Earlier this year in March, I celebrated both National Reading Month and Music Therapy Month by sharing my top 10 favorite singable books.
As you know, I love books and am always finding new ones to add to my collection. This year I want to share several that are perfect for highlighting the season of fall while also incorporating concepts of counting, rhyming, gratitude, and social emotional learning.
Keep reading for the list of my top 5 fall books! I will include links to each one plus some extra free resources.
1. Stir Up Some Soup
to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" (source unkown)
This is a great fill-in-the-blank songwriting activity you can do with all ages and it also makes a great book. It is to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." Here are the lyrics:
We'll put in some _____ and _____ , some _____ and _____ and ______.
But please don't put in too much pepper,
'cuz pepper will make you sneeze! Ahhh, ahhh, ahhhh-CHOO!"
Stir up, stir up, stir up some soup for me, for me.
Stir up, stir up, stir up some soup for you.
If you'd like an already done for you book version of this song, a pdf is available by clicking here!
2. Thanks for Thanksgiving
by Julie Markes, illustrated by Doris Barrette
A great rhyming book with just the right amount of text. I usually make up a melody on the spot but you can simply read it rhythmically.
If you think I should write a song and melody specifically for this book, comment on this blog post or send me an email at kathy@tunefulteaching.com.
3. One Leaf, Two Leaves: Count With Me
by John Micklos Jr., illustrated by Clive McFarland
I was lucky to have my daughter work at the Ripon Public Library for two years. She would often bring home children's books for me and this is one of those!
Turns out it's also a book given to children through Dolly's Imagination Library. I plan to use this book and melody in both fall and spring and it could easily be used for all four seasons. Click here for a pdf of melody that I wrote to accompany this book.
To hear the melody and get a peak at what the book looks like inside, click here to see a video. Be sure to check out John Micklos Jr.'s website, you can find his book One Leaf, Two Leaves: Count With Me on Amazon. You can also see the illustrator, Clive McFarland, and his other books here.
4. I'm a Leaf
by Gina Ferragame, illustrated by Anna Swietlik-Horodecka
This is a brand new book by Gina Ferragame, one of my favorite children's musicians. Gina is the inspiration behind my "Rainbow Carrots" song which I hope to turn into a picture book!
Truth be told, I haven't tried this book out with a group of kids yet but the illustrations are stunning and the recording is available everywhere. I am picturing it as more of a seated movement song with added visuals rather than a traditional music-based book. Click here to check out Gina's I'm a Leaf book.
BONUS RESOURCE: Kids also love her Halloween Parade book and song!
For more beautiful illustrations, check out Anna Switlik-Horodecka
5. Shy Little Monster
by Stephanie Leavell, illustrated by Sarah Pilar Echeverria
I'm not a big fan of Halloween. In fact, my kids only went trick or treating twice. Once to the "big" city of Berlin, Wisconsin and once to a neighbor's house where I was told they didn't have any candy (we live out in the country and trick or treating isn't really a thing). My kids were happy to take cash!
Anyway, this book by Stephanie Leavell at Music for Kiddos is the perfect Halloween themed book that isn't spooky at all. Click here to check it out! You can also watch this YouTube video for a peak at what it looks like inside and how the melody sounds.
I hope you enjoy my top 5 fall books and find them useful and fun! Be sure to stay tuned for my next blog post where I will be sharing my top five fall songs.
I love this! Great suggestions and thanks for the fun download….I might just use it in my “RN music and movement class!”
You are very welcome. I think your RN families will love it!