Spring Picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. These titles can be found on my Amazon Storefront under Spring Picture Books– https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/2OKAJW5CPU53W?ref_=aipsflist )
❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗
Consider the Lilies
by Jennifer Grant (Author), Julianna Swaney (Illustrator)
Summary: Young readers will journey through a spring day noticing the various colors of the flowers and the insects that like to visit them. Readers are gently encouraged to notice the colorful wonders of the natural world around them.
Comments: This soothing story is written in rhyming couplets and is the second book of the Consider series. The text was inspired by the biblical passages of Luke 12 and Matthew 6. The illustrations were created digitally.
This would be a lovely read-loud to share in a parochial school setting or at home to discuss spring, colors in nature, different flowers, or a metaphor of how God takes care of the flowers and you.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
It’s Spring!
by Renée Kurilla (Author)
Summary: This story follows a group of children as they experience the changes of winter to spring such as splashing in the rain, flying kites, and growing a garden. They celebrate Easter traditions, Passover seder, and Mother’s Day.
Comments: The illustrations are whimsical and created with Adobe Photoshop. The story is written in a cheerful rhyming text.
This would make a fun read-aloud as it is full of seasonal vocabulary to pair with a spring unit of seasonal changes and spring holiday traditions.
This is the third of the Celebrate the Seasons series.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
A Fluffle of Bunnies
by Christie Matheson (Author)
Summary: A scurry of squirrels are concerned about a gray rabbit that used to be in the field. They go throughout the field asking the creatures if they have seen her. The bears know the answer.
Comments: This is a wonderful introduction to collective nouns in this spring-inspired story. This could be an interactive read-aloud where the reader asks the children where they think the bunny went while learning animal group names.
The back section has the collective nouns used in the story with short explanations.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Yaya and the Sea
by Karen Good Marable (Author), Tonya Engel (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Yaya and her mother take the subway to meet her mother’s friends and go to the sea for their annual spring equinox prayer to Mama Ocean.
Comments: The book is based on the author’s true story. The Author’s Note explains the ritual and symbolism of the objects offered to the sea.
The illustrations were created with acrylic underpainting and finished with oils on primed archival paper.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Don’t Touch that Flower!
by Alice Hemming (Author), Nicola Slater (Illustrator)
Summary: Squirrel wakes from spring to find a new flower growing. He decides to protect it by not allowing any water to get on it, from bees landing on the pedals, and even, putting it under a bucket.
Bird educates Squirrel about his good intentions is harming the flower instead.
Comments: A humorous read aloud.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Spring (Seasons of the Year)
by Karen Bischer (Author)
Summary: This nonfiction picture books explores how Nature comes back alive after winter–farmers are plowing, flowers are blooming, and animals are waking up.
Comments: This is a season series.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Spring Sings for the Grouchy Ladybug
by Eric Carle (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: The grouchy ladybug wakes to find the beauty of spring around her–bees, flowers, and the warmth of the sun.
Comments: Illustrated with bright colors and collage.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Moomin and the Spring Surprise
by Tove Jansson (Author)
Summary: Moomintroll wakes up before spring and goes outside to investigate while the rest of his family is inside still hibernating. Too-Ticky usually wakes the family when spring arrives. What will he find?
Comments: This is a season series.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Nothing Ever Happens on a Gray Day
by Grant Snider (Author
Brief summary: As Fall slowly turns towards Winter, a girl rides her bike through her gray neighborhood, crunching through the fallen leaves to the playground, where she goes on a Nature walk into the woods nearby, seeing more and more colors as she explores.
Comments: This is a quiet story of a girl’s solitude and exploring the world around her area. In its conclusion, we can see how her gray day becomes full of colors.
The front end papers feature gray/blue fallen leaves, and the back end papers feature bright yellow/orange leaves visually representing the picture book’s changing mood and color scheme throughout the story.
This is a perfect read-aloud for young ones.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Together with You
by Patricia Toht (Author), Jarvis (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A grandmother and her grandchild put on rain gear to play in Spring’s rain. Summer arrives with them cooling off from the hot sun. Autumn brings the wind they need to fly a kite and enjoy the falling leaves. Winter comes with them getting cozy and watching the snow from inside. Each season is spent with one another.
The seasonal color schemes go in hand with this gentle and calming book that blends from one season to the next.
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
When Spring Comes (My Favorite Season, 1)
by Ekaterina Trukhan (Illustrator)
Summary: A young girl enjoys the coming of spring. She sees the flowers, rain, and baby animals and is excited to celebrate the new season.
Comments: Told through the eyes of the little girl.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Hedgehog’s Home for Spring (Clever Storytime)
by Elena Ulyeva (Author), Clever Publishing (Author), Daria Parkhaeva (Illustrator)
Summary: Hedgehog wakes from his winter nap and wakes up in spring. Although it is around him in the forest, he is not seeing the melted snow, blooming flowers, or leaves on the tree. He continues throughout the forest until he feels spring.
