Spring themed books for children
Children’s fiction and nonfiction books about Spring. Spring books have a lovely way of capturing that feeling of everything starting fresh. With flowers popping up and animals shaking off their winter sleep, these stories often echo the buzz of the season – full of change, curiosity, and quiet excitement. They’re great for sparking a sense of wonder in kids, offering hopeful tales and colourful illustrations that feel just as alive as the world outside. This list features books by Cicely Mary Barker, Eric Carle, Ruth Brown, Sam Usher, Gabby Dawnay, Moira Butterfield and Daniel Thompson.
Spring themed books for children – our recommendations
Busy Spring by Sean Taylor and Alex Morss
Busy Spring follows two kids and their dad as they potter around the garden, spotting the telltale signs of spring waking up – buzzing bees, budding plants, birds in full song. It’s part story, part gentle science lesson, with simple facts slipped in at the end. Co-written by a picture book author and an ecologist, it keeps things light and curious – ideal for 3-6 year olds just starting to notice how the world shifts with the seasons.
National Trust: Getting Ready for Spring, a Sticker Storybook by Kathryn Selbert
Packed with over 130 reusable stickers, this spring-themed activity book invites children to fill garden, woodland and Easter scenes with animals, plants and decorations. A gentle rhyming story threads through each spread, while a spotting checklist adds an extra bit of fun at the end. Created in partnership with the National Trust, it’s part of a seasonal series that mixes creativity with play.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Eric Carle’s classic follows a hungry caterpillar munching through the week, introducing counting, food, and the days as it grows and transforms. The bright cut-out illustrations and simple text have made it a firm favourite since 1969. Still widely used at home and in classrooms, it blends early literacy with a gentle science theme, without ever feeling like a lesson. A staple for sharing with the very young.
A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
This illustrated guide takes a closer look at the surprising ways animals build nests – from birds and bees to frogs and furry mammals. Each page pairs a simple descriptive phrase with labelled drawings and bite-sized facts, offering an accessible introduction to animal behaviour and habitats. A great pick for sparking curiosity and supporting early science learning.
Little Bear’s Spring by Elli Woollard and Bryony May Smith
After a long winter’s sleep, Little Bear ventures into the quiet snow and finds a curious stone for company. As they wander, signs of spring begin to stir – birds return, buds appear, and the world slowly wakes. Gentle and reflective, this picture book introduces seasonal change through a bear’s eyes, touching on hibernation, wildlife and the quiet joy of new beginnings. A thoughtful choice for early years discussions around nature and the turning seasons.
One Springy Day by Nick Butterworth
Percy and his animal friends are mid hide-and-seek when Fox gets himself well and truly stuck – in a pot of glue, no less. Cue a string of cheerful disasters as everyone pitches in to help. With its gentle humour, familiar characters and a fun fold-out page, this latest Percy tale encourages teamwork and outdoor mischief. A playful addition to early years story times, especially when exploring friendship, problem-solving and all things sticky.
The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall and Isabelle Arsenault
This beautifully illustrated picture book follows a busy worker bee as she gathers nectar, helps pollinate flowers, and works with her hive. Told in gentle rhyme, it weaves real bee facts into a simple story that’s perfect for introducing pollination and honey-making. A lovely choice for springtime reading or nature-themed lessons, it opens up early conversations about teamwork, biodiversity and why bees matter. Great for classrooms.
National Trust: Sam Plants a Sunflower by Kate Petty and Axel Scheffler
Sam plants a sunflower seed – with a bit of help from Worm and Ladybird – and watches it grow. Alongside the story, flaps and a pop-up add hands-on fun, while gentle explanations show how seeds sprout, grow and bloom. The final pages share tips for planting your own. Made with the National Trust, this is a cheerful intro to life cycles, ideal for spring and outdoor learning with nursery and EYFS.
Ten Seeds by Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown’s Ten Seeds counts down as one seed after another disappears – pecked by birds, blown by wind, nibbled by slugs. But the final seed grows into a sunflower, starting the cycle all over again. With rich watercolour illustrations and a quietly clever structure, it links early subtraction to the natural world, showing how plants grow and thrive despite setbacks. A calm, thoughtful book for introducing young children to both numbers and nature.
Pip and Egg by Alex Latimer and David Litchfield
Pip and Egg tells the story of a seed and an egg who grow in very different ways – one into a tree, the other into a bird. As life pulls them apart, their bond stays strong. With Alex Latimer’s gentle text and David Litchfield’s glowing illustrations, this picture book captures the beauty of change, growth and friendship that lasts, even from afar. A thoughtful take on life cycles and letting go.
Rain by Sam Usher
In Rain, Sam and his grandpa wait for the weather to clear – reading, chatting, writing letters. But when the rain doesn’t stop, they decide to head out anyway, turning a soggy chore into an unexpected adventure. With warmth and a touch of whimsy, Sam Usher captures the magic of ordinary days, showing how even a trip to post a letter can become something special. A gentle story of patience, imagination and making memories, rain or shine.
