10 Kid's Books to Greet the Spring
A season for false promises and herbal carcasses
Yes, I know it still looks and feels like winter outside. But in a few short weeks, it will be March 21st and the first day of spring. There’s so much delicious promise in the spring. So many plans to make. So much dreaming about the joy the warmer months will bring.
But sometimes spring’s promise of renewal is false and misleading. The evidence of that is a dried-up, shriveled, little basil plant lying forlornly in the corner of my patio. It’s embarrassing for me to even tell you about it.
Every spring, giddy with possibility, I set out to start a little garden. One thing you should know about me: I am not patient which means, unfortunately, I am also not a gardener. Nonetheless, I forget these little trivialities, and every spring I tell myself, “This is the year.”
I know my limitations so I thought I would start small. I was assured that mint is indestructible. Assured. And yet, somehow, I’ve ended up with an absolute graveyard of mint carcasses.
But back to the basil: what began with the dreams of fragrant ice cream and delicious Italian meals has now become a symbol of marital strife. Two years ago, when I purchased said basil, my husband tried to dissuade me: “You can’t even keep mint alive. Why are you wasting time and money?”
Thus the gauntlet was thrown. I spent quite a bit of time that summer nurturing my basil. (Over)watering it, talking to it (I’d read you were supposed to do that), and shielding it from the oppressive heat (nudging it into the shade whenever I remembered). When we went away on vacation, I gave it some extra water in the hopes that the hydration boost would last the time we were away.
When we got back, I’d love to tell you it was a reunion for the books. The truth is that it took me a few days (okay, weeks) to remember there was a basil plant on the patio yearning for my love. But by then it was too late. Its fate had been sealed the day I had put it into my shopping cart months before.
You might be wondering where the marital strife comes in. After all, my husband won. He was right; I was wrong. Despite what I think, it’s pretty clear I don’t have a single cell in my body capable of growing vegetation. Not even weeds.
The source of the strife is that my husband—who has always maintained our outdoor spaces—stubbornly refuses to remove the dead basil. It’s my very own gardening-equivalent “head on a spike” (honestly, if he could mount it on a stake without alarming the neighbors he probably would)—his incessant reminder of my hubris and ego and don’t even think about buying any more plants.
So, dear reader, what should a plant-killer like me plant this spring? After all, what is spring if not a reminder that even amidst all the failures, there is always the promise of a new beginning?
Spring is for renewal…
Spring Song
Written by Barbara Seuling and Illustrated by Greg Newbold
Recommended Ages: 2-5 years old
The deep, rich hues of this book bring to life the rush of activity that heralds spring as animals awaken and the melting snow softens the earth. Taking a tour through marshes, woods, and mountains, the book asks simple questions recounting how the natural world emerges with spring. The text is simple enough for toddlers and the vivid artwork does a great job complementing the text. If there are words a toddler is unfamiliar with, the illustrations do a marvelous job showing them what the word might mean.
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Do Fairies Bring the Spring?
Written by Liza Gardner Walsh and Illustrated by Hazel Mitchell
Recommended Ages: 3-6 years old
This quaint, fanciful tale follows the spring fairies as they get to work after awakening from a deep winter slumber. With inviting, rhyming text, we follow the fairies as they get dressed and ready to paint the white world green. I love the dreamy, fairy world you enter in this book. This one will be a favorite with kids with vivid imaginations or who are fascinated by fairies.
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Patience, Miyuki
Written by Roxane Marie Galliez and Illustrated by Seng Soun Ratanavanh
Recommended Ages: 5-8 years old
Where do I begin with this story? Maybe I should start with the exquisite pencil and watercolor artwork—truly, you could pull a page out of this book and frame it, it’s that beautiful. And it’s so essential to the story that the illustrations be sublime. How else can we appreciate grandfather’s admonishment to Miyuki, his granddaughter, to slow down and savor the gentle unfurling of spring’s beauty? But Miyuki is young and her devotion to growing her tender blossom distracts her from appreciating the changes in the world around her. It’s a lesson of patience taught in a mellow, placid way which makes the lesson all the stronger.
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Spring is for doing fun things…
Mud
Written by Mary Lyn Ray and Illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Recommended Ages: 1-3 years old
Do you remember the first time you sank your feet into the cool depths of dark, brown mud? The way it squelched between your toes, your feet dragging through? The way it dried up and flaked off of your skin? No? Well, this book will be just the reminder you need. This book is an ode to that oft-forgotten part of spring and childhood that delights children everywhere: mud. Stringer’s lovely illustrations bring to life the joys of playing in the mud and what it symbolizes. Warning: this book may result in a muddy mess you may have to clean.
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Hello, Rain!
