When Fall Comes: Connecting with Nature as the Days Grow Shorter is part of a series about the season with Winter and Summer. This is a story that shares the changes and preparations that are made as the days grow shorter, by many animals including humans. The family in the book are outside going for a walk and noticing all the changes. The family is foraging for mushrooms in the woods, the birds change on the mudflats, silver-red salmon fight their way up rushing streams, returning to their birthplaces, they see chipmunks stash seeds in underground burrows, badgers dig new dens and bears search for the perfect spot to hibernate. All of these changes are highlighted by the beautiful illustrations by Erin Hourigan. They are detailed and the muted colours are perfect for this season. This is a wonderful book to teach children about how animals change and adapt to the seasons. After reading this book, we went outside to look around at what changes we could see. The kids pointed out the trees and flowers that were changing colours and dying off until the spring. This is a great book for primary classrooms learning about the seasons.

Beautiful images in this story about everything fall. Perfect for those wanting to learn more about how wildlife and homesteaders prepare for winter.

Well I've seen no sign of Spring yet, but I think I can safely say this will be a wonderful set when the whole year-long parade of seasons is complete. Fall/autumn brings changes in the entire world, we're told, as colours change in the trees and for the deer, rabbit and so on. We gather firewood, batten down the hatches and get ready for darker nights and shorter days, and the animals turn to thoughts of hibernation or migration, if necessary. All of nature seeks a thicker coat. I don't know that the text fully convinced me here that we're just like the critters around us in the wonderful place of this series, because for all the protesting about us chopping wood, gathering driftwood and so on, we're still gallivanting off on marches through the trees, sitting on the breezy beach, and so on. But for portraying the inevitable change of the seasons, this is wonderful, leaving young readers resting most assured that nature knows what it's doing and that all the animals will be around for us to see again once more. It is the place these books take place in that remains the wonder – the art doing humans, especially faces, slightly too cartoonishly in contrast to the brilliantly presented landscape and wildlife dioramas. For a wonderful look at a wonderful corner of the world, these are very pleasant pages indeed – a strong four stars once more.

This is a beautifully illustrated book explaining the changing of season from summer into fall. The description of each animal and how they prepare is descriptively written and compliments the illustrations beautifully.

A lovely picture book showing how a family readies their home in fall, and how the animals around us do the same. It also shows some of the outdoor activities the family does during this time, and how they engage with nature during this changing season. I really enjoyed both the story and the illustrations. They provide opportunities for questions and the illustrations are detailed enough children will have lots to look at and discover.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

This is a quiet, gentle book about observing all the wonders of this busy season. There is much to do to prepare for the long winter, and we can learn a lot by watching the animals. A lovely book that encourages the reader to venture outdoors.

Beautiful book illustrating the changes that occur in the fall. Lovely illustrations. Excellent resource for families and educators.

I enjoyed this picture book and think it is the perfect addition to any young nature lovers library. Often I think autumn seems a little sad as the summer is ending etc. but this story shows that even though one season ends there is so much to do and see in the next!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Fall Comes: Connecting with Nature as the Days Grow Shorter by Aimée M. Bissonette and Erin Hourigan is a gorgeous picture book that captures the joy of a family enjoying the outdoors in fall. The book takes us on a journey through various ecosystems, showcasing diverse animal habitats that come alive after the summer crowds have left the trails. As the wildlife adapts and prepares for the winter months ahead, the family also busily gets ready for the seasonal change.

In this delightful book, the air grows crisper and the days grow shorter, signaling the arrival of autumn. The family embarks on adventures such as foraging for mushrooms in the woods, while chipmunks stash seeds in underground burrows and red squirrels gather pinecones. Badgers dig new dens and bears search for the perfect spot to hibernate, mirroring the family’s preparations for winter in their own home.

Amidst this backdrop, readers are introduced to the wonders of nature during fall. Silver-red salmon fight their way up rushing streams, returning to their birthplaces, while mud flats fill with feeding shorebirds migrating for the winter. The vibrant illustrations perfectly depict the changing colors of aspen leaves, from green to gold.

When Fall Comes not only celebrates the beauty of autumn but also inspires families to explore and connect with nature during this season. It is a part of the When Seasons Come series, which includes When Summer Comes and When Winter Comes board and picture books.

In my opinion, this book was a sweet little gem. It explores themes of foraging for food, animals seeking shelter, and preparing for the Fall/Winter season. The illustrations are soft and beautifully depict the colors of fall. I believe it would make a great addition to any young person’s first library.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

This book got me excited for the fall! I have not read the Winter and Summer titles in this series, but now I am going to. The illustrations are lovely, full page colorful spreads showing gorgeous landscapes and an intergenerational family doing their favorite outdoor fall activities. A lot of the text and illustration shows animals making their seasonal migrations or preparing for the winter to come. I would read this for storytime as the season changes and it would be a great addition to a bookshelf at home as well!

