Spring is the time to celebrate Earth and all the gifts Mother Nature has to offer! Here’s a round-up of springtime favorites that will have you wanting to get outside and dig in the dirt (or at least enjoy the sunshine).
The Curious Garden, by Peter Brown
Gardens aren’t just for the countryside! While out exploring his urban neighborhood, a young boy named Liam comes upon a small patch of green. So small, in fact, that most would miss it, seeing only the concrete and abandoned railroad tracks nearby. But Peter notices the tiny plants trying to survive and takes it upon himself to help them along. He knows nothing about gardening, but despite his initial lack of skill, the plants begin to grow and spread. It takes time, but what starts out as a few struggling plants becomes an urban renewal project that brings not only beauty, but a sense of community.
We Planted a Tree, by Diane Muldrow and Bob Staake
In a celebration of the outdoors both in our own backyard and beyond, We Planted A Tree journeys through the seasons. By exploring a tree’s growth in communities in Brooklyn, Tokyo, and the African savanna, the reader gets a sense of global community and oneness. It’s a big wide world, but something as simple as a tree is a commonality we can share.
All the World, by Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee
This gently lyrical book loosely follows a family’s activities, from morning to night. The text’s main focus, though, is to draw the reader’s attention to the simple pleasures the world has to offer. And while the text itself is a joy to listen to, it’s the kind of book where you want to sit and fully enjoy all the little (and sometimes surprising) details included in the beautiful illustrations.
Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya, by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson
This is the true story of Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist and winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Mama Miti, as she was called, believed that many of Kenya’s problems could be solved by the simple planting of trees. In teaching the local village women this simple task, Mama Miti started a movement that combatted deforestation, transformed the landscape, and gained worldwide attention.
A Cool Drink of Water, by Barbara Kerley
For many readers, pouring a glass of water is as simple as turning on a faucet. It’s a resource we take for granted. In this book, published by the National Geographic Society, photographer Barbara Kerley explores the ways water is accessed and used all around the world. The text is brief, but provides statistics on the way water is accessed and conserved. A good ecological conversation starter.
Earthdance, by Joanne Ryder and Norman Gorbaty
This is a get-up-and-move book, perfect for young children. Readers are invited to wiggle, dance, and spin, with each movement mimicking that of one found in nature. The movements start slow and simple, and build into a crescendo. Similarly, the color and complexity of the illustrations grows as all the world joins in the Earthdance.
Over and Under the Pond, by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal
Along with Over and Under the Snow, and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, Messner has created a set of books that explores not only the world we see every day, but the communities that exist beyond our normal exploration. The organisms explored are mostly those familiar to young readers, though there may be some surprises. Easy to read aloud, and full of factual information both within the main text and in an author’s note at the back of each book, these Earth Day picks are winners for both home and classroom libraries.
What picture books do you love to read in springtime?
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