21 Must-Read Fall Living Books {Your Family Will Love}
If you’re looking for fall books that are the perfect fit for your Charlotte Mason homeschooling lessons this year, then you’re in the right place. I’ve compiled a list of my family’s favorite fall books that’ll bring the beauty of autumn into your homeschool.
These books are full of rich language, beautiful illustrations, and engaging stories that truly capture the true character of the season. They’ll have your kids noticing the changing leaves, the crisp air, and all the little details that make fall so special.
Whether you use them for read-alouds, nature study inspiration, or for other autumn-themed lessons, each book offers plenty of opportunities for narration, discussion, and hands-on learning.
Here are the fall living books that consistently fill my family’s fall reading basket each year. They are the perfect addition to any Charlotte Mason homeschooling lessons.
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Our Favorite Charlotte Mason Fall Living Books
These picture books capture the beauty of fall while aligning perfectly with Charlotte Mason’s principles, making them the best books to include in your autumn homeschool studies.
“Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn” by Kennard Pak
Ages: 3-7 Perfect for: Nature Study
“Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn” by Kennard Pak: A young girl takes a walk through her neighborhood, observing the first signs of Autumn. The book beautifully captures the transition from summer to fall, with cool breezes and falling leaves.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This gentle book is ideal for discussing the changing seasons. It encourages mindful observation, perfect for guiding early autumn nature walks and journaling in a nature notebook. It’s a wonderful way to start your fall morning time routine.
“Fletcher and the Falling Leaves” by Julia Rawlinson
Ages: 3-7 Perfect for: Literature, Nature Study
“Fletcher and the Falling Leaves” by Julia Rawlinson: Join Fletcher, a young fox, as he discovers his favorite tree shedding its leaves for the first time. This charming tale captures the uncertainty and wonder of autumn’s arrival.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This heartwarming story is ideal for young children experiencing autumn for the first time. It gently introduces the concept of seasonal changes, making it a perfect lead-in to fall nature studies. Use it to encourage empathy and wonder in your nature explorations and to spark beautiful ideas about the natural world.
“Fall Walk” by Virginia Brimhall Snow
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: Nature Study, Handicrafts
“Fall Walk” by Virginia Brimhall Snow: Join a grandfather and his grandchildren on a crisp autumn walk as they discover and identify leaves, nuts, and seeds. The book includes beautiful, detailed illustrations perfect for nature study identification. Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This book serves as a delightful guide for your own autumn nature walks. It embodies Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on firsthand experiences, encouraging your children to use all their senses to explore fall’s changes. It’s great for inspiring nature journaling and seasonal handicrafts, making it a valuable addition to your morning time basket.
“In November” by Cynthia Rylant
Ages: 3-6 Perfect for: Literature, Nature Study
“In November” by Cynthia Rylant: This poetic book captures the essence of November, describing how the world changes as winter approaches. Its lyrical text and gorgeous illustrations paint a vivid picture of late autumn.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: The poetic language in this book is wonderful for copywork and recitation in your autumn lessons, with your younger children. It creates a detailed picture of late fall, encouraging mindfulness of the season’s unique sights, sounds, and feelings. It’s an excellent choice for cozy read-alouds during your morning time routine.
“Apples” by Gail Gibbons
Ages: 4-10 Perfect for: Science, Nature Study
“Apples” by Gail Gibbons: A delightful exploration of all things apple – from blossoms to harvest. It covers different varieties, apple history, and even how they’re grown and harvested.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: As a living book, it offers rich, engaging content about the quintessential fall fruit. It’s ideal for autumn nature studies, connecting book learning with real-world observations during apple-picking season. This book is a great addition to your homeschool library, perfect for inspiring hands-on learning experiences.
“How Do Apples Grow?” by Betsy Maestro
Ages: 4-10 Perfect for: Science, Nature Study
“How Do Apples Grow?” by Betsy Maestro: This book follows the journey of an apple tree through the seasons, focusing on how apples develop. It’s a perfect blend of simple text and detailed illustrations.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This book will beautifully complement your fall nature walks. It encourages close observation of fruit trees as they change with the season, embodying Charlotte Mason’s emphasis on connecting children with nature. It’s a wonderful resource for discussions about autumn’s impact on plant life and can also inspire creative nature journaling.
