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Best Fall Books of 2024

Autumn leaves and exciting reads are falling your way! As the air turns crisp and the school year kicks into high gear, our highly anticipated Best Fall Education Books of 2024 Catalog is here to guide you to the best new books for your students.

Our book experts have been busy curating a selection of the top picture books, middle school adventures, and young adult tales set to inspire and engage your children this fall. Whether you want to spark imagination in the classroom, find the perfect books for your library, or offer students stories that will resonate long after the final page, this catalog has something for every reader.

So, grab your pumpkin spice latte and dive into our handpicked collection of the most promising titles of the season. Happy reading!

Fun Picture Books

1. Leo’s First Vote! by Christina Soontornvat Illustrated by Isabel Roxas

Get ready to encourage your kiddos to get out and vote! Leo’s dad is voting in his first election since becoming a naturalized US citizen. But when Leo’s cousin casts doubt on the importance of a single vote, it takes Leo’s class mock election results, and a pep talk from his dad to convince him that each and every vote matters. Teach your kids about the importance of voting and about the whole election process from voter registration to standing in line and casting your vote.

2. Goth Moth by Kai Lüftner Illustrated by Wiebke Rauers

Walter is a shy moth. He prefers to hide in the quiet attic and avoid the limelight. But in his heart he is a drummer, a true “Goth Moth”. However, Walter has no drums and no band. But when he goes to his idol’s concert, the unimaginable happens: The Goth Moth finds himself on stage. Get ready to rock on and fall in love with Walter the Goth Moth and Lady B. Marie the Jitterbug.

3. Good Night Thoughts by Max Greenfield Illustrated By James Serafino

What do we do when we can’t fall asleep? The child in this story has racing thoughts at bedtime- funny, silly, and scary thoughts. This simple but heartwarming story tackles acknowledging anxiety without succumbing to it that will appeal to so many little ones out there who find that nighttime is when their thoughts carry the most weight.

4. The Verts: A Story of Introverts and Extroverts by Ann Patchett Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

The Vert family is celebrating a very special occasion: it’s Ivan’s birthday! And Estie knows that every birthday needs a great party, with lots of guests, twinkling tin foil stars, and party hats. But did Estie ever ask Ivan? This is the perfect introduction for children to understand and honor their friends’ differences.

5. The Most Boring Book Ever by Brandon Sanderson Illustrated by Kazu Kibuishi

#1 bestselling creators Brandon Sanderson and Kazu Kibuishi have teamed up for the first time to create an adventure like no other. In this funny epic adventure, a boy is, on the one hand, having a very ordinary day. He does math homework, chores, and takes a nap… all while a surprising adventure unfolds around him involving pirates, dragons, and unexpected perils. This modern classic is a landmark fantasy picture book your kiddos will love.

6. Stacey Speaks Up by Stacey Abrams Illustrated by Kitt Thomas

Stacey and her friends can’t wait for lunchtime on Friday, also known as TacoPizza FryDay! But when she learns that not all her classmates can afford to eat lunch, she feels like she needs to do something. With the help of their community, Stacey and her friends devise a plan to make their voices heard. This picture book is a great introduction to grassroots activism and advocacy, and how everyone has the power to make a difference.

7. Rory the Remarkable Dragon by Kathryn Rammell

Rory isn’t like the other dragons. She’s a remarkable dragon. She stands out from all the other dragons at school and quickly becomes the most popular student in class thanks to her unique abilities. However, the principle is certain something is off about Rory. This hilarious story about accepting others for who they are is a laugh-out-loud read.

8. A Moving Story by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld Illustrated by Tom Booth

With the utmost care, brothers Tiny and Pete will move anything anywhere because they know that nothing is too small or too light to wrap up tight and treat just right. But during their biggest move yet, a young panda’s pet turtle goes missing, and even the brothers' efforts might not be enough to save the day. This fun and humorous story will move readers to feel big feelings and most importantly, laugh.

9. The Make-Believers by Ryan Seacrest and Meredith Seacrest Leach Illustrated by Bonnie Lui

You’re never too old or too young to dream. And that’s exactly what America’s favorite host and media personality shares in this adorable new picture book that celebrates the surprising strength of a child’s wild, wonderful imagination and how it can change the world. Encourage your little ones to imagine big, dream far, and always follow their hearts.