What to Look for in Spring by Elizabeth Jenner
This updated addition to the classic What to Look For series explores how spring reveals itself across the UK – from blooming plants and busy animals to shifting star patterns and seasonal traditions. Elizabeth Jenner’s text invites younger readers to slow down and notice what’s changing in the natural world around them. A fresh take on a well-loved series, ideal for early primary children.
I Love the Seasons: Spring by Lizzie Scott
This early non-fiction title from the I Love the Seasons series offers a first look at spring, with short, clear sentences and bright illustrations. Lizzie Scott keeps things simple and accessible, with gentle prompts to help children link the changes they see outside – buds, rain, baby animals – to their own experiences. A practical pick for classroom topic tables or seasonal storytime.
A Field Guide to Spring by Gabby Dawnay and Dorien Brouwers
Gabby Dawnay and Dorien Brouwers’ Wild by Nature: Spring is a compact companion for curious kids keen to explore the season outdoors. Packed with nature facts, poems, sensory suggestions and hands-on activities – from spotting frogspawn to trying bark rubbings – it blends gentle education with Forest School-style prompts. With lovely illustrations and a strong focus on observation, it’s a thoughtful way to spark a connection with the natural world. Highly recommended.
Plant, Sow, Make and Grow by Esther Coombs
Esther Coombs’ seasonal gardening guide offers a hands-on way for children to get stuck into growing veg, spotting wildlife, and reusing everyday materials for eco-friendly crafts. From seed starters to bird feeders, each section follows the rhythm of the year, with tips that don’t require much space or kit. It’s practical, creative, and full of ideas to help young readers connect with nature, whether they’ve got a garden or just a windowsill.
Bug Hotel by Libby Walden and Clover Robin
Libby Walden and Clover Robin’s lift-the-flap board book introduces little ones to the idea of a bug hotel and the creatures it might attract. With bees, snails, butterflies and more tucked behind layered flaps, readers can explore mini-beast behaviour and habitats up close. The final spread lists what to include in a bug-friendly garden, though there’s no how-to for building your own. It’s a gentle introduction to insect life and biodiversity. Highly recommended.
The Secret Life of Bees by Moira Butterfield and Vivian Mineker
Buzzwing the honeybee takes readers on a lively tour of hive life in this detailed and engaging guide. Moira Butterfield and Vivian Mineker combine facts, diagrams, traditional tales and bee-spotting tips to explore anatomy, behaviour, folklore and pollination. The book mixes natural history with cultural insight and includes practical advice for helping bees thrive. With warm illustrations and varied layouts, it’s a rich, accessible resource for budding bee enthusiasts at home or in the classroom. Highly recommended.
Outside In: Nature Poems by Daniel Thompson, illustrated by Julia Murray
7+-year-olds will love to dive into this collection of 50 fresh and inspirational poems that celebrate the seasons, senses, wildlife, weather and nature. With vivid illustrations and thought-provoking ideas, these poems will encourage readers to look outside and explore the joys of spring. ‘Outside In’ is highly recommended for reading aloud, discussing or using as an impetus for creative writing in KS2.
National Trust: I Am the Seed that Grew the Tree – A Poem for Every Day of the Year by Fiona Murray and Frann Preston-Gannon
A Poem for Every Day of the Year brings together 366 nature-inspired poems, one for each day, carefully selected by Fiona Waters. With contributions from writers including Rossetti, Zephaniah and Duffy, the anthology moves through the seasons, reflecting the changing world outside. Frann Preston-Gannon’s rich illustrations run alongside the poems, making this a beautifully structured book for daily reading or classroom sharing. It offers a glorious and varied celebration of poetry and the natural world.
Flower Fairies of the Spring by Cicely Mary Barker
First published in 1923, Flower Fairies of the Spring pairs Cicely Mary Barker’s delicate illustrations with poems about seasonal plants and trees. Each flower has its own fairy and verse, introducing spring blooms with charm and botanical detail. A nostalgic favourite still used in classrooms and nature study today, it blends gentle rhyme with plant identification in a way that’s stood the test of time. The latest edition comes with a refreshed cover design.
Click the buttons below to purchase all of the books in this Spring topid book list, as well as class sets of any of these books and many more, from Bookshop.org UK. Or buy the 20 most popular titles from this list from Amazon – ideal for gifts or your classroom library.
Buy from UK.Bookshop.Org Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Disclosure: If you buy books using the buttons above: we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops; as an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
Schools & teachers: please respect copyright and don’t copy our Spring-themed book list. If you find our book recommendations useful, please consider sharing on social media or linking to this page instead. Thanks.
Spring season resources for teachers
- BBC School Radio has an array of spring-themed resources for early years, KS1 and KS2.
- BBC’s Let it Grow initiative includes videos and activities about planting seeds, plant cycles, farming and nature activities.
- Oak National Academy offers units on spring science and art activities for reception, and the signs of spring for KS1 science.
- Countryside Classroom has created a free downloadable resource: Countdown to Spring, which includes a spring logbook.
- Hygge in the Early Years has a page of helpful suggestions for developing a resource bank for early years spring-themed classroom activities.
BISAC JUV019000, Juvenile Fiction / Seasons & Weather | Thema YFS, YFB
