Spring is here, and whether you live in the desert or the chilly mountains, lots of changes are afoot. Here are ten picture books about spring that will get your young children excited about the changing seasons!
And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano
In that period of time between the snow and the new growth of spring, the land is brown and seemingly barren. And Then It’s Spring explores that in-between time after the thaw, as a young boy plants seeds and watches the ground turn a more hopeful shade of brown.
Spring Is Here by Taro Gomi
Taro Gomi is most famous for Everyone Poops, but Spring Is Here is just as good. Through simple illustrations and quietly poetic prose, Gomi captures the essence of each season, ending with a lovely and surprising image of spring.
When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes
In When Spring Comes, Kevin Henkes takes young children on a tour of what happens in the very early days of spring, from the trees looking like “black sticks against the sky” to snowmen gradually melting into puddles. All of Henkes’ books are playful and full of heart, and this one is no exception.
Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel
Only one of the stories in Frog and Toad All Year is about spring, but it’s worth it. In this classic book, Frog and Toad explore every season of the year, getting into ice cream mishaps and struggling with puffy winter coats. In “The Corner,” Frog tells Toad all about where he learned to find spring.
Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh (This is How I Know: A Book About the Seasons) by Brittany Luby
Mii maanda ezhi-gkendmaanh / This is How I Know, written in both Anishinaabemowin and English, explores all the signs that each season has arrived, encouraging young readers to look around them and notice how the world subtly changes throughout the year. Like Frog And Toad All Year, only one section of this book is about spring, but it’s a beautiful exploration of the seasons.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Nothing says springtime like ducklings, and Robert McCloskey’s classic story about a new family of ducks in Boston captures all the whimsy of the seasons. In Make Way for Ducklings, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard travel through Boston trying to find the perfect home for their babies.
Garden Time: A Book of Plants and Gardening for Kids by Jill McDonald
Jill McDonald’s Garden Time uses cheerful illustrations and simple sentences to teach toddlers and preschoolers about the basics of gardening.
Five Tough and Tiny Seeds by Steve Metzger
Sung to the tune of “Five Little Speckled Frogs,” Five Tough and Tiny Seeds tells the story of five different flower seeds all ready to sprout. As they each fly off in the wind and find their niche, young readers get to see what kind of flower each seed becomes. This book hasn’t gotten as much attention as some of the other books on the list, but my kids love it.
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak
Kenard Pak has written books about the transitions of each season, and in Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring, he explores the gradual shift from snowy landscapes to spring flowers.
Bloom Boom! by April Pulley Sayre
California is known for its super blooms, and Bloom Boom! celebrates the explosions of wildflowers that occur across deserts and woodlands. Although this book holds a special place in the hearts of Californian parents like me, its vivid photographs and simple prose make it a good choice for parents anywhere.
