5 Cozy Spring, Cottage-core Kids' Books
+ Lessons learned from winter
Is it spring where you are (or perhaps autumn if you’re in the southern hemisphere)? Spring is blinking her eyes open where I am and slowly but surely the temperatures are easing (a little too lazily for my liking!) their way up.
A few reflections about winter (and then I promise you won’t hear me gripe about it until the end of the year!):
This was a doozy of a winter—everyone got sick; I was sick for 3 weeks!
The cake-a-thon just… died… After being sick for so long, I’ve been spending time catching up which means, unfortunately, the cake-a-thon was the first to go to my husband and kid’s dismay.
Check your vitamins. I’ve been trying to stay on top of my Vitamin D (apparently you should start taking it late summer so your stores are nice and ready for peak grey of winter). But also, in a surprise twist, my Vitamin B12 was not looking good (more like, terrible) and since I’ve started taking it, I feel like a brand-new person.
Accepting that I am never going to be someone who works out during the winter. There is not a single bone in my body that is interested in emerging from my warm little cocoon to work out. I am a mammal of the hibernating variety.
Nonetheless, I’m thrilled to introduce a new slate of seasonal books. If you enjoyed wimmelbooks from last week’s post, you’ll love these Spring reads that peek into the most adorable little woodland worlds.
If you’re looking for even more children’s books about Spring, check out my post from last year:
Little Witch Hazel
Written and Illustrated by Phoebe Wahl
Recommended Ages: 3+ years old
This might be cheating because this book is about all four seasons, not just spring. But I’d be shocked if you didn’t finish the whole book because it’s so perfectly enchanting. Wahl is one of my absolute favorite modern author-illustrators. Her romantic illustrations are moody and vibey and so exquisite. They remind me of illustrations of yesteryear—quaint and charming—but with a modern appeal. Little Witch Hazel lives deep in the woods and one day, she finds an orphaned egg in her path. She rolls the egg, almost the size of Little Witch Hazel herself, up to her little tree trunk home. The next morning, she wakes up and finds an owl, Otis, staring at her. The egg had hatched. When Otis is too big to reside in Little Witch Hazel’s home—did I mention she’s teensy tiny?—he starts creating havoc in the Mosswood community as he lets his wild owl ways overtake him (and almost snacks on a neighbor). It becomes clear that Otis needs to return to the wild and the way Little Witch Hazel handles it is mature and reflective. She appreciates and values Otis but also recognizes that her time with him was always going to be brief. There’s a quiet acceptance and fortitude that I admired as she wished her friend goodbye.
Buy now* | Find it at your library
Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends
Written and Illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee
Recommended Ages: 4+ years old
On a blustery, spring day, Mouse and Mole go out into the wilderness on a mission: to write books on birds. Mole is a pragmatist and Mouse is a dreamer and together they get into heaps of fun. Each chapter in this early reader chapter book advances their mission. With every mishap, the two friends work together to figure out a solution. The joy of this book is getting to see these two, fine friends balance each other’s personality and strengths and weaknesses as they attempt a not-so-easy undertaking. They use ingenuity and creativity to accomplish their tasks and they recognize that they need each other to be successful. All very worthy things for our kids to learn about! Yee’s darling illustrations
Buy now* | Find it at your library
Brambly Hedge: The Spring Story
Written and Illustrated by Jill Barklem
Recommended Ages: 5+ years
Nothing gets me quite as excited for a season as a Brambly Hedge story. A classic from the UK where, arguably, is the place cottage-core was born, is the lovely setting of Brambly Hedge. First published in the 80s, the series initially explored what Brambly Hedge was like during each season before expanding into other stories. In the first story of the series, we’re introduced to this precious little community of mice burrowed deep in the woods of England. In the early days of spring, little Wilfred is up early to celebrate his birthday. As the neighbors slowly realize that it’s a special day for Wilfred, they concoct a surprise picnic for the whole village to come together and celebrate the little mouse. While there’s no plot it’s still an utterly charming read. How can you not be riveted by the watercolor, and pencil illustrations of intricately detailed scenes of a sweet, pastoral life?
