Picture books best served with apple slices

The minute the clock struck September, my family bought our local store’s stock of early apples (the Sansa variety—highly recommend). This was not premeditated; we were just collectively craving autumn and eager for this first taste of the season.

There is something particular about autumn—fleeting, atmospheric—that demands revelry, and we are ready to revel. We are ready for apples and butternut squash and all warm, hearty foods. We are ready for brisk air and boots and layers of soft knits. We are ready for flamboyant leaves and lake cabins and wagons of carving pumpkins. We are ready for decadence and coziness of all kinds.

(If you are not in the same headspace and instead trying to savor every last drop of summer, check out our post about Watermelon Pool by Bonsoir Lune.)

And we are ready for good reads. Autumn is unquestionably the season of the bookish, and there is an abundance of wonderful picture books to get you and your little ones in the spirit. Here is a list of some current favorites, in three different categories depending on what you may be looking for:

These books are explicitly about the season. They tell us and early readers what delights are in store now that fall is here.

When Autumn Comes by Ekaterina Trukhan follows a little girl through various nature-based, fall-themed family activities and features pleasing color palettes and a “search and find” of various seasonal items. Little readers will love the game of finding the spider on every page!

Now I See Fall by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen is an almost cinematic look at the season through the eyes of the protagonist. It features ambient but prosaic “snapshots” of the fall scenes around their home. This book is like an arthouse indie short film capturing autumn from a child’s point of view.

These books are Gilmore Girls for littles. They conjure all the cozy, autumnal feels you could want for the season.

If you have not yet been initiated into the unbelievably charming world of Chirri & Chirra, let me metaphorically shove their books into your hands because I want you to be happy. The series, which deserves its own dedicated feature (watch this space!), follows the two eponymous friends as they go on bike ride adventures through beautifully illustrated pastoral scenes.

Wherever Chirri and Chirra go, they encounter whimsical characters, delectable food, and general enchantment. On the Town is the most autumnal installment, featuring hand-woven scarves, a moreish soup, and a mysterious avian celebration under fall foliage. Enjoy!

Henri and Miko: Autumn in Bosk Olivette by Rebecca Green is a 2026 release from Tundra Books and might be the most quintessentially autumnal pick on our list. Henri the mouse and Miko the bee live in an abandoned cider press in the woods together, and they intend to celebrate the season to the full with leaf forts, spiced pastries, spooky stories, and friendship.

Featuring two comic-style stories, poems, a flat lay, a recipe, a drawing prompt, and an intricate gatefold illustration of Henri and Miko’s cozy home, this adorable book is like an artistically crafted scrapbook compiling mementos of fall. 

These books feature ghosts, jack-o’-lanterns, and frights in the night—perfect for Halloween reading but enjoyable throughout the season.

(Psst: Did you miss our post on Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe? A little girl moves into a cottage already occupied by a cheeky ghost, and humorous conflict between the new roommates ensues.)

Yes, you read that title right. There is most definitely a BEAR out there! Thank goodness we are safe in this cabin with our host. All we need to do is keep a level head and an eye out for intruders. Jess Hannigan expertly builds the tension in this tale toward a wryly funny twist. The Bear Out There is a book about being scared, without being scary, and a spooky, silly delight for littles.

Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins is the first book we bought with our Scorpio baby in a bookstore and remains a sentimental favorite read on repeat all year round. Little Stumpkin is a pumpkin with no stem worried he won’t be taken home and turned into a jack-o’-lantern like all his friends. The high-contrast, black-and-white illustrations with pops of orange and green will capture the attention of even the youngest readers, and the sweet story will have you returning to it every Halloween.