Hop, Skip & Splash! 6 Springtime Adventures for Little Ones

Bunny Hopwell’s First Spring, by Jean Fritz
The chipmunks are chattering. The sparrows are twittering. In fact, all the woodland creatures are abuzz about an elusive thing called spring. Little Bunny Hopwell—who was born just before winter and knows nothing of a world without snow—can listen no more! Join him on his quest to find out exactly what spring is all about. This recently re-released classic will make you and your kiddos want to run outside and shake your cottontails in the glorious sunshine.

Mud, by Mary Lyn Ray and Lauren Stringer
Goopy, squishy and eminently stompable, mud has cemented its place (alongside sweets and late bedtimes) in the pantheon of kid-coveted treasures. This fun and simple story celebrates mud as a harbinger of springtime. Dreamy illustrations depict winter freeze as it melts into mud, bringing opportunities to dig, dance and cavort in the mucky goodness. It’s an invitation for young and old to break out the boots—or bare feet—and have at it.

The Ugly Vegetables, by Grace Lin
A young girl delights in helping her mother plant seeds for a spring garden. As she watches them sprout into bumpy, prickly, icky-looking Chinese vegetables, she develops a serious case of garden envy—if only those drab veggies were as pretty as the neighbors’ colorful flowers! When her mother uses their harvest to make a soup that brings the entire neighborhood together, the girl learns that beauty comes in many different forms.

The Rain Came Down, by David Shannon
Spring showers elicit a cacophony that rings through town as unsuspecting residents react to the downpour. As the drop-drop-dropping of rain gives way to sunny skies and fresh air, the grumpy gripes of the townspeople are replaced with smiles and appreciation for a squeaky-clean day. David Shannon’s evocative writing and trademark illustrations make this a great pick for rainy day reading.

A Big Treasury of Little Animals, by Phoebe Dunn
A frisky puppy, a curious bunny, an award-winning pig, and a mischievous kitten captivate young hearts and minds in this compilation of stories photographed by Phoebe Dunn in the 1970s and ’80s. Dunn’s tender photos give readers an intimate look at children and their beloved pets, chronicling the baby animals’ springtime arrivals and following them as they grow into full-sized critters. It’s a journey little ones will want to embark on again and again.

Sunflower House, by Eve Bunting and Kathryn Hewitt
The lifecycle of a flower comes alive for young readers in this sweet tale of a boy who plants a fortress of blooms. When springtime comes, the boy sprinkles a circle of seeds in the garden. By summer it has grown into a towering ring of sunflowers, which becomes a de facto clubhouse for the boy and his friends. When their summer digs crumble, leaving behind a new batch of seeds, this blossom-dwelling bunch discovers that sometimes the end isn’t really the end at all.
What are your favorite springtime books for little ones?