Buy the Classic Collection now* | Find it at your library
Pig And Goose and the First Day of Spring
Written and Illustrated by Rebecca Bond
Recommended Ages: 5+ years old
Goody gumdrops, if this isn’t the cutest little celebration of the first day of spring! Pig emerges from her home, picnic basket in hand, beckoned by the sights and smells of the new season. When she looks up she sees a goose coming closer and closer. When the goose lands, Pig introduces herself and lets Goose know how impressed she is by Goose’s ability to fly. Goose promises to teach her to fly as well but, surprisingly, Pig just isn’t able to get the trick of it. Pig invites her new friend to join her on a picnic and as they get to know one another by a lake, Pig learns her new friend can swim too. With envy, Pig sighs and says she wishes she could swim too. When Goose mentions that Pig has other attributes, Pig smiles and readily agrees. Pig then invites Goose to her evening First-Day-of-Spring party. There we see all the things that make Pig special—she cooks up a dazzling feast, she tells sparkling stories, she dances freely—she’s the life of the party. So when Goose expresses how happy he is to have made a friend like her, Pig warmly invites him to another picnic the next day.
There are a few things I love about this children’s book: first, it is very reminiscent of Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad series, and indeed Bond credits Lobel in her dedication. It has the same sweet foundation of friendship as two different individuals become friends. I also thought the book beautifully highlighted the envy we experience and the best way to respond to that envy. Pig is wistful of Goose’s talents but quickly acknowledges that she has her own positive traits too and shrugs off that pang of envy. And then we, as readers, get a front-row seat to how magnificent Pig is in her own right. I thought that was masterfully depicted. And lastly, the scratchy pencil illustrations suffused with warm watercolor immerse you into their world… you can feel the shy sun on the back of your neck as Spring unfurls its wings.
Buy now* | Find it at your library
The River Bank from The Wind in the Willows
Written by Kenneth Grahame and Illustrated by Adrienne Adams
Recommended Ages: 7+ years old
Content Warning: Use of profanity (“ass”)
The Wind in the Willows is a book I’m eagerly waiting to share with my kid once she’s older. The words, the whimsy, and the world, Grahame creates are completely bewitching. In this picture book, the first chapter of the delicious classic is brought to life with Adams’ soft, muted pencil drawings. Mole is busy with spring cleaning when, with his arms tired and his back aching, he has had enough and decides to poke his head out of the earth and visit the world above. As he goes wandering, he comes upon a river and oh how his fortunes change. Enamored by the river, the first one he’s ever seen, he happens upon Rat, a water rat, who invites him aboard his boat. The two sail down the river and come to an embankment where they enjoy a picnic and Rat introduces Mole to some more new friends. When Mole makes a fairly significant mistake and is thus called an ass by Rat, it’s a tender lesson in hubris and forgiveness. Mole’s mistake, borne from hubris, is quickly forgiven and forgotten by Rat, and that is when Mole realizes he has a friend to treasure. This picture book is the perfect introduction to the broader story. I imagine nothing cozier than reading this as a bedtime story.
Find it at your library
Let’s Talk…
What’s your favorite spring/cottagecore children’s book?
How are you planning on celebrating this season?
What book are you eagerly waiting to share with the kids in your life?
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I relate terribly to being the type of human that hibernates in the winter. (I think it's natural and completely normal, BTW!) My favorite books about spring tend to be about gardening and birds. We just got a couple of new books from Thames & Hudson that I'm keeping out to read aloud. The cover of the Wind in the Willows reminds me a lot of one-- Mouse on the River by Alice Melvin.
Little Witch Hazel and Pig and Goose are wonderful—we’re very much enjoying them from the library this week! Thank you for helping us get in the springy-spirit.