“The Pumpkin Book” by Gail Gibbons
Ages: 4-10 Perfect for: Science, Nature Study
“The Pumpkin Book” by Gail Gibbons: This colorful book takes us through the pumpkin’s life cycle, from seed to harvest. It’s filled with fun facts and vibrant illustrations that capture the essence of fall.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This book brings autumn science to life in your Charlotte Mason homeschool. It’s packed with interesting details about pumpkins that will inspire your kids to observe fall’s changes firsthand. It’s great to use for nature journaling and before visits to the pumpkin patch, making it an essential part of your fall book basket.
“From Seed to Pumpkin” by Wendy Pfeffer
Ages: 4-10 Perfect for: Science, Nature Study
“From Seed to Pumpkin” by Wendy Pfeffer: This book chronicles a pumpkin’s growth from seed to mature fruit. It’s filled with clear explanations and charming illustrations that capture the magic of this fall favorite.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: Use this book to bring science to life in your autumn homeschool. It connects beautifully with pumpkin patch visits or growing your own pumpkins, offering plenty of opportunities for narration and hands-on learning. It’s a great addition to your collection of good books for fall studies.
“Pumpkin, Pumpkin” by Jeanne Titherington
Ages: 2-6 Perfect for: Science, Nature Study
“Pumpkin, Pumpkin” by Jeanne Titherington: With simple text and beautiful illustrations, this book follows a boy as he plants a pumpkin seed and watches it grow into a jack-o’-lantern.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: The simple text and detailed illustrations make this book ideal for young narrators in your Charlotte Mason homeschool. It’s great for autumn gardening projects and for discussing plant life cycles. This living book is perfect for inspiring hands-on learning experiences during your fall lessons.
“Leaf Man” by Lois Ehlert
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: Handicraft, Nature Study
“Leaf Man” by Lois Ehlert: This unique book follows the journey of a Leaf Man, blown by the wind through forests, prairies, and orchards. The story is illustrated with colorful leaf collages.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This creative book is ideal for inspiring autumn art projects in your Charlotte Mason homeschool. It encourages close observation of fall leaves and sparks imagination. Use it as inspiration for your children to create their own leaf art or for nature journaling during crisp fall walks. It’s a wonderful addition to your morning time basket.
“Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf” by Lois Ehlert
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: Science, Handicraft
“Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf” by Lois Ehlert: This vibrant book tells the life story of a sugar maple tree, from seed to sapling to mature tree. It’s filled with collage-style illustrations and interesting tree facts.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This visually stunning book combines art and science, ideal for autumn nature studies. It’s great for learning about leaf changes and tree life cycles. Use it to guide leaf identification on nature walks or to learn more about maple trees. It’s an excellent resource for integrating art and science in your fall curriculum.
“Ox-Cart Man” by Donald Hall
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: History, Economics
“Ox-Cart Man” by Donald Hall: This Caldecott Medal winner follows a farmer’s yearly cycle in 19th century New England, showcasing the rhythm of rural life through the seasons. While it is not just about the fall, we always read it during our fall lessons because it just makes me think of fall.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This book brings history to life through the cycle of seasons on a New England farm. It’s excellent for discussing autumn harvests, traditional farm life, and the rhythm of the seasons. It’s a great way to incorporate history into your fall studies and inspire discussions about the changing times.
“The Scarecrow’s Dance” by Jane Yolen
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: Literature, Poetry
“The Scarecrow’s Dance” by Jane Yolen: On a moonlit autumn night, a scarecrow comes to life and dances through the farm. This lyrical story captures the magic of fall evenings. Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This rhythmic story captures the magic of autumn nights on the farm. It’s great for exploring harvest themes and the change of seasons. Use it to inspire autumn poetry writing or to discuss the role of scarecrows in fall harvests. It’s a delightful addition to your evening read-aloud sessions.
“Strega Nona’s Harvest” by Tomie dePaola
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: Literature
“Strega Nona’s Harvest” by Tomie dePaola: Strega Nona’s magic touch leads to an abundant harvest in this charming tale. When she has too many vegetables, she finds a creative way to share with the whole village.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This charming story combines cultural exploration with autumn harvest themes. It’s great for discussing different harvest traditions and the importance of sharing. Use it to inspire discussions about community and gratitude during your fall homeschooling lessons. It’s a wonderful book for fostering character development in your children.
