Four Cozy Picture Books for Fall

It’s officially fall, and in the northeastern part of the US, we can feel it with the cooler winds and see it with the leaves starting to change color and drift down to meet us. One of my favorite sweater-weather activities is cozy reading with a hot cup of tea or cocoa and a little one snuggled up. Here are four picture books for fall, perfect for reading together on a comfy couch. There’s a kitten to rescue, a unicorn-dinosaur to befriend, feelings to discuss, and a bear that needs to raise her voice! 
Recommended for ages 3-6.

The Little Kitten

By Nicola Killen

The first thing I noticed was the adorable cat-costumed little girl next to a real cat. My daughter dressed up as a cat for many years. The next thing I noticed was that the autumn leaves in the picture are of real metallic paper. I love it! While the story of a little girl who finds a lost cat is charming, the clever and beautiful artwork really stands out. Not only is there shiny paper golden leaves throughout, but also cut out sections of pages that match up with images from other pages. The artwork is the same beautiful style as her other works, The Little Reindeer and The Little Rabbit. This is also a story of loyalty and friendship (with two different cats) that any child will enjoy.

Roxy: The Last Unisaurus Rex

By Eva Chen and Matthew Rivera

Speaking of colors, Roxy will jump right out at you with the rainbows and sparkles of this adorable book. Roxy has a Tyrannosaurus Rex for a mother and Unicorn for a father, which makes her incredibly awesome. Unfortunately, not everyone in the schoolyard is willing to accept her and her unique parentage. It takes finding someone else who doesn’t quite fit in to make a friend. I loved how Roxy’s personality is as bright as the colors in this book. She fully accepts who she is, but it can also be lonely when you are different. A relatable and inspiring story.

What’s Worrying You?

By Molly Potter and Sarah Jennings

This is an illustrated, practical guide to acknowledging anxiety and how to handle it in a healthy way. There are several scenarios such as: when parents argue, you find schoolwork difficult, when you see something horrible on TV, when you don’t have friends to play with, and more. It’s easy to navigate for an older child and one to read together for younger. This is also helpful for parents to read alone and then share the step-by-step guide when needed.

Time to Roar: A Story About Raising Your Voice

By Olivia A. Cole and Jessica Gibson

What an important book these days! Let’s start early teaching our children to find their roar. Sasha is a bear in the forest when yellow beasts (heavy machinery) come to destroy her home. She and the other animals in the forest discuss what to do. The other animals try different methods, but they don’t work. Although they tell Sasha not to roar (too loud! too angry!) she knows she is the only one who can make a difference and she has to roar to do it.

“It wasn’t sweet. It wasn’t a distraction. It wasn’t running. It wasn’t hiding. Sometimes a bear had to raise her voice.”

How many adults need to hear this message too? I know I did. Great book.

Enjoy these picture books for fall! For some read-aloud fun, check Picture Books in the Big Yellow Chair.

GeekMom received copies for review purposes.