I finally put a sweater on today.
You have no idea how happy this makes me.
I yearn for fall. I need it. In fact, I spend most of August counting down the days until September 1, when I can officially declare summer over in my mind, regardless of what Alexa tells me the temperature is. Many of you know I find back-to-school time the best time.
But that’s beside the point. My obsession with cozy fall days and books goes deeper than kids back in school or pumpkin-flavored/scented everything.
One summer three years ago, I found myself in a pretty low place. After another knee surgery (my fourth, mind you), what I thought would be a quick recovery turned into six long weeks on crutches. I spent much of that summer on the couch, unable to do the things I wanted—or even the things I needed—to do. I was a mom of three young girls, including a six-month-old baby, suddenly the simple act of getting around was like an Olympic event that required an adult entourage.
I’ve written before about how an injury can affect more than your physical health. When you’re used to being active and independent, being sidelined can take a real mental toll. I was in the thick of that feeling when I came across a t-shirt that said “Read More Booooks.”
So I bought it.
It wasn’t going to fix my knee or change the fact that our family couldn’t attend the one event we’d been looking forward to all summer. I cried over missing a daughter’s friend’s birthday party because one of my girls was sick. A low point for me. Crutching around a pool wasn’t ideal, but I’d have done it. And, it surely wasn’t going to magically fast-forward physical therapy or make me feel like myself again. But it was a tiny flicker of hope—a reminder that even when I couldn’t do everything I wanted, I could still do something I loved.
And, frankly, reading is a much more achievable goal when you can barely walk. I’d fallen away from my beloved hobby but being forced on the couch helped me fall back in love with it. (Those fall mentions are intentional, fyi).
That shirt has become something of a personal motto. Read more booooks. Always with four Os and with a spooky tone.
Make time for the things that fill your cup. And when life gets hard, find the little joys where you can.
This fall, my reading list runs the gamut: board books, graphic novels, witchy novels, literary classics (adjacent), and everything in between. Yes, really.
I’m in such a special reading season right now. I get to read all kinds of books with my daughters and books for my own enjoyment. Little-kid lit by day, grown-up reads by night? Let’s go!
For the littlest bookworms: Board books that never get old
Best for: Babies, toddlers, and anyone who has memorized a favorite book against their will.
Sandra Boynton’s board books are short, silly, and reliably entertaining, which is pretty much the trifecta when you’re reading to a toddler who may or may not sit still for more than 30 seconds.
Eek! Halloween! is our family’s favorite from Boynton. Spooky Pookie and Boo! Baa, La La La! are other good fall-themed ones by her.
Picture This for Halloween
Best for: Preschoolers and early elementary readers who like their spooky stories with a side of friendship or sisterhood.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (the creators of The Gruffalo).
A witch, a broomstick, a growing collection of animal friends, and a hungry dragon. What could go wrong?
This rhyming Halloween favorite is a great read-aloud, with a satisfying rhythm and a message about kindness, teamwork, and making room for others. It’s spooky enough for the season without being too scary for younger readers.
I may or may not be wearing my “Read More Booooks” t-shirt and a witch’s hat (with a broom in hand), as I read to my daughter’s kindergarten class later this week. Please don’t tell the library I have this overdue library book—I need a bigger book for my tiny witches and warlocks to see.
For more magic, crack open BroomMates: A Brewing Boundary Battle by Brenda Reeves and Lynne Marie.
The book’s synopsis is too witty not to share: “There’s room for improvement when witchy sisters Mathilda and Malin share a broom, and a room! One’s bright and airy, the other dark and scary! Each sister knows exactly how they should decorate. Unfortunately, their disagreement ends in disaster and a broken broom. Will they ever find a way to meet in the middle?”
Anyone with a sister (or like my girls, sisters plural) can relate to this compromise-driven ending. Are you a fan of color like Matilda or black like Malin? This is a big debate in my household.
For the mystery-loving tween: Nancy Drew novels
Best for: Kids ready for a mystery, a little suspense, and a more challenging read. Re: good vocabularies needed.
I was excited to experience Nancy Drew books for the first time when recently reading the first one of the series, The Secret of the Old Clock, to my eight-year-old daughter.
The verdict? Some of the vocabulary proved a bit tough. We’re putting Nancy on pause and will revisit her later. And that’s okay! Sometimes reading together means finding a book that stretches your child just enough. Other times, it means putting it aside and finding something that clicks right now.
For the nostalgic reader: The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels
Best for: Kids discovering a classic—and adults reliving their own childhoods.
In the meantime, my daughter is loving The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels. And, well, SAME.
