Our local independent bookstore experts suggest—in their own well-chosen words—favorite fall reads for both adults and kids.

Books Inc., 1760 Fourth St., Berkeley, (510) 525-7777; booksinc.net/berkeley.

For adults:

A Family of Readers: The Book Lover’s Guide to Children’s and Young Adult Literature edited by Roger Sutton and Martha V. Parravano. The smart parent’s guide to the wonderfully fantastical world of children’s and young adult literature from the editors of The Horn Book Magazine. Full of essays from the likes of Jon Scieszka, Maurice Sendak, and Lois Lowry, reading this book will help you raise a better human.

The New York Times Presents Smarter by Sunday: 52 Weekends of Essential Knowledge for the Curious Mind. Let’s face it. Your kid is smarter than you are. Read this book to keep that fact from them for just a little bit longer.

For kids:

Marshall Armstrong Is New to Our School by David Mackintosh. Marshall is a boy straight out of a Wes Anderson film and doesn’t fit in in the slightest. That is, until everyone goes over to his house and discovers how totally awesome he is. This charming book illustrates how rewarding accepting the strange and unpopular new kid can be.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes. Going to school for the first time is a big deal and it is making Wemberly, well, worried. Her parents tell her not to worry, but she can’t help it. When the big day comes, though, Wemberly makes a friend and soon she can’t wait to get back to school.

Amelia’s Middle School Survival Guide by Marissa Moss. Do not even think about starting middle school without this book. It’s full of useful information, unforgettable embarrassing moments, gossip, and more. Plus, it comes with an eraser.

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Diesel, A Bookstore in Oakland, 5433 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 653-9965; dieselbookstore.com

For adults:

Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. After dropping the kids off at school, we can’t think of a better read to get one in the school spirit than Geraldine Brooks’s latest historical novel, Caleb’s Crossing. The novel is set in the 17th century, when Harvard University was being established as one of the first schools of higher learning in the United States. It focuses on the life of a young Native American man named Caleb, from the Wampanoag tribe on Martha’s Vineyard, who was the first Native American to attend and graduate from Harvard. Brooks has written a beautiful story of love and family tradition that is also rich in cultural and historical detail.

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang and Thien Pham. In this new graphic novel from Gene Yang, the author of American Born Chinese, Dennis Ouyang is on the fast track to doctorhood—that is, until everything begins to unravel. Soon, he’s being visited regularly by four angels, who may not be as benevolent as they claim to be. Recommended for fans of Bryan Lee O’Malley and Marjane Satrapi, or for anyone who’s ever been tempted away from what they should be doing by the digital world—and who hasn’t? Some adult themes, but suitable for ages 14 and up.

For kids:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Jacob is a 16-year-old suburban kid who hates his job, is indifferent about his parents, but loves his grandfather. The old man used to tell Jacob fantastic stories of his peculiar childhood, stories that Jacob loved but always suspected were fabricated. But after a family tragedy sends Jacob to a small island off the coast of Wales, he begins to realize that, incredibly, his grandfather’s stories are quite literally true. More importantly, Jacob discovers that his previous, all-too-ordinary existence was, all along, anything but, and that he may be the most peculiar one of all. A quirky fantasy, lovingly told and very well constructed. Ages 14 and up.

How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills. Tad Hills’s picture book, How Rocket Learned To Read, is an absolute gem. Rocket, who is a little black and white spotted dog, just can’t wait until he is able to read all on his own. His enthusiasm and excitement about finding someone who is willing to teach him to read is definitely catching, and the adorable illustrations only enhance the story, guaranteeing that this book will become a favorite for parents and early readers alike. Ages preschool to second grade.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. If you thought high school was bad, try being 16 in Panem, forced into a futuristic battle-to-the-death with 23 of your peers while the nation sits idly by—watching the “games” on television. This is the first book in a trilogy that’s smart, entertaining, and a fairly apt metaphor for what it feels like to be an American teenager. Ages 13 and up.

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Laurel Book Store, 4100 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, (510) 531-2073; laurelbookstore.com

For adults:

Every year the questions are going to get harder and more complex. We suggest you put these two in your home library and bone up while the kids are at school.

