Spring has sprung! Well, it has by me and hopefully you will be feeling and seeing it near you shortly as well, if you haven't already. When I think of spring thoughts of birds, flowers, rain and new life immediately "spring" to mind (Corny, I know. I couldn't resist.). It is the perfect time to share books that touch on these themes with your children. Below, I have compiled a quick list of some of our favorite spring themed picture books, early readers and chapter books that are appropriate for readers in kindergarten thru 2nd grade.
10 Favorite Spring Books for Kids
in Kindergarten thru 2nd Grade
Poppleton in Spring - This is an easy-to-read book with just enough "challenging" words to make it a great read for kindergarten thru early 1st grade readers. The book stars Poppleton Pig, in three (3) short and funny spring themed stories. The Littlest Diva and I read this book together. She really enjoyed the illustrations and all of Poppleton's supporting characters (his friends) in thee stories.
The Curious Garden - This is a favorite book in our house. A young boy named Liam discovers a garden in a very drab, gray city and decides to take care of it. To quickly summarize, his bleak world is transformed by his garden. It's the perfect story to celebrate spring and all the growth that happens during this season. I used to read this story to the Lil Divas when they were younger and now they are reading it to me.
Pinkalicious Fairy House - Another great easy reader for kindergarteners. The Littlest Diva is a huge Pinkalicious fan so we can never go wrong with these books but this one immediately went to the top of her list because it also touches on fairies. What little girl doesn't want to catch a glimpse of garden fairies? Just reading this book made us want to build our very own fairy house.
The Boy Who Grew Flowers - This story is more about friendship and accepting differences than spring in particular. It is about a boy that sprouts flowers during a full moon. It is a heart-warming read suitable for 1st - 2nd grade readers and leaves lots of room for great discussion on acceptance.
Make Way for Ducklings - This is a classic and such a cute story about an endearing duck family. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are trying to find the perfect spot for their family. The city is dangerous and noisy but they settle on a little island and live happily with help from the local people. I have been reading this book to students for years and never tires of it. It was nice to have the Lil Divas read it to me for a change. Mamas you will surely see yourself in Mrs. Mallard's protective ways. The Little Divas love the sketched illustrations of the ducks, especially the ducklings, in this book. Any child who has ever seen or fed ducks in a pond is almost sure to find this book endearing.
Flap Your Wings - This a great book for those that are gaining confidence in their reading. Mr. and Mrs. Bird find an egg in their nest and decide to take care of it. Once the egg hatches
we all see that it's not a baby bird but is actually an alligator. Mr. and Mrs. Bird try to
teach their newly hatched alligator baby to be a bird. The Lil Divas find this book hilarious and it is one that has been read over and over again by both of them.
Hayley the Rain Fairy (Rainbow Magic: The Weather Fairies Collection) - The Oldest Diva loves these books. They certainly do hit the mark for their intended target audience. Young girls really seem to get hooked on reading them (yay, for reading enthusiastically!) The Weather Fairies Collection makes for nice age appropriate reading (1st - 2nd) when talking about seasons. If you haven't read any of these books, there are lots of them. Be prepared to read more than just one.
How Robin Saved Spring - Lady Winter wants Sister Spring to stay sleeping so that winter will never end (can you imagine that?). With the help of Mother Sun, Robin is able to wake up Sister Spring. This is such an interesting story and it has lush, gorgeous illustrations. It is bound to be a favorite for years to come. My 1st grader was able to read this aloud with very minimal assistance ( a word or two here and there) to her little sister and I.
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #13: Chick-napped - Spring has arrived and Nancy's class is hatching chicks only to have them vanish. The Clue Crew works together to figure out where the missing chicks have gone. These chapter books are great for 1st - 3rd graders. They are fairly easy reads for this age group, have relatable and likable characters and fun mysteries to solve. The Oldest Diva really enjoys trying to solve the mysteries in each of these books along with the Clue Crew. We have quite a collection building from this series and I always seem to recommend them.
Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today? - A great reader where children can learn all about weather from the Cat in the Hat. This has lots of factual information for the K-2nd grade set. A nice way to incorporate science into your reading. The Lil Divas always enjoy reading the books from the Cat in the Hat's Learning Library and I like the fact that they are also learning from them.
Do you have a favorite spring themed children's book? I'd love to hear about it and possibly check out something new to read with the Lil Divas so please leave me the title in the comments below.
Happy Reading!
Bern
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to the listed books for your convenience.