10. The Helping Sweater by Rachel Más Davidson

It’s finally cold enough for Maya to wear her favorite sweater! But when a loose thread causes her sweater to quickly unravel, Maya is heartbroken. But she realizes her sweater can help other people. Maya uses her sweater to help her community throughout the day and shows that the smallest actions make the biggest difference.

Middle School Level Books

11. The Everybody Experiment by Lisa Moore Ramée

Kylie’s friends seem so much more mature than she is. And with middle school just a summer away, she’s worried her friends might leave her behind. So Kylie uses her scientific brain to solve the problem by testing her hypothesis: Kylie will mature if she does what everybody else does. But the more research Kylie put into the experiment, the more she begins to wonder how she can do what everybody else does without letting go of herself.

12. Not Nothing by Gayle Forman

When Alex finds himself having to volunteer at a retirement home after getting in trouble, he finds himself being bossed around all day. However, when he meets Josey, a 107 year old man who has survived ghettos, dragnets, and a concentration camp and refuses to speak now, they form a connection. This heartfelt middle grade novel is about how unexpected lessons can change the trajectory of your life.

13. The Queen of Ocean Parkway by Sarvenaz Tash

Roya knows everything that happens in her regal Brooklyn apartment building. An aspiring reporter, she even hosts a secret podcast about the lives of the building’s tenants. But when Katya Petrov, one of her favorite tenants, goes missing, Roya discovers an eerie mystery. Now with the help of her new friend who just moved in, it’s up to Roya to make her own headlines as she searches for Katya and attempts to break the Petrov curse once and for all.

14. Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Andrew’s just trying to make it through picture day, which is easier said than done when he has to deal with a bully and a science experiment gone wrong. As the day gets worse and worse, Andrew is worried about having a public panic attack, his worst fear. Interspersed with humorous spot art and “anxiety file” panels that depict the real, difficult feelings of anxiety and OCD and real tips for coping, this is a poignant, personal, and laugh-out-loud funny story about letting go of control and accepting help—all while trying to get the perfect school picture.

15. Library Girl by Polly Horvath

Essie has been raised in the public library by four librarians since she was discovered as a baby. But now she is eleven, and longs for a little more freedom and maybe a friend her own age. But when she runs into a boy that looks exactly like her in the mall she wonders if they are secretly twins and learns that nothing is as simple as it seems in her stories—not even her own past.

16. Mouse and His Dog: A Dogtown Book by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko

Mouse lives in Dogtown where the rafters hide a secret community of mice and his best friend is Buster, a big-hearted dog who attracts trouble like a burr to fur. Determined to help Buster find his forever home, Mouse embarks on a bold quest with three of Dogtown’s “unadoptables”. But Mouse is just a mouse, and the world is big and complicated. How’s a little guy supposed to find homes for the dogs he loves?

17. Gracie under the Waves by Linda Sue Park

Gracie loves snorkeling! So when she is able to convince her family to take a vacation to Roatán, Honduras where they can all snorkel together she is ecstatic. She even makes a new friend there! Then Gracie hurts her leg, and all her plans begin to fall apart. Worse of all, she learns the reef itself is in serious danger. Gracie wants to help the reef . . . but she’s just a kid. What can she do to make a difference? Fortunately, her new friend has a few ideas!

18. The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo

At the Hotel Balzaar, Marta’s mother rises before the sun, puts on her uniform, and instructs Marta to roam as she will but quietly, invisibly—like a little mouse. While her mother cleans, she studies the painting of an angel’s wings over the fireplace and dreams of the return of her soldier father who has gone missing. One day everything changes though when a countess with a parrot checks in and starts to share their stories. As the stories unfold, Marta begins to wonder: could the secret to her father’s disappearance lie in the countess’s tales?

19. The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Jakob Novis and his quirky sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside one. They find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of WW2 - Britain’s codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins Bletchley’s top minds to crack the Nazi's Enigma cipher, fourteen-year-old Lizzie embarks on a mission to solve the mysterious disappearance of their mother. This middle grade historical adventure will have your kiddos on the edge of their seats.

20. The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa

Anang wants to make a ribbon skirt, a piece of clothing typically worn by girls in the Anishinaabe tradition, for an upcoming powwow. Anang is worried about what others will think of wearing a rainbow skirt, but they’re determined to follow their heart’s desire. So Anang sets off to gather materials to make the skirt and turns to those around them- family, friends, and even some turtles from the lake itself. 