The New Way Things Work: From Levers to Lasers, Windmills to Web Sites, A Visual Guide to the World of Machines by David Macaulay. It doesn’t get any more informative and basic than that.

Look Now: The World in Facts, Stats and Graphics from Dorling Kindersley. From weather to flags of countries to space to world markets, this will give you plenty to help answer questions like how much of the planet is land? Which countries are in the European Union?

For kids:

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. When Chester the raccoon is reluctant to start kindergarten, his mother gives him a secret way to carry her love with him.

One by Kathryn Otoshi. When the colors cannot get along, One shows all the colors how to stand up, stand together, and count. This is the book to start the discussion about how everyone has worth and deserves respect. It can help prevent bullying before it gets started.

The Family by Todd Parr. Kids just starting school are going to meet a wide variety of new friends. This is a great way to help them recognize and appreciate differences.

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Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore, 2904 College Ave., Berkeley, (510) 704-8222; mrsdalloways.com

For adults:

Letting Go: A Parents’ Guide to Understanding the College Years by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger. The gearing up for college is intense and the transition for students and parents can be challenging. In the fifth edition of this book, the authors—both associated with Washington University—provide valuable insights into the psychology of late adolescence and the challenges that college students face. This book is reassuring and comforting and guaranteed to reduce your anxiety. For parents of high school juniors, seniors, and college students.

For kids:

Everything I Need to Know Before I’m Five by Valorie Fisher. Award-winning author/illustrator Valorie Fisher uses vibrant, quirky photos of retro dime-store toys to present the alphabet, numbers, and basic concepts, such as shapes, colors and seasons, in a fresh and funny way. Fun book for preschoolers. Ages 2-5

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin. Pete the Cat is back with a new pair of shoes. This time he’s off to school, singing and grooving, and having an all around fine day. If you know someone feeling a little unsure about school, this might help calm first-day jitters. Ages 2-6.

Back to School Tortoise by Lucy M. George. It’s time to go back to school but Tortoise is worried. What if he falls down? What if he doesn’t like lunch? What if the kids are mean to him? The perfect back-to-school book about being brave, with a surprise twist at the end. For reluctant school-goers, and nervous first-time teachers. Ages 3-6.

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt. Not your typical back-to-school story, but one of my favorites so far this year. Fourteen-year-old Doug Swieteck is the new kid in town with no friends, a bullying older brother, passive mother, and abusive father, As he tries to fit in to his new school, Doug struggles to be more than the loser that his father, teachers and the police assume him to be. He finds refuge and inspiration in an unlikely place: the public library, and the display of John James Audubon’s bird paintings. Beautifully written, funny and heartwrenching. Schmidt won a Newbery Honor for Wednesday Wars. Ages 12 and up.

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Pegasus Books, 5560 College Ave., Oakland, (510) 652-6259; pegasusbookstore.com

For adults:

Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea by Alice Waters. With photography and prose, this book chronicles the transformation of one abandoned plot of land at a Berkeley public school into the Edible Schoolyard—a model for institutions everywhere, including the White House.

The Empty Family by Colm Tóibín. Tóibín is an expert at getting inside the minds of characters who are taking a long, hard look back. The people he writes about are not reeling from immediate heartbreak; they have been sitting with the hard facts of loss long enough to come to understand something about themselves, or possibly the world, or possibly beauty. The gift of The Empty Family, though, is that after the night comes the dawn, in the form of “The Street,” a fresh, exhilarating love story that will fill you with hope while keeping your feet on the ground.

For kids:

The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science by Sean Connolly. More than just a blow-things-up science fair project book, this book describes important historical discoveries and gives you an experiment to illustrate the principles. And of course there’s risk involved for maximum fun.

Miss Mingo and the First Day of School by Jamie Harper. Miss Mingo’s students include a hippo, a snake, and a narwhal. When she asks them to share what makes them unique they learn to appreciate their classmates’ differences. A sweet and whimsical book.

Follow the Line to School by Laura Ljungkvist. Follow the line from classroom to art room to cafeteria to playground and you’ll appreciate the colorful, inspiring, playful details of school. The art in this book is outstanding.