October is the perfect time for fun fall picture books in your classroom. From pumpkins and falling leaves to fire safety and spooky (but not too scary!) tales, there are so many wonderful fall picture books to help build comprehension skills all month long.
In this post, I’ve rounded up 12 of my favorite fall read-alouds that are perfect for October, with themes like apples, pumpkins, autumn changes, and Halloween fun.
I’ll also share some activity ideas to help your students practice key comprehension skills and stay engaged.
And if you’re looking for a little extra support, don’t miss my October Read-Aloud Pack – it’s filled with activities for all these books to make your fall read-aloud planning a breeze!
Be sure to grab FREE October Book Trackers so your students can follow along as you read this month!
*You can click on most titles below to purchase the books via Amazon or visit my book list HERE. These are affiliate links, which means I earn a small percentage if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. I always only recommend resources I love!
Of course, you can also check your library for these titles instead of buying and sometimes you can find read-alouds on Youtube!
Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
Simple story about a girl going apple and pumpkin-picking with her family. It’s a great book for making connections if your students have been to the farm in the fall.
Activity Ideas:
- Compare apples and pumpkins- if possible, let students explore real apples and pumpkins, and brainstorm describing words for each.
- Learn about the life cycle of both, then compare and contrast.
- Name crafts! Have students write the letters in their names on apples or pumpkins, then glue them onto a tree, basket, or wagon.
- Make lists- List-writing is great for kids to practice stretching out words! Have students make lists of things they can make with apples and with pumpkins. If possible, make applesauce or pumpkin pie with your class!
When Autumn Falls by Kelli Niday
This book is perfect for discussing fall changes and going on a hunt for signs of fall.
Activity Ideas:
- Fall Hunt- If a nature walk isn’t possible or you don’t see many fall changes yet, hang up pictures of fall signs around your classroom for kids to find, draw, and label.
- Leaf study- Have students compare and contrast leaves, sort by shape, size, and color, and create art with leaves!
- Main Idea and details- The book includes lots of examples, but the main idea is clear- Many changes happen in the fall!
Two Scarecrow Books to Compare & Contrast
Scarecrow stories make great fall picture books and the following two are perfect for comparing and contrasting. We loved building a scarecrow, then labeling it to go with the story. Here are 2 must-have scarecrow stories!
The Lonely Scarecrow by Tim Preston
I love this book! Such a heartwarming story about a scarecrow that’s lonely because the animals think he’s scary-looking. All he wants is friends. When winter comes, he’s covered in snow and looks like a friendly snowman. The animals are no longer scared of him and when the snow melts, they realize he’s not scary at all!
The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown
This is a FUN book to read! My students always get so excited when the scarecrow faces get increasingly scary.
I build suspense by stopping when the scarecrow makes his 6th (and scariest) face. I peek at it then close the book and say, “Oh no, you don’t want to see THAT face!” When I pretend to move on to another lesson, they all shout, nooooo! So fun!
Activity Ideas:
- Compare and Contrast- These are great for comparing and contrasting because the main characters have different goals. While one scarecrow aims to befriend the scared animals, the other wants to scare the crows away!
- Text to Self Connection- Students can relate to feeling lonely or wanting others to play with. Have them write or share about a time they felt lonely and brainstorm ways to deal with loneliness or ways to make friends.
- Make a Scarecrow- Have kids make a scarecrow face or whole body. They can write the steps to make a scarecrow or draw the 6th face they would make (The Little Scarecrow Boy)
The Little Old Lady who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
I love when kids can interact with a book and this one gets them super engaged! In this book, a lady walks in the woods and comes across clothing pieces that try to scare her. At the end, they all combine to make a scarecrow! Kids love making the clothing sounds throughout the story (2 shoes say CLOMP CLOMP, 1 shirt says SHAKE SHAKE, 1 pumpkin head says BOO BOO….)
Activity Ideas:
- Act out- Who can resist shaking, shaking with the shirt, clomping clomping with the shoes, etc?
- Sequence and Retell- Use cards to sequence the story, then retell.