Written by Kyo Maclear and Illustrated by Chris Turnham
Recommended Ages: 3-5 years old
As the refrain goes, “April showers bring May flowers.” So what is spring without rain? How will the world be painted green without a few downpours? In this story, a young girl and her trusty dog step outside during a rainstorm. Through the lovely lush illustrations and descriptions, we relive the magic of donning rain boots and walking in the rain, jumping in a few puddles, and just enjoying the simple drumbeat of rainfall. And of course, you need to round out the day by building a fort inside the comfort of your home to trade secrets.
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Guri and Gura’s Spring Cleaning
Written by Reiko Nakagawa and Illustrated by Yuriko Yamawaki, Translated by Richard Carpenter
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years old
Okay, so if you were to ask me, spring cleaning doesn’t rank high on the list of fun activities to do in the spring. But Guri and Gura (beloved characters from a Japanese children’s book series that have since been translated into English) often get into scrapes and adventures and spring cleaning is no exception! The twin mice agree that after winter, they need to spiff their place up. When they realize that their cleaning tools won’t be up to the task, they get creative and come up with some alternative solutions that will put a smile on your face. A silly, entertaining story that will have your kids giggling and—maybe, just maybe—inspired to do some spring cleaning with you.
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The Garden of Happiness
Written by Erika Tamar and Illustrated by Barbara Lambase
Recommended Ages: 6-9 years old
A multicultural neighborhood in New York City comes together in the spring to plant and prepare “the Garden of Happiness.” Converting an empty city lot into a garden, each gardener buries seeds reminding them of home deep into the soil, excited to see it grow and flourish. Marisol, a young girl, wants to partake in the fun but every inch of the garden has been claimed. Right near the garden, she finds a spot in a sidewalk crack and plants a seed of unknown origin eager for it to sprout. Everyone waits and holds their breath as Marisol’s seed shoots up reaching for the sun. When it fully blossoms, it becomes the symbol of the Garden of Happiness. This story, with its beautiful oil paint artwork, brings to life the buzz of the multicultural communities that make New York City so famous. But it’s the sweetness of the community working side-by-side and sharing the herbs and vegetables of their old home with those in their new one that makes this story shine.
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Spring is for celebrating…
Holi Colors
Written and Illustrated by Rina Singh
Recommended Ages: 0-3 years old
I’m a sucker for Rina Singh. She wields rhyme so expertly, that she deceives you into thinking it’s easy and simple. In this book, she shares Holi, the Indian spring festival known as the “Festival of Colors.” I have fond memories of playing Holi with my cousins in India and this book is a wonderful way to bring the celebration to life. Photos show kids how the festival is celebrated and the rhyming text deftly describes the colors and their special place in the festival.
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Minerva Louise and the Colorful Eggs
Written and Illustrated by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Recommended Ages: 2-5 years old
Oh, Minerva Louse. A well-intentioned hen whose confusion is adorable and cannot be faulted. In this Easter tale, Minerva Louise is stumped when she finds eggs lying about here and there, completely unclaimed. Minerva Louise, being the good soul that she is, sits down upon it to warm it up while she searches for its mother. As she goes about, she finds even more eggs and decides to enlist her chicken friends to help these poor, lost eggs. Tag along in this hilarious story as you observe a classic Easter tradition through the eyes of a hen.
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Jump Up Time: A Trinidad Carnival Story
Written by Lynn Joseph and Illustrated by Linda Saport
Recommended Ages: 5-9 years old
Brazil is famous for its Carnaval celebrations but Carnival is celebrated throughout the Caribbean with great pomp and festivity. This story takes place against the backdrop of the Trinidadian Carnival as a young family prepares their oldest daughter’s costume for the Carnival parade. The younger daughter, Lily envies her older sister and the commotion around her costume. It seems like everyone is consumed with making sure Christine’s outfit is perfect while Lily observes from the sidelines, too young to participate in Children’s Carnival. Familiar to anyone with siblings, this story does a beautiful job of weaving the customs of Carnival into the rivalry playing out between the two sisters. The sweet conclusion is second only to the electrifying thrill of being swept away by the Carnival celebrations portrayed in this book.
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Let’s talk…
What are you most excited about in spring?
I’m eagerly followingOverbooked Mama’s gardening adventures and I’d love to learn about others who are planning gardens as well! Have any recommendations?
Want to share resources for those of us who have black thumbs?
*Thank you for using (at no additional cost to you) the affiliate links in this post! :-)
Tomatoes! Get one of those five gallon black plastic pots, put some gravel in the bottom and fill it with some good (non-organic) garden soil. Then pick out a yummy looking tomato plant from the garden center (I like Brandywine, Cherokee purple, and any yellow cherry) Seriously they are the easiest thing to grow!!
I must share these children's books with parents in GY. 😊