Happy first day of spring! I do not care what the calendar says or what the moon cycle dictates or that we will very likely have snow again before the flowers bloom. Today is the first day of spring and nobody can tell me differently. Again, it will snow again but today is the day I switch over the inside of our house from winter to spring. Inside my house I no longer tolerate any pictures of snow or snowmen or winter scents even though I accept that outside my house I will likely still be wearing my winter coat for awhile. The weather contains multitudes. In a single week.
Last year I did a post about all the switches I made around our house on or about March 1st and I'll be doing as many of those as I can fit into today! Always one of the first things I switch out is our seasonal book basket. I have all my seasonal and holiday books (50% of those are Christmas) in one location in my office (although we are swiftly outgrowing that...) and this is one of the easiest switches to make! I do not own nearly all of these but I will pull out the ones we have and pack away the winter ones for another 10 months! Seasonal picture books have become such a constant in our lives the past few years and it's wonderful to have a good rotation of those that we read annually, both that we own and (mostly) from the library!
Here are 12 great picture books to get you started thinking about spring!
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And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
This is one of my favorites, a boy and his dog have had enough of winter (I can relate) and are not so patiently waiting on spring so they can plant their garden. They wait. And they wait. And there is snow and cold. They keep waiting. And THEN, all of a sudden, it's spring. Perfectly encapsulates that long way through March and into April for the weather to consistently feel like spring!
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak
There are 3 books in this seasonal transition series (just not spring-summer which is probably the easiest of all the season transitions) and they are all gorgeous and perfect. Another young boy and his dog say goodbye to all the parts of winter as they welcome spring!
Mel Fell by Corey Tabor
There is NOTHING about this book that says "spring!" but it feels spring to me and it was one of my favorites last year because I just thought it was so clever and charming. A young kingfisher seems to be falling out of her nest and many animals below her on the tree try to help save her. But she wasn't falling, she knew what she was doing the whole time. This is on my Thriftbooks list to buy when I can find it used!
Rain by Sam Usher
This is part of another series about each of the seasons and, appropriately, the spring one is about rain. Because spring has a lot of rain, at least here. A young boy with an imagination and his Grandpa that imagines with him. Minimal words but it gets the story across and the pictures are great.
When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
There is one of these for many of the seasons and I just love them all, celebrating a new season and putting away the previous one! Very simple text but illustrates what is beautiful about spring!
Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson
This was HUGE favorite of Sam's last spring, perfect for a new 3 year old who loved interacting with books (and still does but we haven't gotten it yet this year). There is a seed to plant, then you have to water it and wish for sun and then deadhead the flowers. It was great practice for what we needed to do when we actually had a garden, even if it maybe taught him to be a little too scissor happy with my flowers.
Little Blue Truck's Springtime by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Sam's birthday is at the beginning of March and we gave this one to him for maybe his 1st birthday and then it's gotten A LOT of reading every spring since. None of the Little Blue Truck books measure up to the first two but I do appreciate these seasonal ones for celebrating special times of year, even if they don't have quite the wonderful lessons as those first too. When we start reading this at the beginning of March all the colors seem too good to be true but then they all DO show up eventually!
Hello, Rain! by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Chris Turnham
Spring brings rain and so part of enjoying spring is being able to tolerate the rain! The rain helps our flowers bloom and my kids LOVE pulling out their umbrellas and rain boots (rain boots get worn nearly year-round here). Helps me appreciate the good about a spring rain instead of just focusing on the mud!
The Forever Garden by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Samantha Cotterill
This isn't particularly spring but I consider many garden books to be spring books which is how this one sneaks in! Honey takes great care of her garden with the help of her young neighbor, Laurel. Laurel learns about weeding and planting and picking and gathering eggs. Then Honey moves away and Laurel wonders what is going to happen to this magical garden!
The Song of Spring by Hendrik Jonas
Charming pictures about a young bird who forgets what sound to make in the spring. He tries out other animals sounds but none of them are quite right for the bird! How will the bird find a bird friend if he can't make the right sound?!?
William Wakes Up by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Chuck Groenink
William and his animal friends have been sleeping all winter (doesn't sound like a horrible idea) but now they have a lot to do to get ready for their special guest! Cleaning and decorating and baking as they wait for those first warm days of spring!
Flowers are Calling by Rita Gray, illustrated by Kenard Pak
The flowers are calling to the animals in the forest but it's the bees and bugs that are coming to eat their nectar! Gorgeous pictures and showing the cooperation of many living things to be in harmony together!
If you have any spring favorite we'd love to hear them! Happy ALMOST spring!
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