Happy Top Ten Tuesday, everyone! 🌷
If you’re on spring break this week, I hope you’re soaking up some well-deserved rest (and maybe a little extra reading time, too!). There’s something about this time of year that always feels like a fresh start—longer days, a bit more light, and hints of spring finally showing up.
To celebrate the changing season, I’ve put together a list of some new and old favourite picture books about spring. These are a perfect way to welcome the season into your classroom and spark some wonderful conversations with your students. While there are many picture books about spring, I tend to look for ones that feel bright and cheerful, that wake up the senses, and gently nudge us (and our students!) to get outside and start noticing the world again!
I hope you find one or two new titles to help you and your students welcome Spring!
Wind Watchers – Micha Archer
This is such a great book to celebrate the start of spring! I just LOVE this author/illustrator and love the Daniel series (Daniel Finds a Poem, Daniel’s Good Day). In this book, Daniel meets his grandfather in the park and sets off to discover all the wonders and excitement of spring. A perfect book to read before taking your students outside in nature to notice the newness of spring! (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2024)
Chicka Chicka Peep Peep – Julien Chung
The classic alphabet rhyme gets a visit from the Easter Bunny in this colorful new spring book. Based on the original Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Always so much fun to read aloud. Illustrations are very similar to the originals by Lois Ehlert. Perfect Spring readaloud for early primary! (Beach Lane Books, January 2026)
Handsprings – Douglas Florian
April is poetry month, and Douglas Florian is one of my favorite children’s poets – so this is a MUST for my spring collection! Filled with 29 poems about spring filled with every poetic structure and device you could ever want – from simple rhyming, to puns, to sophisticated wordplay. LOVE this series! (Greenwillow Books, 2006 – no longer in print but search your library for it!)
And Then It’s Spring – Julie Fogliano
One of my favourite spring books for so many reasons! A boy and his dog patiently wait for their new spring garden to grow. This book has simple writing but not one word is out of place. SO many great lines: “…the brown that has a greenish hum that you can only hear if you put your ear to the ground”; “Please do not stomp here– there are seeds and they are trying.” (What a great metaphor for a classroom!) (Roaring Brook Press, 2012)
The Flower Thief – Alice Hemming
While not quite as good as The Leaf Thief, I like that the author has done a series of sequels with the same characters for spring. This book covers a lot of concepts like first signs of spring and what a flower/plant needs to grow and back notes include information about planting seeds. Funny with bright illustrations. (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2025)
Egg: An Easter And Springtime Book – Kevin Henkes
One of my old favourites – this adorable book introduces young readers to four eggs – one blue, one pink, one yellow, and one is green. Three of the eggs hatch, revealing three baby birds who fly away. But the green egg does not hatch. Why not? Love the simple text featuring word repetition, surprise, and even a little suspense! Signature Henkes illustrations in soft pastel. (Greenwillow Books, 2017)
Is it Spring? – Kevin Henkes
Brand new for spring in signature Henkes style – this book explores the “fickleness” of spring – sometimes it feels like winter; other days – like summer! I made LOTS of connections to this book as we had a huge dump of snow on last week in Kelowna…then two days later – it’s 16 degrees! (Greenwillow Books, February 2026)
Spring Stinks – Ryan T. Higgins
Ruth the bunny is excited to share the smells of spring with Bruce, but Bruce thinks spring stinks! Kids love this series and this one is a fun read-aloud. (Little Bruce Books, 2021)
It’s Spring! (Celebrate the Seasons #3) – Renee Kurilla
Cheerful, rhyming text and colourful illustrations – this story follows a group of children as they experience the changes of winter to spring such as splashing in the rain, flying kites, and growing a garden and celebrate Easter traditions, Passover seder, and Mother’s Day. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, February 2026)
Let’s Go Outside! – Ben Lerwill
This is not a new book and not specifically about spring – but I discovered it this year and loved it! Simple text and beautiful illustrations – this book celebrates being outdoors and encourages readers to get outside and enjoy nature in all seasons. SO much you could use this book for! Back notes includes ideas and prompts for being outside. (Welbeck Children’s Books, 2022)
Happy Springtime – Kate McMullan
HAPPY SPRINGTIME is just plain happy! Filled with cheerful illustrations and upbeat feel – it captures the brightness and energy of springtime . It is a celebration of muddy, green, springtime moments and the book just makes me smile! (Neal Porter Books, 2021)
Busy Spring – Sean Taylor
Join a father as he teaches his two daughters all about the wonders of spring, and just what makes it such a busy time. I really like that this book includes back pages filled with information about plants, animals, migration, life cycles, climate change and protecting the natural world. Wonderful! (Happy Yak, October 2021)
When Spring Comes – Ekaterina Trukhan
A delightful book for early primary readers! Simple text and bright illustrations help readers discover the wonders of springtime through the eyes of a young girl as she discovers flowers, trees, insects, animals, and weather that make spring special. (Nosy Crow, February 2025)
Little Bear’s Spring – Elli Woollard
An rhyming tale of an adorable little bear who wakes up from his winter sleep and discovers Spring has arrived. The bear travels along with a small stone it finds, trying to discover what Spring is. He wants to play with all the other animals but they’re all too busy getting into the joys of the new season. So bear and his stone are alone – until he is treated to a surprise! (Macmillan Children’s Books, 2019)
Adrienne Gear - Reading Power Ltd. 