Our Favorite Spring Picture and Board Books

It already feels like Spring in the Pacific Northwest, and I’m not sure there has ever been a year we needed it more. The best parts of our day are spent outside, noticing every new bloom, bud, and bird. The fresh air and bright sun gives us hope for picnics, playdates, and visiting with friends and family who we have missed so much this year. As we welcome Spring with open arms, here are some of our favorite books to help us celebrate this new season. You can find links to these and more on my Bookshop storefront.

Picture Books

Hurry Up - Although not Spring-specific, I feel like it captures the essence of Spring, which is to slow way down. In a world where he is always told to “hurry hurry”, the young boy in this story decides to slow down to enjoy all the little things - running free, smelling flowers, blowing bubbles. A good reminder for us all year round, and especially now as beauty blooms all around.

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring - We have all four in this series, one for each season. I love the watercolor illustrations and poetic prose, welcoming the small changes that each season brings. This book beautifully depicts the gradual shift we observe as winter winds turn to running brooks, buds, and birds.

Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt - This is another one of a set of books that we love. This Spring version follows a young girl who starts a garden with her grandmother. As they work together, we see and learn all about the busy life under the soil as well as the animals who are interested in eating the fruits of their labor. We see the garden come into fruition through summer and go to sleep again in winter.

Little Dandelion Seeds the World - Dandelions are D’s favorite sign of spring returning, and this book makes dandelions all the more wonderful. This book tells the story of how dandelion seeds fly and spread all across the world, as “the flower fades. Fluff puffs. Poof! Swish, swirl, one hundred seeds fly.” My children love the repetitive nature of this and discovering that dandelions do in fact bloom on all 7 continents.

Hummingbird - Another favorite sign of spring is the return of the hummingbirds! This book explains the migration of hummingbirds through a story of a young girl and her grandmother. We follow the hummingbird’s long journey north from her grandmother’s home in Central America all the way over the ocean and up to the girls’ backyard in New York City. We can’t wait to put out our feeder!

In the Garden - This giant lift-a-flap book is full of fun discoveries in Spring as well as all year round. Plum and her brother Robin walk through the garden, tending to it and noticing how the garden changes as the seasons change. The sibling duo teach us all about the plants, animals, and insects, and fruits that call their garden home.

Board Books

When Spring Comes - We love this set of four books, one for each season. This sweet spring board book depicts the subtle changes we see in nature as winter disappears and spring emerges. With phrases such as “but if you wait…”, it captures the beauty of patience as we wait for the beauty of Spring blooms and the joy that comes from the rain and the mud too.

Nest - With only one word per page, this is a perfect book for babies and new talkers. With beautiful illustrations, this board book tells the story of the robin, from egg to hatchling to flying to nest again. In such a short a simple book, we learn about a robin’s life cycle and how robins adapt through the seasons.

Fly - This is a really fun and interactive board book. Each page features removable play pieces that fit back inside other pages like puzzle pieces. A similar story as above with the life and growth of a baby chick, but worth it for the interactive nature!

Whose Chick Are You? - In this cute story, a mysterious egg is ready to hatch and none of the birds can figure out whose egg it is! Each mother bird explores it but nobody can figure it out until finally it hatches and the mother and father swan find it. It’s their baby cygnet!

Spring Babies - This is one of four season books in this series. They are cute and simple, and a great way to introduce little ones to the seasonal changes that come each year. With bright and fun pictures, rhyming words, and cheerful faces, it’s one of S’ favorites. He likes to mimic the actions and faces on each page.

Planting the Rainbow - As all Lois Ehlert board books, this one is both beautiful and educational. We learn the process of planting a seed and watching it grow, and are rewarded with a rainbow of flowers and pages at the end! I love that it provides the name for each flower too.

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