reminding us that while bad moods are inevitable, it’s how we handle them that matters.

5. Acorn Was A Little Wild by Jen Arena

Acorn Was A Little Wild is charming, sweet, and educational, too! When little Acron longs for adventure, he decides to jump off his oak tree, but when he meets with some tricky troubles (like a squirrel burying him deep underground), Acorn learns that maybe some of the biggest adventures take place when you’re standing still.

Illustrated by the talented Jessica Gibson, bright colors and a tiny little acorn with a smiley face will delight young kids and parents looking for an inspirational fall story.

6. Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous: A-First-Day-Of-School-Dilemma by Keith Calabrese

Another great read for a nervous kiddo, Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous: A-First-Day-Of-School-Dilemma tells the story of little Lena and her shoes that are just too nervous to go to school. So, she and her dad come up with a plan to get some other pieces of her clothing to talk her shoes into being brave and going to school.

For those proud kids who may not want to admit to their nerves, Lena will resonate. And all’s well that ends well when Lena (and her shoes!) end up having a great first day of school.

7. The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals by Deborah Underwood

This book technically is not fall-themed, BUT there is a farm element, and farms are fall-ish, right? So we’re counting this book on the list!

Have you ever wondered about Old Macdonald’s origin story? The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by LeUyen Pham tells the story of a single man, grumpy and lonely, who does not like animals. That is until he finds a cat and a dog and another cat and another dog and a whole bunch of other animals that he has a lot in common with.

Fall is all about change, transformation, and growth, and what better way to help our kids understand and adapt than with these cozy and cute fall-themed kids’ books?