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“LaRocca’s story is well paced and realistic…Alwar’s scribbly illustrations brim with chaotic, humorous details that add a perfectly calibrated lightness to the earnest text…An emotionally honest and lovingly rendered take on the highs and lows of friendship.”

—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“While this follow-up checks all of the boxes for a lively back-to-school book, addressing the fun and fears that children navigate in autumn, it is also a relatable story about navigating friendship that can be useful all year long…Ravi, Ellie and Joe are likable characters that young readers can readily identify with, and Fall Is for Beginnings is chock-full of humor, heart and soul.”

—BookPage, Starred Review

Fall Is for Beginnings

Written by Rajani LaRocca
Illustrated by Abhi Alwar
Published by Harry N. Abrams

Ravi can’t wait for the start of the new school year! Fall is for cool weather, new school supplies, and spending time with his best friend, Joe. But when a new girl named Ellie joins their class, Ravi and Joe’s duo suddenly becomes a trio.

Ravi’s not so sure about Ellie—she plays her horn too loud in music lessons and gets them lost on the way to class. Worst of all, she keeps saying she’s Joe and Ravi’s best friend.

All these big changes are challenging for Ravi, but with time (and a little help from his wise older sister) he realizes that fall is the perfect time to begin a new friendship.

From the award-winning team behind Summer Is for Cousins, this heartwarming picture book all about back-to-school fun celebrates the (sometimes complicated) joy of making new friends.

Primary ISBN: 9781419777400
Publication Date: August 2025
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

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Setting: Unspecified

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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