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Favorite Children's Books for Spring

Books are immensely powerful. 

Earlier this week I read the SILLIEST book to a group of little ones I teach, and most of them declared it was their "favorite book ever". They were all so engaged, giggling, and generally enthralled. 

We created a memory I am sure.

The more you read to your children the more memories you create. 

Some of our most fond reading memories come from books tucked in an Easter basket, read aloud outside during the beautiful spring weather, or about various animals that seem to surface when spring arrives.

I hope you enjoy this list of our favorite spring books! 

(And when you are done with this, go check out my list of easy spring crafts -- pairing a book and a craft can be fun, too!)

Favorite Spring Books for Kids

Favorite Spring Chapter Books

Spring signifies new life, hope, and rebirth.  The following books all have a special place in my children's hearts - and in mine, because I got to share these books with them.

That is why authors like E.B. White and Thornton Burgess are among my favorites for springtime reading.

The first book is my ULTIMATE favorite. I have a memory of my then 5 year old son sitting in the back of our van listening intently to the audio of this book -- during the very sad ending he was sniffling and crying - looking out the van window so I wouldn't see him cry.  

Charlotte's Web

The Trumpet of the Swan

The Secret Garden

The Burgess Bird Book for Children 

The Adventures of Peter Cottontail and his Green Forest Friends

A Nest for Celeste

Favorite Spring Picture Books

I love to keep seasonal baskets of books available in our home.... we have a Christmas basket, spring basket, summer basket, etc... It makes the books seems fresh and new at the time and also helps me keep them organized! 

What's really fun is when your kids are in their teen years and you pull the basket out and they want to sit and read the books AGAIN. 

Click the books below to find out more...

Charlotte's WebThe Trumpet of the Swan (full color)The Secret Garden (Macmillan Collector's Library)The Burgess Bird Book for Children (Illustrated)The Burgess Bird Book for ChildrenThe Adventures of Peter Cottontail and His Green Forest FriendsA Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of HomeIt's Not Easy Being a Bunny (Beginner Books(R))The Easter EggLlama Llama Easter EggHappy Easter, Mouse!The Easter StoryThe Parable of the Lily: Special 10th Anniversary Edition (Parable Series)The Biggest Easter Basket EverThe Complete Adventures of Peter RabbitMarshmallowThe Velveteen RabbitThe Tiny Seed (The World of Eric Carle)The Teddy Bears' Picnic (Classic Board Books)Make Way for Ducklings (Viking Kestrel picture books)Planting a RainbowWhen Spring ComesMy GardenLike a Windy DayApril FoolishnessSpring is Here (Bear and Mole Story)In Like a Lion, Out Like a LambFletcher and the Springtime Blossoms

 

Do you have any favorite books for spring that you have shared with children?  

Leave me a comment and let me know -- we'll add them to the list!

Favorite Spring Books for Kids

Children's Literature for March

Is the year flying by for anyone else? It feels like it was just New Years and now we are already approaching March. Where has winter gone?

In Georgia, it really feels like we haven't had a winter at all except for a couple of really cold weekends. Mostly the thermometer has been up and down, up and down again. My in-laws, however, live in South Dakota where there has been much more snow than we can even imagine. My kids enjoy looking at the weather app to see the difference in weather between where we are and different places our family lives across the U.S.

So in addition to topics related to our Classical Conversations memory work and other March events, I've included a few books on wacky weather in my list of children's literature for March. 

There are some interesting topics in this list of children's literature for March.

Did you know there is a National Anthem Day?!

We occasionally sing the national anthem at our homeschool co-op to expose the children to it and allow them to grow in familiarity with our national anthem. March 3rd, National Anthem Day, is as good a day as any to play the national anthem for your children and read some good books about the history of this song and it's author. The Star Spangled Banner would work well for a quick read aloud, The Story of the Star Spangled Banner is a board book for your younger children, and Rush Revere and the Star Spangled Banner would be great for independent reading for older children. 

Read Across America Day, in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, is March 2nd.

Our family loves Dr. Seuss books. There are so many to choose from! I selected a few for this month's list, but this is just a start at what all is available. I included What Pet Should I Get? because you may not be familiar with this one. It was discovered after Dr. Seuss' death and published in 2015. My son enjoyed reading the Who Was Dr. Seuss? biography. And The Boy on Fairfield Street is nice picture book biography about Dr. Seuss that we read during morning time. 

Several of the books I've included for St. Patrick's Day are about the history behind this holiday.