“The Little House” by Virginia Lee Burton
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: History, Literature
“The Little House” by Virginia Lee Burton: This classic story, traces the changes in a little house’s surroundings over many years, from countryside to city, through all the seasons, but again my family always chooses to read this during the fall season.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: While not exclusively about autumn, this book beautifully depicts the passing of seasons, including fall. It’s ideal for discussing how landscapes change over time, both seasonally and due to human activity. Use it to spark conversations about progress, preservation, and the beauty of different environments.
“Pumpkin Jack” by Will Hubbell
Ages: 4-10 Perfect for: Science, Nature Study
“Pumpkin Jack” by Will Hubbell: This unique story follows a carved pumpkin through a full year, from jack-o’-lantern to decomposing matter to the growth of new pumpkins. It is also my son Jack’s favorite book, so it gets read quite a bit during the Autumn.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This unique book follows the life cycle of a pumpkin through all the seasons. It’s great for long-term nature studies, starting in fall and continuing through the year. Use it to inspire pumpkin decomposition experiments or to discuss life cycles in your autumn science lessons. It’s a perfect addition to your collection of living books for hands-on science exploration.
“How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World” by Marjorie Priceman
Ages: 4-8 Perfect for: Geography
“How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World” by Marjorie Priceman: When the market is closed, a young girl travels the world to gather ingredients for her apple pie. This whimsical story takes readers on a global adventure.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This imaginative story connects autumn’s apple harvest to global geography. It’s excellent for combining fall cooking projects with geography lessons in your Charlotte Mason homeschool. Use it to spark discussions about where our food comes from and to inspire creative cooking ideas.
“The Courage of Sarah Noble” by Alice Dalgliesh
Ages: 7-10 Perfect for: History, Character Development
“The Courage of Sarah Noble” by Alice Dalgliesh: Based on a true story, this book follows eight-year-old Sarah as she accompanies her father into the wilderness of colonial Connecticut, facing her fears with courage.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: Set against the backdrop of colonial America, this book offers rich opportunities to discuss autumn preparations in historical contexts. It’s great for combining history, character studies, and seasonal themes in your fall homeschool lessons. Use it to inspire discussions about bravery and adaptability.
“Home in the Woods” by Eliza Wheeler
Ages: 5-9 Perfect for: History, Character Development
“Home in the Woods” by Eliza Wheeler: Based on the author’s grandmother’s childhood during the Great Depression, this book depicts a family’s resilience as they create a home in the woods through the changing seasons.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This book offers a personal look at history through the lens of autumn, ideal for living history lessons in your Charlotte Mason homeschool. It’s great for discussing resilience, seasonal preparation, and appreciation for nature’s bounty. Use it to inspire conversations about family, perseverance, and finding beauty in simple things.
“Autumn Story” by Jill Barklem
Ages: 5-9 Perfect for: Literature, Nature Study
“Autumn Story” by Jill Barklem: Part of the beloved Brambly Hedge series, this story follows a mice community as they prepare for autumn and help Primrose find the perfect birthday gift for Lord Woodmouse.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: The detailed illustrations and cozy autumnal story make this book a joy to explore slowly, as Charlotte Mason would encourage. It’s great for autumn tea times, inspiring discussions about preparing for winter, and noticing the small details of the changing season. This living book is perfect for fostering a love of literature and nature in your children.
“The Stranger” by Chris Van Allsburg
Ages: 4-12 Perfect for: Literature
“The Stranger” by Chris Van Allsburg: In this mysterious tale, a stranger’s visit brings an unusually warm autumn to Mr. Bailey’s farm. The beautiful illustrations add to the story’s intrigue and wonder. This is a book that I grew up on and has become a fall favorite of my own children as well.
Why it’s perfect for your Charlotte Mason homeschool: This mysterious tale captures autumn’s transformative spirit. It’s excellent for sparking imaginative discussions about seasonal changes around your homeschool. Use it to encourage critical thinking and to explore the concept of cause and effect in nature. It’s a great book for developing narrative skills and developing a love for quality literature.
