Sturdy for Common Things

Favorite Children’s Books about Spring

The crocuses have bloomed, the birds are singing, the sun is rising earlier each day– Signs of spring are everywhere! The first official day of the spring season, the Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinox, is just around the corner and there are so many terrific kids books to  welcome the new season. My autumn booklist and winter booklists were a bit on the looong side, so in attempt to break them down a bit this will be more of a general “all things spring” booklist. In the following weeks, I’ll follow up with lists that tie-in with the season such as weather, ponds and wetlands, gardens, bugs, etc. If you have a springy booklist suggestion, please let me know!

 

BOOKS ABOUT SPRING & SPRING EQUINOX
Mostly nonfiction books about the Spring Equinox and what happens during the spring season in nature and culturally in the northern hemisphere.

A New Beginning: Celebrating the Spring Equinox by Wendy Pfeffer, illustrated by Linda Bleck
What Happens in Spring? by Sara L. Latta
Sorting Through Spring by Lizann Flatt
Butterfly Birthday by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Mark Jones
Everything Spring by Jill Esbaum
A Kid’s Spring Ecojournal by Toni Albert, illustrated by Margaret Brandt

 

SPRINGTIME STORIES
Picture books about the joys, surprises, and wonders of spring.

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Mud by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Abracadabra, It’s Spring! by Anne Sibley O’Brien, illustrated by Susan Gal
Crinkle, Crackle, Crack: It’s Spring! by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by John Shelley
When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure
Spring Thaw by Steven Schnur
It’s Spring! by Susan Swan, illustrated by Linda Glasser
Spring Song by Barbara Seuling

 

SPRING BIRDS
Birds are very busy in the spring. They’re migrating south and building nest for their new family. These are a few books that highlight birds in spring.

Cold Little Duck, Duck, Duck by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Sam Williams
My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Harlow Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell
When Blue Met Egg by Lindsay Ward
Forever Friends by Carin Berger
The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman
Riki’s Birdhouse by Monica Wellington

 

MAPLE SYRUP SEASON
In the spring, the maple trees come alive again. When temperatures get warmer, stored starch turns to sugar and then sugaring season begins.

Maple Syrup Season by Ann Purmell, illustrated by Jill Weber
Ininatig’s Gift of Sugar: Traditional Native Sugarmaking by Laura Waterman Wittstock
The Sugaring Off Party by Jonathan London, illustrated by Gilles Pelletier
Sugarbush Spring by Marsha Wilson Chall, illustrated by Jim Daly
Sugaring by Jessie Haas
Sugaring Time by Kathryn Lasky

 

VINTAGE SPRINGTIME FAVORITES
Timeless spring picture books that are at least 30 years old that you’ll enjoy reading time and time again.

The Happy Day by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Marc Simont
The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers
The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent
The Boy Who Didn’t Believe in Spring by Lucille Clifton, Brinton Turkle
Spring Story by Jill Barklem

 

SPRING POETRY
Poetry books especially for the spring season.

Laughing Tomatoes: And Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risuenos: Y Otros Poemas de Primavera by Francisco X. Alacon, May Christina Gonzalez
Handsprings by Douglas Florian
Flower Fairies of the Spring by Cicely Mary Barker

 

SPRING BOOKS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
Springtime books for littles! Kids ages 0-2 will take pleasure in these reads.

A Nest in Springtime: A Mandarin Chinese-English bilingual book of numbers by Belle Yang
Spring by Gerda Muller
Mouse’s First Spring by Lauren Thompson, illustrator Bauket Erdogan
Spring is Here by Taro Gomi
It’s Spring! by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
In the Spring by Craig McFarland Brown
Kitten’s Spring by Eugenie Fernades

 

I’m thinking about making the next book list about either the WEATHER or WETLANDS. If you have a preference, let me know! Other booklist suggestions are welcome as well!

Happy Spring!