When my boys were younger, seasonally-themed books always captured their attention. My older son's Kindergarten teacher always had a rack of books at the front of her classroom library filled with these types of books, which were always changing, and always shiny and new to the kids. I took her lead and started offering "seasonal" books to my children.
I don't read aloud picture books to my boys any more (*sniff*) but new seasonal books still catch my eye and I wanted to share a few with you today.
DUCK AND GOOSE FIND A PUMPKIN by Tad Hills(Schwartz & Wade; July 28, 2009; Brdbk 22 pgs; Ages 2+)
Tad Hills is a favorite of ours. The illustrations are always perfect, the stories are humorous, and his characters are kind. Duck and Goose see their friend, Thistle, carrying a pumpkin, so they go out in search of their own pumpkin. This is perfect to read prior to, or right after, the annual trip to your local pumpkin patch!
READY FOR PUMPKINS by Kate Duke
(Knopf BFYR; August 28, 2012; HC 40 pgs; Ages 5+)
Hercules, the class guinea pig, has a good life. He notices how the children plants seeds and make things grow. During summer break, he too plants seeds. He waits and waits, until the teacher comes in one day in October carrying a pumpkin that mysteriously grew in the backyard. Hercules is proud of his accomplishment and his patience, and is already thinking about what he'll grow next year. Planting seeds in a styrofoam cup is something all children do at some point, but the beauty of it is that it never gets old. The life cycle of a plant is not only miraculous, it is the foundation of any good earth science curriculum. This book is a perfect companion to this classroom staple and perfect for the fall!
BEDTIME FOR BOOK by Mickie Matheis, Ill by Bonnie Leick(Golden Books; August 28, 2012; HC 32pgs; Ages 2+)
After his first night haunting with the bigger ghosts, little Boo is too excited to go to sleep. His mom settles him down by asking him to close his eyes and listen to all the musical sounds of his house that eventually lull him to sleep - from the flapping of bats and the howling of wolves, to the creaking of doors and the ticking of clocks. You may not have the same creaking, groaning and whooshing in your own home, but it's a perfect bedtime book that is almost musical with its words.
Tad Hills is a favorite of ours. The illustrations are always perfect, the stories are humorous, and his characters are kind. Duck and Goose see their friend, Thistle, carrying a pumpkin, so they go out in search of their own pumpkin. This is perfect to read prior to, or right after, the annual trip to your local pumpkin patch! 
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