#WhenFallComes #NetGalley

Learn how the animals and a family are getting ready for the cooler season of autumn in the mountains. Simply and beautifully done.
The illustrations by Erin Hourigan are delightful, fun, imaginative, colorful, and the animals are so very well done.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or teacher or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Sasquatch Books/Little Bigfoot via NetGalley. Thank you!

This is an amazing adventurous book with lot to enjoy about autumn while knowing the fact that it is same in our humans and animals both to do so.
Here is one family which is on outing and experiencing the scenic aura of autumn while understanding how not just themselves but even animals and not wrong to say that all part of nature that it gives life prepares for season to live in and the one further to come.

Season is the most amazing thing that nature prepare for us all to live with, and change is the only consistent thing in this world. There depicted very well for how a small squirrel prepares for winter while working hard in autumn. Same way we humans also prepares for winter but that is more dominantly in the areas where winter comes harsh.

Illustrations were too good.to savour.

I received a free copy of, When Fall Comes, by Aimee M. Bissonette, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is about what people and animals do to get ready for fall. Foraging for food and looking for shelter. I enjoyed this sweet book and love the illustrations.

The perfect addition to my fall Storytime collection, this book shows how a multi-generational family and the animals around them use their time in the fall to prepare for the winter. When showing how the family prepares their home for the cold, it also describes how badgers dig new dens and birds line their homes with moss and fur. Rich illustrations welcome you in to colorful autumn landscapes and portray a variety of animals in their native landscapes. It makes me eager for the start of fall.

There's nothing as consistent as change. Living in Alaska, I could definitely relate to this book. One day you're enjoying the summer sunshine. The next you feel a change in the air. Nothing obvious, but you can sense it. The author and illustrator both get it. Toss in some absolutely lovely illustrations and this book is a winner.

I honestly had to go check the bios on the author/illustrator to see if I'd somehow missed that they lived in Alaska or maybe Canada. Close. Bissonette lives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, no stranger to cold and changing seasons, while Hourigan lives in Portland. Yep, they not only get it, they live it.

It shows. The text and illustrations are spot on. The attention to detail, too, should be noted. I absolutely loved the illustration for the mention of Canadian Geese flying overhead. Normally you'll see a shot of tiny silhouettes in the sky. Not here. Hourigan shows the geese, true, but as reflections on a lake where an adult and child, both wearing life-jackets, I might note, as one of the unfailing signs of change on the way. People are shown wearing cooler weather gear, jackets and boots, and working together to prepare for what is to come.

You'll spy a beaver swimming with a branch for its lodge or dam, salmon swimming upstream to spawn while bears wait patiently on the shore to feast, and even things like a giant gray whale swimming south to warmer waters. These and many other sights. Heck, even the mud flats get a mention, something we are quite familiar with here in Alaska. Again, great attention and thought has been given to detail, such as the dog being on a leash and different ages working as one, for instance. And, it's all washed in gorgeous fall colors, with yellows and oranges and a somehow cooler looking air. Lovely.

In other words, I loved it. There's so much to see and enjoy in this book that I recommend it highly. It's not only a great look at how seasons change in colder climates but how both animals and people prepare and work to get ready. Kudos to the author and illustrator. And, thanks to #NetGalley and #SasquatchBooks - #LittleBigfoot for letting me wallow in my favorite season a bit early.

Thanks to Sasquatch books for this eARC!

Well, now I need this whole series. This is such a beautiful read, with so many connections between human behavior and animal behavior in the natural world during the fall season. The author gives us many specific ways that animals behave in fall, and I know that this will spark my kiddos’ curiosity and lead to more fun and research. Love it!

Published: 09/05/23

Thank you NetGalley and Sasquatch Books, Little Bigfoot for accepting my request to read and review When Fall Comes.

Hit! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and want a coffee table version. I love how the author pointed out people and animals work getting ready for each season. I was humbly reminded there is more to fall than pumpkin festivals, sweaters, and cozy socks.

The illustrations were muted but the palette is spot on for the season.

It's beautiful and a reminder with season changes comes clean ups and migrations.

Absolutely would gift this.

This is a beautiful book! A wonderful way to celebrate the changing of the seasons from summer to fall. The book parallels how people and animals change during the fall in preparation for winter. I love that this book features a non-traditional family dynamic as well. I’m going to read the other books in this series as well!

When Fall Comes: Connecting with Nature as the Days Grow Shorter is a children’s picture book written by Aimee M. Bissonette, and illustrated by Erin Hourigan.

Summary: This book shows the ways people and animals get ready for fall.

My Thoughts: I liked this book. The warm and beautiful illustrations really set the scene for fall, and I like how the book encourages exploration of all the things fall has to offer.

It’s an inviting story, and would be especially good to read to small children as the seasons change to prepare them for what’s to come, and spark their imaginations.

I don’t know that I would buy it as it is pretty specific to a time of year, but overall I enjoyed it and could see myself checking it out from the library each fall.

I would like to thank Sasquatch Books for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

This is a beautifully illustrated book teaching kids about all the fall changes. I loved how many different animals it talked about and what they do to prepare for the coming winter. My son really enjoyed this book and spent a good amount of time looking at the pictures.