Pick of the Week: A is for Autumn

I can't believe autumn is already here! The sunshine and warm weather we've had lately might make us think we're still in the heart of summer, but the signs of seasonal change are beginning to pop up all around us.

A is for Autumn by Robert Maass

Every autumn many parents, teachers, and childcare providers head to the library to select books on the seasonal topics of apples, leaves, pumpkins, and autumn. This new book by Robert Maass is likely to become a favorite annual pick. This book works as an alphabet book, as well as an introduction to the season. The photographs depict scenes that children will recognize and help them make connections to what the season is all about.

Pick of the Week: Market Day

Market Day by Carol Foskett Cordsen, illustrated by Douglas B. Jones
(Dutton Children's Books, 2008)

In Market Day, we follow the Benson family (from The Milkman) to an apple farm as they rise early in the morning to prepare for the farmer's market. As the early morning sun rises, the Bensons shuffle around to fill their farm truck with freshly picked apples. Unfortunately, as they hurry to get ready for market day, the Bensons not only forget to feed the cow, but also fail to close the gate to their farm as they drive away. What ensues is comedy, as one very hungry cow heads to the market herself, looking for her meal! Carol Foskett Cordsen's text has great rhyme and rhythm, which makes for a good read-aloud. Paired with Jones' vintage-style illustration, this book is a good one to share in fall, farm, and market-themed storytimes.

Fall Harvest & Literacy

The Fall Harvest is a theme in the library's Fall Early Literacy Newsletter. It's also a popular theme in early childhood settings such as preschools and childcare centers this time of year. After sharing books about the fall harvest, including books on apples and pumpkins, why not take a trip to a local farm to see how fruits and vegetables grow? This makes for a meaningful expansion on a topic after reading a book on the subject. It helps children create their own narratives about harvest time. It also gives you - the parent or care provider - a chance to talk about the harvest, farms, and fruits and vegetables and add to your child's growing vocabulary! Meaningful and enjoyable interactions like these provide the perfect backdrop for helping build their early literacy skills.

In Apple Picking Time by Michele Benoit Slawson, illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray (Crown, 1994) , a young girl and her family spend a fall day picking apples with others from their small town.

To find a local pick-your-own farm, visit: http://www.pickyourown.org/.

Going on a Fall Walk

As Fall arrives in Benton County, take an opportunity to go on a walk with your small child and talk about the changes that the new season brings. Green leaves change to shades of yellow, gold, orange, and red. Leaves fall to the ground. Animals build shelter for the winter. The air grows crisp and the daylight hours grow shorter. There are so many opportunitites to talk about what you see around you, answer those "why?" questions, add new vocabulary and share seasonal changes and traditions with your child. A cool, rainy day may require a change in how we prepare for a walk outdoors. Our shorts and sundresses retire and make room for raincoats, sweaters, long pants, rubber boots and jackets.

As you share an autumn walk, talk about what is going on around you. What colors and textures do you see? What shapes are found in nature? What are the names of the things your child finds? Is that a pine cone? A street sign? A squirrel?

The following books can be good starting places to discuss the new season with your child:

Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

Annie the apple farmer saves her most beautiful apples to sell fresh at the farmers' market.

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell

In preparation for Halloween night, a family visits Mr. Comstock's farm to pick apples and pumpkins

Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley

A tree tells why, out of all four seasons, autumn is the hardest. This one is sure to get some laughs!

Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall

When fall comes, two brothers enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures. Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

A man made of leaves blows away, traveling wherever the wind may take him. Lois Ehlert's natural collages offer a surprise and a treat for the eye. Follow this one with a craft of your own leaf man!

Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson

Mouse and Minka experience the delights of nature on a windy autumn day. Recommended for toddlers and preschoolers who have loved the other titles about Mouse by Lauren Thompson.

Tucker's Apple-Dandy Day by Susan Winget

Tucker promises Mother he'll bring home apples from Farmer Sam's Apple Orchard. His family is looking forward to apple pie! But Tucker gets busy helping out his friends— and forgets his promise.
Susan Winget's sparkling fall scenes are a visual treat, and her gentle touch shows Tucker's friends helping him in a most believable way. This endearing story ends happily with a delicious pie and news of Tucker's apple-dandy day. {from Syndetics}