The Northern Hemisphere of the world has now entered the Fall season so I have several Fall reads today. But as a reminder that the tropics and Southern Hemisphere are experiencing different seasons, I’ve thrown in a rainy season book (that’s the season we’re in right now here in Thailand…along with a lot of the rest of the tropics) and a Spring book since that’s what the Southern Hemisphere residents are moving into. So whether you’re eating all the pumpkin flavored things you can get your hands on, never leaving home without an umbrella and poncho, or hunting for the first blooms to pop through the ground, happy seasonal reading!
Absolutely Truly (Pumpkin Falls Mystery, #1) by Heather Vogel Frederick
Truly is not thrilled to be moving to Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire so that her injured military father can take over the family book store. They were supposed to be settling down in Texas after his last tour of duty, he had a good job as a wrestling coach at the university, but then he was injured and everything fell apart. So now they are miles away from Truly's best friend. She self-conscious about her rather extreme height and not looking forward to a new school and new people. And her dad found out about her horrible grade in math in Texas. So now swim tryouts are on the line, and she has to do math tutoring with her dad every day at the bookstore, and then help out at the bookstore for a while. While helping do inventory, Truly accidentally discovers a rare first edition Charlotte's Web with a mysterious note inside. With some of her new friends and acquaintances, Truly tries to track down who the note belongs to and what it is about. She's also trying to help make the bookstore a success since her family really needs it to be, and she's getting to know the town. I liked the way this book balanced the story about a girl dealing with a move and family changes with a little mystery that brings new friends and old friends together.
Target Readers:
Cozy Mystery Fans, New England in the Fall Setting Fans, Small Town Mystery Fans, Memorable Character Fans, Dealing with Changes Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Middle Grade Readers/Young Adult Readers (the main character’s age makes it approachable for middle grade, but also relatable for teens)
In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes, ill. by Laura Dronzek
Simple text and soft illustrations celebrate the way fall colors come on suddenly, and then make way for snow.
Target Readers:
Animal Lovers, Fall Color Fans, Beginning Readers, Kids with Short Attention Spans, Picture Book Readers
Little Elliot, Fall Friends (Little Elliot, #4) by Mike Curato
Little Elliot and Mouse decide they need a break from the city and take a little vacation in the country. They get to enjoy the fall colors of the forest, fresh apples, hide-n-seek in pumpkin patches and corn fields, and meet some new friends.
Target Readers:
Those Needing a Little Dose of Fall, Little Elliot Fans, Cute Artwork Fans, Cozy Fall Read Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
The Mutts Autumn Diaries (Mutts) by Patrick McDonnell
A collection of autumn-themed Mutts comics. There's lots of leaves falling/leaves changing color comics, lots of pumpkin comics, lots of acorn-chucking squirrel comics, lots of birds flying south, a few trick or treating comics, and a few back to school ones.
Target Readers:
Animal Lovers, Comics Fans, Fall Theme Fans, Humor Fans, All Ages Readers
Oak Leaf by John Sandford
Follows an oak leaf as it gets caught up in an autumn wind and travels far from its tree. This is beautifully illustrated.
Target Readers:
Art Lovers, Fall Leaf Fans, Travel Story Fans, Imaginative Readers, Picture Book Readers
The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry, ill. by the Fan Brothers
Scarecrow stands and guards the fields faithfully through all the seasons. The animals know to be wary of it, so it stands alone. But one day a baby crow falls out of its nest and needs a safe place, and Scarecrow's life changes forever.
Target Readers:
Fans of Good Samaritan Stories, Fans of Unlikely Friendship Stories, 4 Season Story Fans, Art Lovers, Rhyming Story Fans, Tenderhearted Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
Every year at the Autumn Equinox the town releases lanterns into the river. This year, some boys from the town have made a pact to follow the lanterns and see where they go even if it means going past the point their parents have told them is their exploration barrier. Ben is very committed to the pact, but not many of his friends are. Only Nathaniel, a boy Ben’s friends ostracize, is willing to go past the bridge barrier with him. The two boys’ fathers work together in the observatory but Ben has tried to keep his distance from Nathaniel since the others don’t think he is cool. Their adventure together to follow the lanterns proves much harder than they thought. Is it even possible? It will take them to unexpected places, teach them things about themselves and friendship, and stretch their strength and imaginations.
Target Readers:
Graphic Novel Fans, Fantasy Fans, Adventure/Travel Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Night Sky Observers, Personal Growth Story Fans, Art Lovers, Middle Grade Readers
Yotsuba&! 12 (Yotsuba&!, #12) by Kiyohiko Azuma
In this Yotsuba collection set during the Fall, Yotsuba chases geese, she welcomes Tora into the neighbors' home and learns to tie a bow, Yotsuba finds some paint and decides to spruce up the house a little, Yotsuba gets a helmet (and faces repercussions for her painting spree), Fuuka and Miss Take introduce Yotsuba to “Halloween,” and then Yotsuba and Daddy go camping with Jumbo, Yanda, Ena, and Muira.
Target Readers:
Manga Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Precocious Character Fans, Humor Fans, Neighbor Story Fans, Young Adult Readers (though approachable for Middle Grades)
Along the Tapajós by Fernando Vilela, translated by Daniel Hahn
A picture book story about a brother and sister who are moving from their summer house to their winter house as the rains start in the area around the Tapajós River in Brazil.
I was so thrilled when we got this book last year. Do you know how hard it is to find a non-temperate region season book?! Rainy season is what we have here in Thailand during this part of the year too, no falling leaves just lots of falling rain. So this is a seasonal read kids in tropical areas of the world may relate better to than the typical temperate region seasonal story.
Target Readers:
Tropical Area Dwellers, Curious Kids, Brazil Setting Fans, Rainy Season Story Fans, Culture Studiers, Way of Life Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, ill. by Erin E. Stead
A little boy and his dog plant a garden as winter ends and wait, and wait, and wait for signs of spring.
Target Readers:
Waiting Story Fans, Spring Story Fans, Gardening Story Fans, Art Lovers, Picture Book Readers
No comments:
Post a Comment
Polite and respectful comments are welcome.