Spring Picture Books

Ah, spring. There’s rain, flowers, warm breezes, violent sneezes…. So far this year, our spring also included an eclipse and an earthquake, so you just never know. As we battle through seasonal allergies, we’ll enjoy the pleasant parts of spring in these picture books.

Good-bye, Winter! Hello, Spring! by Kazuo Iwamura and translated by Rose Pflock and David Henry Wilson (1985)

This book’s illustrations, of squirrels tracking what happens to melting snow, reminded me of Beatrix Potter. Three curious siblings track drips to a stream that becomes a river that leads to a lake. They are rescued by passing ducks and returned safely to their family.

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson and Tiphanie Beeke (2009)

Fletcher the fox (also a fan of autumn) warns his forest friends that more snow is coming just as everyone believes spring is here. When the snow turns out to be blossoms, the friends tease Fletcher, who doesn’t seem to mind as long as he can nestle in the beautiful flowers.

Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand (2011)

Mole and Bear remind me a bit of Frog and Toad, wonderful and silly friends. Mole is excited that spring has arrived but has trouble waking Bear from hibernation to share the springtime joy. The mixed media illustrations have a lovely visual texture to them that I wanted to reach out and touch.

Hello, Rain! by Kyo Maclear and Chris Turnham (2021)

Maclear and Turnham find the delight in rain, as a girl and her dog splash and play. When they return home, they explore the treats of staying home in rainy weather. Would make a great read for a rainy day.

The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham (2023)

Kids in the city turn their courtyard into a garden with chalk and love, cheering up neighbors after a long, hard (COVID) winter. The watercolor and ink illustrations capture both the children and their drawings with color and energy.