springtime reads
Spring is a season of renewal and reconditioning! Here are five recommendations for beautiful books that embody the spirit of springtime, each one focusing on a different aspect of positive energy and growth.
Our Song, by Yuko Yamaki
Spring is the season of life!
Imagine a picture book in which imagery and music resonate as one powerfully evocative combined impression. Using a musical score that was composed by an eight year-old musician, artist Yuko Yamaki has created a visual journey of the music one can hear when listening to nature through the four seasons, beginning with spring. The Japanese text enhances the overall experience but in the case of this aesthetically pleasing book, children of all ages, (particularly 0-9) can appreciate the message of nature’s appeal regardless of their ability to decode the written language. Somewhat meditative and stirringly mesmerizing in a gentle way, the book also includes the musical score.
Published by Shogakukan Inc. ISBN-10: 4097268198 ISBN-13: 9784097268192
Who Grows In The Garden? By Kateryna Mikhalitsyna & Oksana Bula
Spring is the season of building! In this book by a talented Ukranian author and illustrator team, a nightingale returns from Africa and is looking for a spot to build its nest. Which tree or bush would make a good home for a bird? Each tree tells its story to the nightingale, describing its own special traits. The stories of the trees also paint a picture of a kind old gardener who lovingly cares for his trees, and of his family, still living in the nearby house, who look after the garden and collect the fruit it bears. Ages 3-5. There are several available translations from the original Ukrainian, including English.
Published by Staryi Lev, ISBN: 9786176794257
A Long Way Home, by Jean Little, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard.
Spring is the season of growth! It’s a great time to plant seeds for this very reason. This fictional story (suitable for ages 4-8) features Jane and Maya, two children who develop a meaningful friendship while planting
a unique kind of garden. While Maya is a quiet girl, a refugee and new to Canada, Jane is chatty and outgoing and has lived in the same place her whole life. This lovely book explores the themes of rejuvenation, togetherness and understanding the ways in which people can be both alike and different.
Canadian children's writer Jean Little died in 2020, at the age of 88, having written over fifty books for children. Born with scarred corneas that severely limited her vision, Little often wrote stories about children with physical disabilities or from under-represented communities. Her work earned her many honors, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and being named a Member of the Order of Canada. This book is also available in French.
Gabrielle Grimard is an author and illustrator from Quebec, Canada.
Published by Scholastic Canada. ISBN: 9781443170918 ISBN: 978144317092
Change Sings, by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Loren Long
Spring is the season of hope! Aspiration, optimism and positive energy radiate from this engaging book, which is illustrated in complementary bold, joyous and colorful style by accomplished artist Loren Long. Amanda Gorman encourages us to believe that anything is possible when our voices join together. A child delivers this profound message as we follow a cast of characters on a musical journey; they learn that they have the power to make changes not only in the world and in their communities, but most importantly, in themselves.
Amanda Gorman is the youngest presidential inaugural poet in US history. She is a committed advocate for the environment, racial equality, and gender justice. Amanda has overcome a speech impediment to become a trailblazer for vibrant, poetic messaging to a new generation.
Published by Penguin Random House ISBN: 9780593203224
The Secret Garden, By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Spring is the season of change! First published in book form in 1911, the pastoral story of self-healing became a classic of children’s literature and is considered to be among Burnett’s best works. Nature takes a prominent role in this beloved tale of an orphan who must relocate to the home of a distant relative in the process of rebuilding her life. Can the natural world, and most specifically the garden in which she chooses to spend her springtime days, work its magic in the process of transforming a person’s attitude to life? This chapter book shares many delightful details of a garden’s reemergence in spring while providing opportunities to consider the themes of friendship, loss, connection and hope. It has been translated into over thirty languages, including French, Arabic, Japanese and Spanish, and is suitable for readers aged 8 and upwards.
There are many editions of this book available, including audiobooks, with an especially beautiful edition featuring illustrations by Tasha Tudor, published by Harper Collins. ISBN: 9780397321650