The Best Scarecrow Books for Kids to Read This Fall

Autumn is the perfect time to read about scarecrows with your preschoolers. This collection of scarecrow books for kids is a great place to start!

I’ve never actually built a scarecrow. I buy mine at the store. But, I love doing scarecrow activities with kids. And, reading scarecrow picture books is a lot of fun in the fall.

The picture books featured below are so much fun for kids. Reading stories about scarecrows may inspire your little ones to try making one of their own.

Scarecrow Books for Kids

Fill your book basket with these fun scarecrow books! Most of these books can be found at your library or used bookstore.

If you have a hard time finding them, you can order the books from Amazon by clicking the images or links below.

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves! | That wild old lady is back swallowing fall-themed items. What can you make from leaves, clothes, a pumpkin, and rope? That’s right, a scarecrow!

The Scarecrow | It sure is dull staring at endless fields of corn all day, but it’s worse if you’re a scarecrow! Fuzzy Fred might be scary on the outside, but all he really wants is a friend. But with a head stuffed with straw and wooden pegs for fingers, Fuzzy Fred may be too good at scaring people; and with no one to talk to, what’s a scarecrow to do?

The Silly Scarecrow | Is there something scary in the fields at Mountainview Farms? Or is it something silly instead?

Scarecrows | In fall, scarecrows stand in the fields. See how these symbols of fall make it a fun season.

Six Crows | While a farmer tends his field of wheat, six hungry crows watch and wait in a nearby tree. When the wheat ripens, the farmer builds a scarecrow to frighten them off, but these ingenious crows are not so easily scared.

Once Upon a Pumpkin Patch | Once a Pumpkin Patch is a Halloween story about a friendly scarecrow and his adventures as he meets new friends in his pursuit to become a real boy.

Scarecrow! | Each page of this Word by Word First Reader has just one word, so readers can read and enjoy this funny story about a scarecrow.

The Lonely Scarecrow | A lonely scarecrow with a scary face has trouble making friends with the animals who surround him, until a heavy snowfall transforms him into a jolly snowman

The Scarecrow’s Dance | Jane Yolen introduces us to the fickle scarecrow, who decides to leave his station and dance away the fall night. He leaps through the fields until he reaches the farmhouse, where he sees a small light in the window. Inside, a boy is saying his prayers, and he offers up a special prayer for the corn that will be harvested in the morning. Humbled, the scarecrow knows what he has to do: He returns to the field and watches over the corn as only he can.

Otis and the Scarecrow | On the farm where Otis the tractor lives, the farmer has introduced someone new—a scarecrow to shoo away the pesky crows. But when Otis and the animals greet the scarecrow with friendly smiles, the scarecrow’s frown never leaves his face. So everyone leaves him alone.

The Little Scarecrow Boy | This treasured picture book tells the tale of a little scarecrow boy and the lessons he learns from his scarecrow father about the world—until he decides to test his knowledge and himself.

Scarecrow Pete | A friendly scarecrow with a suitcase encourages a young child to read, and together they explore such classics as “Moby Dick” and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Told in rhyming verse.

Scarecrow | Scarecrows. They perch high above gardens and fields, with borrowed coats and button eyes and pie-pan hands that glint in the sun. What else is there to know about them?

The Scarecrow’s Hat | A resourceful chicken seeks the help of her farm animal friends to solve a problem, while giving something of herself along the way. Chicken really admires Scarecrow’s hat. Scarecrow would gladly trade his hat for a walking stick to rest his tired arms. Chicken doesn’t have a walking stick to trade, but she knows someone who does. Thus begins her quest to find items to trade among her farm friends, all to obtain a walking stick to swap for Scarecrow’s hat. But why does Chicken want an old straw hat?

Scaredy Crow | Scaredycrow is a scarecrow with a big problem. He’s scared of EVERYTHING! He’s scared of the crows that fly by in the day. He’s scared of the bats that swoop down in the night. He’s scared of the barnyard animals, too. And the feeling is mutual! The crows, the bats, and other barnyard friends are all terribly afraid of the lonely, little scarecrow out in the field.

Which of these children’s books about scarecrows will you read first?

ROUND OUT YOUR SCARECROW UNIT WITH THESE ACTIVITIES

When you add a scarecrow pretend mask to your dress-up box, your kids will spend hours acting out their favorite scarecrow stories.

If you’re short on time and still want to provide some craft time for your preschoolers, you could give them this scarecrow craft kit complete with glue and pre-cut shapes.

Are you looking for a fun way to work on letter recognition and CVC words this fall? Add these scarecrow-themed CVC word mats are just what you need!

This engaging beginning sounds scarecrow activity will get your preschoolers motivated to learn their sounds and letters.