Comments: This is a seasons series. Each one has facts about the season and a craft in the back.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Grumpy Monkey Spring Fever
by Suzanne Lang (Author), Max Lang (Illustrator)
Summary: Jim Panzee wakes up full of energy and is diagnosed by Norman to have spring fever. His friends suggests ways for him to calm down, but nothing works. He instead decides to be happy and enjoy his spring energy.
Comments: Humorous read aloud. Has helpful ways that students could use to calm oneself when overly excited while learning to embrace it.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Spring Parade: A Picture Book (Seasonal Parade)
by Camelia Kay (Author), Allyn Howard (Illustrator)
Summary: A little gray bunny comes out and begins to enjoy that spring is blooming. Soon the other animals begin to follow, creating a parade.
Comments: The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. I enjoy stopping at each page.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Something on the Hill
by Jane Kohuth (Author), Sonia Sanchez (Illustrator)
Summary: Field Mouse wakes up and feels that something has changed. She begins her climb up the hill gathering more forest friends to join her.
Comments: I thought this book sparked curiosity and prediction skills, making it a choice for comprehension lessons.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Little Seasons: Spring Seeds
by Mirka Hokkanen (Author, Illustrator)
Summary: A humorous nonfiction picture book examining how seeds live underground, sprout, and come to the top to keep growing.
Comments: Back pages have activities. Great book for young ones to learn about gardening.
Rating 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Brown Bears (Nature Storybooks)
by Dr. Nick Crumpton (Author)
Summary: This narrative nonfiction picture book is about a mama brown bear waking from winter hibernation. She takes her two cubs around the forest teaching foraging for food, climbing up trees, and fishing in the water so that they will be independent and be able to survive on their own.
Comments: This takes place in Alaska. Wonderful illustrations.
The author is a zoologist.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
An Earth Song (Petite Poems)
by Langston Hughes (Author), Tequitia Andrews (Illustrator)
Summary: This is based on the classic Langston Hughes poem. A child wakes up and enjoys the season changing from winter to spring symbolizing hope and change.
Comments: The poem and brief bio of the poet is in the back.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
The Spring Book
by Todd Parr (Author)
Summary: Animals wake up from hibernation to see that spring is here. Each of the spring holidays are briefly covered with fun and humor.
Comments: This is in the signature Todd Parr’s style of bright and playful illustrations.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Waiting for Hanami
by J.P. Takahashi (Author), HifuMiyo (Illustrator)
Summary: Cousins, Sai and Avi, meet for the first time in person at the big family gathering during the cherry blossom festival, hanami.
Comments: This is a wonderful books to examine how cultures can merge and celebrate together.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
Love and Hugs: Spring
by Tracey Colliston (Author)
Summary: Rabbit and Mouse notice signs of spring, like newborns, sprouts, and rain in the forest.
Comments: A delightful book with gentle and charming watercolor illustrations.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
This is part of a Love and Hugs season series.
Escargot and the Search for Spring
by Dashka Slater (Author), Sydney Hanson (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Escargot, a French snail, is feeling ennui, which is a sense of boredom with everything around him. He wants to go outside to search for signs of spring. A friendly white bunny follows him, trying to make friends with Escargot, although the snail doesn’t initially reciprocate.
Comments: There are a few French words included in the text. I could entertain myself by reading it with a French accent.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
There are other Escargot books in this series.
A Place for Rain
by Michelle Schaub (Author), Blanca Gómez (Illustrator)
Brief summary: In this book of rhyming lyrics, young readers will learn where the rain goes during a flood. The students at school are taught how to place a barrel beneath a spout and how to create a path for overflow.
Comments: Learn how to create a rain barrel garden with native plants that thrive in excess water.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Bear Finds Eggs
by Karma Wilson (Author), Jane Chapman (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Bear is walking through Strawberry Vale, searching for eggs and leaving small presents in the nests. Meadowlark has noticed that all of her eggs are missing, so the forest creatures come together to help her find the brown eggs. They paint the eggs as they search, making them easier to spot.
Comments: The book features stunning acrylic illustrations that span across two pages.
In rhyming text.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
If you enjoyed this book, there are many more in the Bear series.
Sister Spring
by James Christopher Carroll (Author, Illustrator). Publisher : Creative Editions . 2023. K-2. Hardcover. ISBN-13 : 978-1568463841.
Brief summary: A young woman, Sister Spring, comes up from inside the earth and brings the daffodils, the rain, peepers, and all of the spring elements of Nature. A beautifully illustrated picture book with spring colors.
Teachers could include this book when studying personification.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
For more details or to buy, please go to this book’s Amazon page.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a certified, retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.