- Build a Scarecrow! Perfect for building a scarecrow and labeling. You can label the clothing or the sounds they make to retell the story
- Make a Scarecrow- Have kids make a scarecrow face or whole body. They can write the steps to make a scarecrow or draw the 6th face they would make (like The Little Scarecrow Boy)
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
This one’s a classic! A baby bat gets separated from her mom and is raised by a family of birds and learns that although they have many differences, they can still be friends!
Activity Ideas:
- Compare and Contrast- Bats and birds have many similarities and differences, so this book lends itself well to a comparison chart.
- Beginning, Middle, and End- This book has a clear beginning, middle, and end and you can never have enough practice with this skill!
- Social Emotional Learning- What a great lesson that although we’re all different, we can still be friends! Have students complete a Venn diagram with a friend and discuss the book’s lesson.
It’s Raining Bats and Frogs by Rebecca Colby
This book is new to me, and I love it! A witch tries to fix a rainy day by casting spells to make it rain cats and dogs, hats and clogs, bats and frogs….nothing works out, so it ends in a circle story- the witch makes it rain. . . rain!
Activity Ideas:
- Wacky Weather- Have students make up their own wacky weather.
- Rhyming- Bring rhyming into play and have kids brainstorm more words that rhyme with BAT and FROG, and match other rhyming pairs.
- Animal Research- Add some non-fiction and have kids learn about bats and frogs, then compare them!
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
In this book, different creatures try to pull a big pumpkin out of the ground unsuccessfully. An underestimated bat comes along whose idea works!
This book is perfect for teaching kids to summarize! Often, kids either tell too many details, or miss the important ones, when summarizing. Since there are repeated attempts by different characters, this story lends itself to summarizing easily.
Look at the chart below for a visual that helps kids understand the concept of summarizing. Use the cards to retell the story in great detail, then remove cards to condense the story, until finally only 4 cards remain.
Then, have them sequence the main 4 parts of the story:
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
Fall picture books aren’t complete without Room on the Broom! One of my Halloween favorites, this book is about a friendly witch who makes room on her broom for different animals until the broom snaps!
Activity Ideas:
- Sequence and retell
- Predict- In the book, the witch hears a giant roar coming from the marsh. Students can make a prediction before reading the ending.
- Creative Writing- Have students draw an animal they would make room for on their broom for an adventure!
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper Rabbit can’t resist the carrots in Crackenhopper Field.
BUT, when the carrots start following him, Jasper is creeped out!
Activity Ideas:
- Creepy Carrot Art- How fun is making creepy faces?! Have students draw onto a carrot template.
- Beginning, Middle, and End
- Making Connections– From being scared to not being able to resist something (Hello, Twix bars in my Halloween bowl!), this book is great for making text-to-self connections!
I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll
A twist on the “monster under the bed” idea. A boy discovers his monster has gone on vacation, but he can’t sleep without him! New monsters ‘audition’ for the part but the little boy misses his monster, who returns by the end of the book and they boy is able to fall asleep.
Activity Ideas:
- Build a Monster- Kids love building monsters and this activity encourages creativity and self-expression!
- Cause and Effect- Have students find examples of cause and effect in the book.
- Character Mapping- Monsters aren’t that scary! Have kids choose a monster from the book and describe it.
The Little Fire Truck by Margery Cuyler
Of course, we need a fire safety book for October! In this book, the little fire truck is on a mission to help put out fires and keep people safe.
Activity Ideas:
- Informational Writing- Have students write sentences to tell about firefighters with ARE/ HAVE/ CAN sentence prompts.
- Label- firefighter’s safety clothing and tools
- Firefighter hat- Kids love pretending to be firefighters and these little hats are super easy to make. Just have kids color and cut out, then attach to a sentence strip (tip- cut strips in half the long way to make 2 hats per strip).
These fall picture books are such a wonderful way to bring the magic of autumn into your classroom, while also practicing key comprehension skills. I hope you and your students enjoy these seasonal favorites as much as I do!
If you’d like all the activities shown in this post, check out my October Read-Alouds pack! It has 40 activities for these 12 books and some can be used with other books as well.
You can also find the books on my Amazon Book List here: October Picture Books
Which book is your favorite? Did I miss it? Let me know below!
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