Halloween trick-or-treating can present a wonderful opportunity for children to get out and meet their neighbors. But what happens when those neighbors are a little . . . scary? In Sine van Mol’s Meena, the children of Fly Street are convinced that their elderly neighbor Meena is a toad-eating witch. But is she really? This humorous and hopeful book about overcoming misunderstandings will remind children that things are not always what they seem — and that sometimes the best of friends can be found in the most unlikely places.

All Saints Day, celebrated November 1 by Western Christians, presents a wonderful opportunity for children to learn more about the “great crowd of witnesses” that have come before them in the life of the Christian church. Ruth Sanderson’s gorgeously illustrated Saints: Lives and Illuminations tells the stories of more than 70 of the remarkable men and women who have provided spiritual examples to Christians from the very beginning of the church up to the present day.

At Thanksgiving, we often ask children, “What are you thankful for today?” Perhaps a better question would be, “Whom are you thankful to today?” Paul Goble’s exuberant Song of Creation calls on the entire natural world to answer to give answer to that question. Every element of creation — from the magpie to the minnow — glorifies God in its own way in this bold and brightly illustrated work, adapted from The Book of Common Prayer, which invites children to join with the land and the animals in singing a litany of praise to God.

As gruff Mr. Butterfield carves a Jesse Tree in the door of an old dusty church, he finds himself relating to a curious young boy the familiar biblical tales that trace the lineage of Christ, from the Garden of Eden to Jesus’ birth. Under the carpenter’s skilled hands, the Jesse tree grows — and an unlikely friendship begins to take root as well. Geraldine McCaughrean’s fresh retellings of familiar Bible narratives and Bee Willey’s whimsical and striking illustrations create a rich and contemporary tale, perfect for the Advent season.

The beginning of winter can be exciting, with sparkling new snow and frosted window panes. For some children, though, the onset of cold, gray days can be hard — and by the end of winter, there’s hardly a small person that isn’t longing for spring. Eileen Spinelli’s gentle book Now It Is Winter invites children to savor the joys unique to the winter months, even as they look forward to brighter days ahead.

While the fall season officially ends just before the Christmas holidays, many families are already looking ahead to the Nativity throughout the chilly days of late autumn. If your family is included in this number, be sure to check out our complete list of Christmas-related children’s books. (More on those in a month or so!)