Ann M. Martin is a big reason I wanted to become a writer—and eventually a children’s book author myself. (Cough, I wrote the book Charlie STEPs Up to Lacrosse, cough.)
There’s something special about watching your child fall in love with the same characters you did. You get to revisit a favorite childhood world while your kid discovers it for the first time.
For Halloween-adjacent reading, consider the graphic-novel adaptations of Mary Anne’s Bad Luck Mystery by Cynthia Yuan Cheng, as well as the Little Sister spinoff books: Karen’s Witch by Katy Farina and Karen’s Ghost by DK Yingst. Ann M. Martin is involved in all the graphic novels, so they have just the right dose of nostalgia balanced with a modern feel appreciated by the next generation.
Grownups Seeking Witchy Vibes
Best for: Book clubs, historical fiction fans, and readers who like a little magic mixed with their family drama.
Last year, my book club read Weyward by Emilia Hart around this time of year, and I loved it. The witchy novel follows three women across different time periods, connecting their stories through family history, women’s independence, and a mysterious relationship with nature.
If you’re looking for a book that feels made for October, this is a strong contender. It gives you plenty to discuss at book club, too—which is important when you’re the co-founder and self-appointed president of your group. 🙋♀️
For the classics-curious
Best for: Readers who like a little literary debate with their pumpkin spice.
My book club tackled Kate Chopin’s novel The Awakening for a classics category last year, and it beat out Pride and Prejudice in the voting. My thinking was “back to school” classics you may or may not have read because who really remembers what they read in freshman English class? Anyway, I loved this book, too. Many of my fellow book club members? Not so much. Which, honestly, is part of the fun.
Published in 1899, the novel follows Edna Pontellier as she questions the expectations placed on women, marriage, and motherhood. It’s not a Halloween book, but there’s something fitting about reading a novel that challenges convention as the season turns darker and more introspective.
Not every book has to be universally loved. Sometimes the best book-club pick is the one everyone has an opinion about. Case in point: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.
For the Jane Austen fan who wants a modern twist
Best for: Readers who love a clever retelling and don’t mind a little social satire.
If your book club is still debating Pride and Prejudice, try Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. It’s a modern retelling of Austen’s classic, moving the Bennet family into contemporary America. It came out in 2016.
Sittenfeld is always a delightful option when you want smart, accessible fiction with plenty to chew on. Her book Romantic Comedy was my book club’s first read ever, and we all loved it.
Eligible isn’t a spooky pick, but it fits nicely into a cozy fall reading lineup—especially if you’re in the mood for a book that pairs well with a warm drink and a spirited discussion.
On my fall TBR
Best for: Readers ready to fill their nightstand with books they may or may not finish before winter.
To anyone reading The Exorcist, It, or other horror novels: You are so much cooler than me. I asked my book club to vote on a cozy fall read, and they came back with a murder mystery, The Chateau by William Maxwell and Jaclyn Goldis. I started it begrudgingly, but 38 pages in, the French countryside and castle have me hooked. Book clubs are for going outside of your comfort zone, right? While I’m not ready for horror, I can do mystery. I think.
Here’s what I actually plan to read for my own cozy fall reading:
- The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore: I am who I am. I loved Gilmore’s (that’s Melissa McTernan’s pen name btw inspired by Gilmore Girls) book, The Christmas Tree Farm, which, yes, I made my book club read (to their eventual delight) last December.
- If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia: 491 pages (not including a bonus chapter) is hefty for my usual romance read but anything that promises “nostalgia that will wrap readers up in a giant, cozy hug” (USA Today bestselling author Hannah Bonam-Young’s words) sounds good to me.
The unexpected reading win: My husband is on board
One final fall reading development deserves a mention: My husband has finally climbed aboard the reading train.
His tastes lean toward science fiction—or, as Sing 2 would have it, “Sky Fy.” I’ll take it. He enjoyed Project Hail Mary (before the movie, as he brags). He also read The Martian (after Matt Damon’s performance, as I remind him).
He’s encouraging me to read mysteries, too, including Agatha Christie, often considered the best mystery writer of all time. My hubby read (and loved) Murder on the Orient Express.
Read more booooks. Whatever gets you reading.
I bought that t-shirt during a summer when I needed a reminder that better days could come. My recovery took longer than I wanted, but eventually I got back on my feet—literally and figuratively.
These days, I’m still working on making room for the things that bring me joy. Fall helps. Sweaters help. And books, of course, help.
So no matter what you’re reading, I hope you find something that makes you want to turn one more page.
And if you see me wearing my “Read More Booooks” shirt, please know I’m not just making a fashion statement. I’m making a lifestyle recommendation.