Rain splashing, birds chirping, and plants waking up from their winter slumber. There are so many wonderful topics to explore in these children's books about spring!
If you are looking for some beautiful picture books to read with your kids, this post is for you. Not only do these books celebrate the coming of spring, but they have gorgeous illustrations!
Many are relatively new releases published within the last two years. I was able to find all of them at my local library along with online.
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Spring is a wonderful time of year to head outside and enjoy nature together. Bring along a few of these books for a fun outdoor activity.
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I like to give a lot of details about how my readers can use these books with their kids. To skip ahead to the book list, simply click the first title on the list below.
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As a thank you for being a reader of this blog, make sure to print your copy of the spring bookmarks. Black and white designs that celebrate the season.
PDF download is available at the end of this post.
Your kids can color them in using their favorite art supplies. A fun way to get your children excited about reading!
Ages
- Toddlers
- Preschoolers
- Kindergartners
- Elementary
The best thing about picture books is you can use them with a wide range of ages. Toddlers through elementary aged kids are who these books were written for, however even older kids enjoy children's books.
Perfect for read alouds, book baskets, science lessons, or just as fun books to read together. A great way to celebrate the spring season with your kids!
Topics
- Animals
- Plants
- Rain
- Storms
- Birds nests
- Baby animals
- Habitats
There are so many different topics to explore using these books. Pair each with a lesson about specific topics covered within the story.
You can also combine them all and use them when learning about spring with your kids.
Writing Styles and Illustrations
Another option is to study the writing style and illustrations found in these books. Only beautiful picture books made the list and many different styles of art are shown.
If studying different writing styles with your kids, these books are wonderful resources. Repetition, verse, and even onomatopoea can all be observed using these books.
Nesting
If you haven't checked out Henry Cole's picture book, Nesting, you are missing out. Published in 2020, this relativity new children's book tells the story of a pair of robins as they build a nest and raise their young.
Filled with large illustrations done in sketch, the only color throughout the book is the vivid blue of the robin's eggs. The artwork is absolutely stunning.
The author-illustrator was a science teacher and brings his love of nature to this beautiful story. An accurate portrayal of what it is like to be an American Robin. One of my favorite books about these backyard birds.
Hello, Rain!
Kyo Maclear and Chris Turnham's book Hello, Rain! is a bright and cheerful children's book about rain. Beautifully illustrated story about a young child and her pet dog on a sping day.
Follow along with them as they enjoy all that a rainy day has to offer. Another relatively new release from 2021. Young children will love the author's enthusiasm for this springtime weather event!
Even the formatting of the text is playful. Literacy concepts including onomatopoeia and alliteration are both used in this text which add to the fun. As the rain falls it goes- plink, plunk, plonk. Your kids will enjoy all of the sounds of the rain.
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring
Kenard Pak's children's book, Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring is another relatively new story. Published in 2020, this picture book is the perfect book to read if you live in cold climate and feel like spring is never going to arrive.
Beautifully illustrated using watercolor, pencil, and digitally enhanced. Unlike the other stories on this list, most of this book shows a dark snowy landscape.
A wonderful reminder that even though winter can feel long, spring does come. And when it does, it brings along all of its bright colors and new life!
Watersong
Tim McCanna's picture book Watersong celebrates the beautiful sounds of water and rain. Written using onomatopoeia words, as you read your kids can hear the sounds of water...swish, slosh, splash!
A perfect storybook about rain for those wet spring days! Beautifully illustrated using watercolor and finished digitally. Follow along with a fox as it explores a rainstorm in the forest.
If you are looking for an engaging read aloud, this book is it! Perfect for preschoolers up to elementary aged kids.
Have You Seen My Duckling?
Caldecott Award Winner, Have You Seen My Duckling? follows along as a mother duck and her babies search for a missing duckling.
It is hard not to think about baby ducklings when you hear the word spring. Young children love learning about baby animals during the springtime.
Large and colorful illustrations take you right to the pond with the family of mallards. Young children will enjoy searching for and spotting the missing duckling on the pages. Along with the other pond life they encounter along the way!
Available in a board book version which is perfect for babies and toddlers. Along with traditional paperback and hardcover for older children.
There are very few words within this story, but I find that allows kids the freedom to make their own observations. So many topics to explore with your young kids from this one classic story!
Busy Spring
Large bright and colorful, Busy Spring takes you up close with nature as it comes alive during the springtime. Follow along with a father and his two daughters as they explore bugs, birds, and plants on a spring day.
Illustrations are large and captivating. New pond life, insects, and flowering plants are all shown throughout the book. At the end, there is information about what different plants and animals do during the springtime.
I love that the book feels special due to the weight of the pages and feel of the paper. Plus the imagery perfectly captures all of the busyness in the garden when the weather warms.
Have You Heard the Nesting Bird?
Rita Gray's children's book, Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? is a beautiful story all about a mother robin. As the other backyard birds fill the air with their unique calls, she quietly sits on her nest.
Related post: How to Make a Bird's Nest Activity
Different backyard birds and their calls are showcased throughout the book. If your child is into bird watching, this book is a must read! The end of the book features a Q and A with a mother robin which is filled with factual information about these nesting birds.
Similar to others on the list, the illustrations are beautifully done and will captive readers of all ages.
Additional Books for Kids
Hopefully these books about spring have provided you with ideas and inspiration for some books to read with your kids! You may also like these additional Book Lists for Kids ages pre-K through upper elementary:
Terms of Use
These free spring bookmarks were created by Nature Inspired Learning and are for personal use only for your home, classroom, or public library. All of these printable bookmarks are for non-commercial use. See full disclosure.
Free Downloadable Bookmarks
Featuring umbrellas, sun with a rainbow, and spring birds the bookmarks are great to use with these books. For more coloring pages check out our free coloring pages:
Kids of all ages enjoy coloring along with adults. Print off a few and take them outside to enjoy the warm spring weather. And don't forget to download your free copy of the bookmarks by clicking on the link below!
You may also enjoy these free printable reading logs. Ready to use printables to keep track of the books you read together!
Rachel
My daughter is only 5 months old, but I so look forward to watching her grown and understand the concepts in these books! She's loving reading right now, but mostly watches me talk instead of looking at the book.
Lindsey
What a great list! I love that some of these are newer published books and so we haven’t explored those ones yet! I’m going to add these to our next library visit! Thank you!
Laura
These are such cute books! Thanks for compiling this list!
Julie
Your very welcome Laura
Megan
I am so excited to go check out these books for my kid's nature display table! I'm always looking for more suggestions, and I love the books you listed.
Rachel
Going to add these to our wish list for Easter books. Thanks.
chey
This is a wonderful list of books for little ones. Such important topics to explore this spring. Thanks for sharing!
Julie
Your very welcome Chey
Tani
What a great idea I was wondering what type of books to get from the library this go around and these are great ideas. Thank you!