Everybody has a job to do and Scarecrow's job is, well... to scare crows! Everyone knows to stay out of his way until one day, all alone in the field, something strange happens that changes Scarecrow's life forever. The Scarecrow (HarperCollins, $18.99) is a sweet and beautiful story written by Beth Ferry and partnered with the realistic and fantastical illustrations of The Fan Brothers about kindness, friendship and devotion even when times are hard. This new tale is perfect for readers who love the classics while also drawing in new readers for lessons that never get old. Ages 4-6. Emily Griswold

With evocative passages by Ralph Fletcher and full page oil painting pictures by Kate Kiesler, Hello, Harvest Moon (HMH, $7.99) invites readers into a magical moonbeam-drenched world.  Following the few people and creatures out on such a night this picture book delights with a story about the beauty of nature--from baby turtles making their way across beaches to geese starting their long trek south. The reminder of the mysterious whispers of the harvest moon makes a great fall read. Ages 4-7. Heidi Ashton Yoon

Living in poverty in a crumbling castle in rural England, 17-year-old Cassandra Mortmain is desperate for something to happen. Chaos ensues when two wealthy American men inherit a nearby property and befriend the eccentric Mortmain family. An aspiring writer, Cassandra records her life in a series of uproarious journal entries. Dodie Smith’s brisk prose is almost unbearably insightful—it is as if she pulls Cassandra’s anxieties and epiphanies straight from readers’ minds. Tender and uniquely hilarious, I Capture the Castle (St. Martin’s Griffin, $16.99) will resonate with anyone trying to figure out how to live fully in the world while writing truthfully about it. Ages 13 and up. Elli Bloomberg