21 Picture Books to Read for Fall 2020
by Janssen Bradshaw
This year may be different, but one thing is still the same: Fall means a new slate of book releases!
Fall 2020 boasts fabulous new picture and board books. There is no better way to welcome in the change of seasons than by cuddling up with a cozy blanket and a big pile of brand-new books. From well-known authors and characters to new offerings, here are some titles you won’t want to miss.
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I Am Every Good Thing
Available from:This book is a fun and empowering read for adults and little readers alike, with a Black narrator that is 100% proud of who he is. He has big ideas and plans for his life; and while not everything goes his way, nothing will stop him as he always picks himself back up and starts again.
(On Sale: 9/1/2020)Also available from: -
Wild Symphony
Available from:Written by Dan Brown himself, The Da Vinci Code author makes his first appearance in the picture book world with Wild Symphony. This book has animals, surprises, clues, and a coded message to solve! Just when you think it couldn’t have more, Wild Symphony offers a free interactive smartphone app where you can listen to original musical compositions as you read every page of the book!
(On Sale: 9/1/2020)Also available from: -
Leif and the Fall
Available from:Authors of last year’s The Gift Inside the Box, Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant have done it again! Leif and the Fall is a wonderful picture book about achievement and ideas. Leif the leaf is a worry wart, with anxiety about falling from the tree, so he comes up with a slew of other ways he could make his safe landing on ground. What will happen when the time to fall is upon him?
(On Sale: 9/8/2020)Also available from: -
Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon
Available from:Molly Lou Melon is back with another tough topic to work through. When Molly Lou heads to school, she soon realizes there is a bully that is teasing other kids — including a new student. Because her mother has taught her to use her voice to stand up for what’s right, Molly Lou knows how to handle this situation!
(On Sale: 9/8/2020)Also available from: -
The Tiny Chef
Available from:A small herbivore is determined to make his famous stew on the first day of fall. The only problem is he can’t find his favorite recipe book! He does everything he can think of to find the book, including having a huge meltdown. What does he do when all help seems lost and his hopes of his fall stew seem out of reach?
(On Sale 9/15/2020)Also available from: -
She Persisted in Sports
Available from:The She Persisted series by Chelsea Clinton continues with the new addition of She Persisted in Sports. This book features some of the greatest female athletes of all time and focuses on how they excelled through dedication and persistence. This book is perfect for readers who have set goals either on or off the field and have ran into obstacles.
(On Sale: 9/22/2020)Also available from: -
B is for Ballet: A Dance Alphabet
In B is for Ballet, the ABCs are celebrated in beautiful pictures and dancing terms that follow you from A to Z. And if you are looking for more dance-themed books, try out Boys Dance!
— featuring a fun look at dance through rhymes.
(On Sale: 9/22/2020) -
Butts Are Everywhere
Available from:When you need a good laugh, Butts Are Everywhere is there for you. All shapes and sizes, the gluteus maximus is everywhere you look! And without it, our bodies just wouldn’t function the same!
(On Sale 9/29/2020)Also available from: -
Will You Be My Friend?
Available from:Twenty-five years after the incredibly popular Guess How Much I Love You was written, comes the sequel Will You Be My Friend?. Little Nut Brown Hare is on his own to do some exploring when he comes upon something he wasn’t expecting — a new friend! This charming story about friendship is sure to be loved.
(On Sale: 9/29/20)Also available from: -
Lord Help Me
Available from:Written by 12-year-old Emme Muñiz, Lord Help Me is a picture book that shares her daily prayers and faith, which help her get through the everyday challenges and tough moments she faces. It’s the perfect picture book for families wanting to introduce prayer into their lifestyle.
(On Sale: 9/29/2020)Also available from: -
Elbow Grease: Fast Friends
Available from:John Cena’s picture book series, Elbow Grease, is back in action with its third installment — Elbow Grease: Fast Friends. The monster truck brothers are blown away by the talents and skills of their new friend, Chopper the motorcycle. However, the excitement soon turns to envious feelings they have to work through in order to save the day! Perfect for any child who has struggled with jealousy.
(On Sale: 9/29/2020)Also available from: -
Bunheads
Available from:In this story inspired by the author’s own experiences, Misty knows she loves dancing even before she has her first dance lesson. She’s full of nerves when she auditions for her first role, but finds comradery with her fellow bunheads. Together, they put on a spectacular show.
(On Sale: 9/29/2020)Also available from: -
Grumpy Monkey Up All Night
Available from:The hilarious Grumpy Monkey is back with Jim Panzee, who is bound and determined to stay up all night long at his first slumber party! There is a lot of grouchiness though when things don’t go his way and he ends up being the only one awake. Will he last all night?
(On Sale: 9/29/2020)Also available from: -
Julián at the Wedding
Available from:Julián, from Julián Is a Mermaid, is going to be in a wedding and cannot wait. Along the way he finds a wonderful friend, Marisol, who’s also ready for adventure and mischief. Their friendship shows that having each other makes unexpected situations much easier to deal with.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)Also available from: -
What We’ll Build
Available from:It’s always a good day when there is a new Oliver Jeffers book, and this newest one brings a rhythmic note to his touching book influenced by the birth of his daughter. What We’ll Build is a wonderful father and daughter picture book that is sure to be loved by families everywhere.
(On Sale: 10/6/2020)Also available from: -
I am Anne Frank
Available from:The Ordinary People Change the World biography book series introduces little readers to historical heroes and what made them famous. This one tells the story of the young Jewish girl, Anne Frank, who heroically recorded her hardship while she hid from the Nazis during World War II. Along with I am Benjamin Franklin, this is the latest book in the series.
(On Sale: 10/13/2020)Also available from: -
Cozy
Available from:Alaskan winters can be brutal, but not for Cozy, an incredibly furry musk ox who has no problem staying warm. When he is separated from his family, he makes some new friends that need his warmth and shelter to survive the cold winter. This tender story brings a wide variety of animal personalities to life.
(On Sale: 10/20/2020)Also available from: -
My Rainbow
Available from:Trinity wants long hair just like her dolls. Her mother goes to great lengths to create the perfect wig for her daughter that will not only look just right, but will truly show her daughter’s spirited true self.
(On Sale: 10/20/2020)Also available from: -
Wreck This Picture Book
Available from:For interactive book lovers, this book gives the reader the opportunity to use all five senses to make the reading experience what they want it to be! Stirring up imagination and all sorts of ideas, Wreck This Picture Book is one that will definitely get those brains firing.
(On Sale: 11/3/2020)Also available from: -
Llama Llama Loose Tooth Drama
Available from:It all begins with one wiggly tooth! Llama has so many different feelings and questions about what is going to happen next. But suddenly Llama’s tooth is GONE! Find out what happened to it in this entertaining next book in the beloved Llama Llama series.
(On Sale: 11/17/2020)Also available from: -
Alone Together
When you need a little love and reassurance during this pandemic, Alone Together is just the ticket. This book touches on why friendships and community during such a difficult time can be so important.
(On Sale: 12/1/2020)