Top Ten Books With a Fall Setting

As the green leaves of summer begin to turn to the reds, yellows, and oranges of autumn and the warm summer breezes become the cooler winds of fall, people's minds prepare for the change in seasons. As this preparation takes place, some individuals' reading selections begin to reflect this by changing from books detailing warm, sunny beaches to those describing a cool deciduous forest filled with trees adorned in their colorful glory.

In this article, the author briefly reviews and recommends ten books that take place during this vibrantly colored season of the year. Most of these books are classics that can be enjoyed by young and older readers while a few may be more appropriate for an adult audience due to subject matter.

1. Fellowship of the Ring - This book is one of this author's favorites. It is the first in the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings series which details the journey of Frodo Baggins, a hobbit from the Shire, to Mordor where he must cast the one ring of power into the fires of Mt. Doom to save Middle Earth from the evil Lord Sauron.

The places though which they travel provide the perfect scenery for the fall season - for example, Frodo and his Hobbit friends depart from the Shire in the autumn to begin their journey to meet Gandalf, the wizard. Mr. Tolkien writes with such description that one almost feels as if he or she is actually present in the various settings into which Frodo and his companions must venture. This book is included on this top ten list, because it stresses the importance of true friendship regardless of the situation and the fact that even just one small person can make a big difference.

2. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis - This enjoyable read combines suspense and humor. Considered to be the sixth book of the Chronicles of Narnia, this novel tells the story of how Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole are sent by Aslan to find Prince Rilian, the lost son of King Caspian. These two unlikely friends are joined by a humorous marsh wiggle named Puddleglum, and the trio must escape from being eaten by giants and rescue the prince from a seemingly beautiful queen who is actually a serpent in disguise. This book is easy to read and is filled with adventure as well as one of the themes of it is that good does eventually triumph over evil. This book is another one of this author's favorites as well as one of her children's.

3. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving - This classic short story tells of the arrival of Ichabod Crane in the community of Sleepy Hollow as well as his frightening meeting with the headless horseman and his mysterious disappearance afterwards. This tale is a scary account that this author has enjoyed since her childhood and has shared it with her children who also find it intriguing.

4. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne - This literary classic is set in Salem, Massachusetts and describes the story of the Pyncheon family who reside in a house that was cursed by the victim of their ancestor Colonel Pyncheon's witch hunt, Matthew Maule. Mr. Hawthorne has a way with the English language, and this book is a must read for those who love haunting tales.

5. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare - This winner of the John Newberry Medal tells the story of Kit Tyler, a young woman from the Caribbean island of Barbados, and her experiences in the Conneticut Colony during the late 1600's. She befriends a mysterious old woman commonly known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and when their friendship is discovered, Kit is accused of being involved in witchcraft. This book illustrates how true friendship endures even under persecution and how appearances are not always what they seem. This author plans to share this book with her own children this month.

6. Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara - This historical novel deals with the Civil War and picks up where the book The Killer Angels leaves off. It covers the battles of Williamsburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville and gives insight into what the individuals on both sides would have felt and been like. This author highly recommends this literary piece and is still impressed with the author's ability to portray the characters as simply being human.

7. Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam - This memoir by Mr. Hickam, a retired NASA engineer, tells of the fulfillment of his dream to design, build, and launch his own rocket in spite of the odds against him. This inspiring story encourages one to reach for the stars and to believe that one's dreams really are within his or her reach. In addition to this fact, this book holds special significance to this article's author, for she has had the pleasure of being acquainted with the niece of Mr. Hickam.

8. The Sixth Sense by M. Night Shyamalan - This chilling account of nine-year-old Cole Sear who has the uncanny ability of seeing people who are deceased and Malcolm Crowe, the child psychologist who tries to help him and has issues of his own, brings together the supernatural with the psychological to form a masterful piece of work with a twist at the end. This book which is also a film is a long-time favorite of this author's, but it is not recommended for younger readers or viewers due to the unsettling subject matter.

9. Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1)by Christopher Paolini - This captivating book is a favorite of this author as well as of her children and tells the story of Eragon, a young farm boy, who unknowingly finds a dragon's egg in the forest and eventually becomes a dragon rider who seeks to overthrow the evil reign of Galbatorix. Mr. Paolini is an excellent writer who is very descriptive, and the book keeps one's attention well. In addition to the quality of this novel, the author of the article is especially fond of it due to the fact that Mr. Paolini was a homeschooler at the time that he wrote Eragon.

10. Lord Brocktreeby Brian Jacques - This is the 13th book in Jacques' Redwall series and is loaded with action as are the other books. This work of fiction deals with the battle for Salamandastron, the mountainous home of many heroic animals. Lord Brocktree is the greatest badger lord of all who has been summoned to come and fight against Ungatt Trunn, a ferocious wildcat, and his evil minions. This article's author enjoys the Redwall series almost as much as her children do. Mr. Jacques writes in such a way that young and adult readers alike enjoy his works.