A fresh chill in the air, the rustle of leaves as we shuffle through these glorious piles of yellow and gold, the smell of bonfire smoke, the vivid crimson of berries against a gin blue sky, the evening chatter of water fowl as they congregate. These delights to my senses all tell me that autumn is here.
This year, however, the days which have resembled this have been few and far between in the midst of so much grey and drizzle. Maybe they have sparkled like jewels even more due to their rarity. So, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to drink tea, make ourselves comfortable on the sofa and bring out the autumn books. These are some of our favourites.
“Autumn Story” by Jill Barklem and Shirley Hughes’ Autumn Collection are both timeless with beautiful illustrations. Nick Butterworth’s “After the storm” and the Thomas the Tank Engine were loved by the boys as well as the girls. “Rosie’s Hat” by Julia Donaldson is a newer one but always brings a smile to my face. “Squirrel Nutkin” is a classic. “Hello Harvest Moon” is American and one which I bought when we were doing a project on the moon; lovely illustrations too, and a fun way to learn some flora from another continent.
And then a few we’ve used alongside our regular nature study books.
While we’ve enjoyed some cosy reading times, I’m longing for a few more clear and dry days when we can experience the glories of autumn in real life!
Mothering through the seasons 