Young Adult Fiction Books

21. When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

After the death of his best friend, Eric Ly creates imaginary scenarios in his head to deal with his grief. Until one day when a boy he met last summer appears, however nobody else can see him. In a magical turn of events, Eric suddenly has someone to help him feel less alone, but as they spend more time together he starts to question what is real and must finally confront his reality. Even if it means losing Haru forever.

22. Mismatched: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Emma by Anne Camlin

Get ready for this adorable graphic retelling of the classic Emma. Evan has it all: beauty, brains, and a not-so-secret flair for matchmaking! He’s no stranger to playing cupid for this looking to find love. So when a shy transfer student comes to school one day, Evan jumps at the chance to help her find love. But when he takes things too far he must learn to put the people closest to him before his misguided ambition.

23. The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning

Ruby and her sister Wren are just normal, high school students working a summer job at the local Renaissance Fest. When an eccentric old lady asks them to impersonate her long-absent grandchildren at a jaw-dropping rate of two grand-each- for a single night… They have to do it! But less than an hour into the evening at the mysterious Hegemony Manor, Ruby is sure she must have lost her mind to have agreed to this. The hostess is dead, the gates are locked, and a magical curse ensures no one can leave until they solve both her murder and the riddles she left behind—in just three days.

24. When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

Years ago, the Fall kids’ father mysteriously disappeared, cracking the family into pieces. Then an enigmatic rainbow-haired girl shows up, tipping the Falls’ world over. She might be an angel. Or a saint. Or an ordinary girl. Somehow, she is vital to each of them. But before anyone can figure out who she is, catastrophe strikes, leaving the Falls more broken than ever. And more desperate to be whole. With road trips, rivalries, family curses, love stories within love stories within love stories, and sorrows and joys passed from generation to generation, this is the intricate, luminous tale of a family’s complicated past and present.

25. The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow

Everyone in fifteen-year-old Bella’s life needs something from her. Her mom needs her to help around the house, her dad needs her to not make waves, her ex needs her to not be so much. The only person who never needed anything from her was her grandmother—and now she’s dead. There’s only one thing that dulls the pressure: alcohol. Gorgeously written and deeply compassionate, Kathleen Glasgow’s The Glass Girl is a candid exploration of the forces pushing young women toward addiction—and what it really takes to help them get better.

26. The Dark Becomes Her by Judy I. Lin

Ruby Chen has always played the part of the dutiful eldest daughter. But when a ghost from the spirit world attacks Ruby in the middle of Vancouver’s Chinatown neighborhood, her life is plunged into a darkness that no amount of duty can free her from. Overnight, Ruby’s sister seems to change. As Ruby races to save her sister from demonic possession, she is thrown into an ancient battle over the gateway to the underworld. Chinese and Taiwanese mythology get the Junji Ito treatment in this bone-chilling, propulsive story that takes the horrors of the Asian diaspora experience to a whole new level.

27. Heir by Sabaa Tahir

An orphan. An outcast. A prince. And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees. Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with power, treachery, love, and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed, on a journey that may cost them their lives—and their hearts. Literally.

28. The Hunger Games Illustrated Edition by Suzanne Collins

A global phenomenon, millions of readers fell in love with Katniss Everdeen and her journey. The Hunger Games has enthralled millions of readers in its examination of the price of war, human nature, and the powerful force of both love and resistance. Now it appears for the first time in a deluxe illustrated edition, with spellbinding art from internationally acclaimed artist Nico Delort.

29. Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds

Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church and meets Aria. Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven’t taken that next big step...yet, they’ve starting talking about...that. And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria’s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to...about to... Well, they won’t do anything if he can’t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!

30. Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher

Mariel, a newly blooded and perpetually grumpy captain of the Merry Men, is desperate to live up to the legacy of her grandfather, the legendary Robin Hood. Clem, a too-perky backwoods healer known for her new-fangled cures, just wants to help people. When Mariel's ramshackle band of bandits kidnap Clem as retribution for her guardian helping the Sheriff of Nottingham, all seems to be going (sort of) to plan… Lex Croucher's Not for the Faint of Heart is a thrilling adventure full of hijinks, found family, and romance destined to change the lives of the inhabitants of the Greenwood Forest forever. 

If you are interested in any of these new titles releasing this fall we would love to help get these books into your students' hands! You can connect with one of our dedicated account managers directly or if you know what title you want you can request a quote. And be sure to check out all our previous education catalog titles.