Gorgeous Picture Books for Autumn 2023

So many delightful picture books are available in Autum 2023. Here is a selection of really lovely ones to read with your class.

Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green & Francis Martin (Little Tiger)

So often we accept stories as they are told to us. But what if there’s a better way. Gina Kaminski is not afraid to say what she thinks and retell the story of Little Red Riding Hood with herself as the heroine. Instead of the characters making all sorts of mistakes, Gina eats the cake, sticks to the path and saves the wolf from it all ending “very badly”. Along the way, she explains her feelings (and those of other characters) through a series of face emojis.

This is a wonderful book for teachers to add to their alternative fairytale collection. Children will love Gina’s version of the events and be inspired to write their own solutions to the classic problem of the Big Bad Wolf. Are villains always villains or have they been misunderstood? Perhaps changing the plot will change everything.

Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain by Elizabeth F. Hill & Hannah George (Five Quills)

Cotton Cloud wants to be the best cloud ever so she can make people happy. She has a lot to learn and asks the other clouds for advice – Cumulus, Stratus and Cirrus – but not Nimbostratus. Cotton Cloud doesn’t want to know anything about sad, boring rain. As time goes by, Cotton Cloud learns that all sun and wind with no rain just doesn’t work. Eventually, she’s going to need to learn to rain.

Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain is a fantastic companion book for weather and water cycle topics. Children will be able to identify all the elements that create weather and cause clouds to rain. There are lots of opportunities to discuss why rain is so important, what happens in drought and how extreme weather affects communities.

Wolf and Bear by Kate Rolfe (Two Hoots Books)

Wolf and Bear is a beautiful story of two friends who are there for each other even in the most difficult times. Wolf loves to play, catch leaves, splash in the stream and tumble in the berry bushes. Bear loves to play too but sometimes a great heaviness falls over him and takes himself away into the shadow of the mountain. No matter how hard Wolf tries, Bear won’t come out. A shadow draws around bear, heavy like a cloak. Wolf is worried and calls out to Bear in a beautiful song. Through his sadness, Bear hears his friend and climbs out of the darkness. Wolf’s song leads him back into the light and helps him to heal.

Wolf and Bear is a sensitive, touching exploration of sadness and depression. Through gentle colours and beautiful characterisation, readers will develop an understanding of Bear’s desire to take himself away. They will also feel for Wolf as he’s left alone, not sure how to help his friend. So strong in empathy building, Wolf and Bear is a must-have for Year 1 to 3 classrooms. It would also be a powerful story to share with children who experience anxiety and depression themselves.

The Great Storm Whale by Benji Davies (Simon and Schuster)

It’s been ten years since Benji Davies first introduced readers to The Storm Whale – a simple but powerful tale of a boy called Noi who discovers a whale washed up on shore. Children are invited return for another adventure with Noi. Grandma has come to visit. She tells Noi the story of a little girl who was friends with a whale. A great storm struck her island and destroyed her home, forcing her family to rebuild on higher ground. The little girl learned resilience, hope and the importance of friendship as the whale found pieces of her old house so the family could build a new house that was even stronger.

As storms hit our own shores this autumn, young readers will relate to the howling wind and driving rain of Noi’s storm. This is a beautiful story for children who live near the sea but also for those who do not, allowing them to make comparisons and understand a bit about life in another locality.

A Happy Place by Britta Teckentrup (Little Tiger)

Britta Teckentrup is one of my favourite children’s illustrators. There is a depth to her artwork that draws readers in, creating awe and wonder with its beauty. The creative cut-outs and layering of this story makes A Happy Place even more special.

Starting with the glow of a little star, readers follow its whispers out into the moonlight. The magic of the night is captivating. Through connections with nature, we realise that we are not alone in the night, nor are we the most important creature around. There is a reverence in this book that honours the beauty of the night and the the sense of protection a star brings as it watches over us as we sleep. A Happy Place is the most beautiful bedtime story that will fill readers with a sense of safety and peace.

The Tree Next Door by Charlie Moyler & Martin Stanev (Little Tiger)

A tree can be a symbol of so many things: strength, nature, community, the passing of time. In The Tree Next Door, a very special tree is not only loved by its owner but also has an almost magical power in drawing the neighbourhood together in harmony. It marks the passing of seasons, ushers in each new chapter and brings joy to those around it. Even in the cold of winter, the tree inspires its neighbours to share kindness and life.

The Tree Next Door is a gorgeous book of community spirit and supporting one another. It is aspirational in encouraging readers to reflect on their own lives and how they might reach out in friendship to those around them.

The Oak Tree by Julia Donaldson & Victoria Sandoy (Scholastic: Alison Green Books)

There’s something so special about an ancient oak tree. This beautiful book shares one tree’s journey from acorn to sapling and then hundreds of years as an important part of life all around it. Generations of children have played under it and in it. Weather and time weigh on the tree but still it survives. When eventually it topples, it continues to give life to the insects and animals of the woodland and the cycle of life begins again.

The Oak Tree is a celebration of nature and the importance of trees in our lives. This is a beautiful book to share in classes across the primary age range, giving children opportunities to reflect on the trees around them.

The Ogre Who Wasn’t by Michael Morpurgo & Emily Gravett (Two Hoots Books)

The Ogre Who Wasn’t is a refreshing take on the classic fairytale genre. Princess Clara’s best friend is a tiny ogre she found in the palace garden. She brought him inside and invited him to live in her shoe – which was fine because Princess Clara hated wearing shoes. She loved to do her own thing, collect creatures in the garden and bring them inside to live in all her other shoes. Princess Clara was lonely and having these friends around made her feel a tiny bit better. Her father was very busy being the king and she missed the time they used to spend together. The servents at the palace didn’t understand Clara and she was ALWAYS getting in trouble.

One day, the little ogre spoke to Clara. He wanted to help her and promised to grant her wishes – if she took him back to the garden where he belonged. Sure enough, one by one, Clara’s wishes came true. Perhaps her little friend wasn’t an ogre after all.

The Ogre Who Wasn’t is perfect for a Key Stage One topic on traditional tales. Brimming with features of more classic stories, its modern twist will charm and engage readers. Children will love imagining other creatures who might be ogres and what wishes they would ask to be granted if offered the same deal as Clara.

Snail by Minu Kim (Pushkin Children’s)

Little children often feel pressure to keep up with older siblings and their friends. In Snail, a little boy gets left behind on his bike. At first, he feels sad but then finds joy in going at his own pace. He realises that, actually, there’s much to discover in the sky, the wind, the grass and the trees when you go at a snail’s pace.

The simplicity of this mostly wordless picture book with no more than a sentence on each page gives children space to reflect and fill in details of the little boy’s adventure for themselves. Discussion around emotions, what we value and taking time for oneself will challenge children to think about how they approach the world around them.

Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song (Pushkin Children’s)

Donut Feed the Squirrels is an absolutely delightful graphic novel with very few words. Young readers will adore Belly and Norma as they go in search of a donut to replace their burned breakfast. They use all their squirrel know-how to break into the donut van and find what they’re looking for. With one mishap and laugh-out-loud obstacle after another, readers will cheer them on until they get their paws on a tasty treat.

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