Fall has just begun. On Sunday, September 22, the autumnal equinox occured. The word “equinox” comes from the Latin words “aequus” meaning “equal” and “nox” which means “night”. So “equal night,” simply put, is the time when daylight hours are roughly the same length as nighttime. After the autumnal equinox the daylight hours become shorter and the nighttime hours lengthen. This all ends with the winter solstice when daylight hours lengthen and nighttime hours shorten.

Most of us don’t mark the passing of the season with such a scientific explanation. We like the leaves changing color, the cooler temperatures or “sweater weather”, and the seasonal food and celebrations that surround it. I love a good apple cider, a warm sweater, and the crunch of leaves underfoot while the scent of snow teases each morning. I also love curling up on the couch with a great book to share. Here are a few of my favorite fall-themed books to read.

Leaf Man and Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert are the first books I reach for when planning a fall-themed story time. Ehlert’s die-cut and found-object collage illustrations are so eye-catching that my first read through is really just a look-through. I am struck every time by her creativity. In the midst of the beauty and whimsy found in her books Ehlert also manages to sneak in some education.

If you haven’t yet read any of Lauren Thompson’s “Mouse’s First…” books, now is the time. Mouse is an adorable little character that the reader has the pleasure of watching experience the world in each book. In Mouse’s First Fall, Minka shows Mouse why fall leaves are so much fun.

In The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri, the reader discovers fall from the perspective of a little squirrel that is so busy trying to get ready for winter that he has to turn down all his friends’ invitations. Tafuri’s beautiful artwork and repetitive text draws the reader through the book to find out why squirrel is so busy he has no time to play.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro is a great pick for those who want a good giggle. Colandro has taken the rhyming cadence of the song, “There was an old lady who swallowed a fly,” and turned it into something sillier. There are several versions of the song by this author, but in this one an old lady swallows some leaves, a shirt, a pumpkin, and a rake to start. What will happen? You won’t know unless you read the book!

For a good middle school read check out Anne Ursu’s new book, Not Quite a Ghost. Violet Hart and her blended family move into an old house in Minneapolis because they need more space. Violet’s older sister, Mia, opts out of the musty old room on the third floor even though it has its own bathroom because of the “vibes.” As Violet tries to settle into a new house and school she falls ill. All of the doctors her mom takes her to think that the illness is simply in her head. But the only thing in Violet’s head is the voice of the girl trapped in the attic bedroom walls. The girl in the walls is not quite a ghost and wants to trade places with Violet. Though her body seems to be failing her Violet must find the strength to stand up to the ghost in the walls or else lose herself forever.

Please ask at the children’s desk if there is something you’re looking for and can’t find right away; we’re here to help. Check out our monthly calendar of programming too. We offer a variety of activities for all ages, from story time to video game club for teens. You can find more information on our website at www.newulmlibrary.org on the Library Events page.

The library is located at 17 N. Broadway and is open to the public Monday-Thursday 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday- Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.