My six year old frequently asks me, "when is the next holiday?" She questions why some holidays are for presents, there's no school on some holidays but there is on others, and some go by with little fanfare at our house. And honestly, I don't know the history of some holiday traditions like I wish I did. We learned about St. Valentine last month, and this month we will use books like Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland and St. Patrick's Day: Parades, Shamrocks, and Leprechans to learn more about the history of St. Patrick's Day. 

And we have 3.14, Pi Day.

There were some Pi book recommendations included in the Children's Literature for February that you may want to refer back to as they related to our CC memory work. There are a couple more books about Pi listed below for older students. 

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss

This list of Children's Literature for March includes picture books and chapter books on the following topics:

  • That align with our Classical Conversations memory work:

    • Vietnam and the Vietnam War

    • The Cold War and Ronald Reagan

    • English grammar conjunctions

    • Light

    • Pi, Circumference, & math inspiration

    • Great composers & scientists

  • Star Spangled Banner & Francis Scott Key, National Anthem Day, March 3rd

  • Dr. Seuss & Read Across America Day, March 2nd

  • St. Patrick's Day, March 17th

  • Pi Day, March 14th

There's a variety of books here for all ages. While this list is geared towards Classical Conversations Foundations and Essentials aged children, there are a number of books for older children as well as many that would work for read alouds for your whole family. 

Notice that The Butter Battle Book is a Dr. Seuss book about the Cold War. And Dr. Seuss Goes to War is a book of WWII political cartoons by Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) that you could read and discuss with your older children. How interesting that we have Classical Conversations and Dr. Seuss Day coinciding this month! 

Math-terpieces: The Art of Problem Solving is a unique book that uses famous artwork to help children work on their mathematical problem solving skills. We have this one on our bookshelves and pull it out from time to time when we are studying famous artists. 

(When you click on the pictures, you'll be taken to the Amazon listing and can see the targeted age range of each book.)

Children's Literature for March

Wild Weather (Extreme Nature)Wild Weather (Extreme Nature)Magic School Bus Presents: Wild Weather: A Nonfiction Companion to the Original Magic School Bus SeriesMagic School Bus Presents: Wild Weather: A Nonfiction Companion to the Original Magic School Bus SeriesWacky Weather: A Flip-The-Flap Book. Dr. Seuss (Dr Seuss - A Lift-the-Flap Book)Wacky Weather: A Flip-The-Flap Book. Dr. Seuss (Dr Seuss - A Lift-the-Flap Book)Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?: All About Weather (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library)Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?: All About Weather (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library)Secrets of Winter Secrets (A Shine-A-Light Book )Secrets of Winter Secrets (A Shine-A-Light Book )The Lotus SeedThe Lotus SeedTwo Lands, One Heart: An American Boy's Journey to His Mother's VietnamTwo Lands, One Heart: An American Boy's Journey to His Mother's VietnamGrandfather's DreamGrandfather's DreamThe Wall (Reading Rainbow Books)The Wall (Reading Rainbow Books)DK Eyewitness Books: Vietnam WarDK Eyewitness Books: Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War: An Interactive Modern History Adventure (You Choose: Modern History)The Vietnam War: An Interactive Modern History Adventure (You Choose: Modern History)Simple History: The Vietnam WarSimple History: The Vietnam WarSimple History: The Cold WarSimple History: The Cold WarWho Was Ronald Reagan?Who Was Ronald Reagan?The Story of Ronald ReaganThe Story of Ronald ReaganThe Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander in ChiefThe Remarkable Ronald Reagan: Cowboy and Commander in ChiefThe Butter Battle Book: (New York Times Notable Book of the Year) (Classic Seuss)The Butter Battle Book: (New York Times Notable Book of the Year) (Classic Seuss)But and For, Yet and Nor: What Is a Conjunction? (Words Are Categorical)But and For, Yet and Nor: What Is a Conjunction? (Words Are Categorical)Just Me & 6,000 Rats: A Tale of Conjunctions (Language Adventures Book)Just Me & 6,000 Rats: A Tale of Conjunctions (Language Adventures Book)The Magic School Bus: Gets A Bright Idea, The: A Book About LightThe Magic School Bus: Gets A Bright Idea, The: A Book About LightThe Usborne Internet - Linked Library of Science Light, Sound & ElectricityThe Usborne Internet - Linked Library of Science Light, Sound & ElectricityScience With Light and Mirrors (Science Activities)Science With Light and Mirrors (Science Activities)On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert EinsteinOn a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert EinsteinLives of the Scientists: Experiments, Explosions (and What the Neighbors Thought)Lives of the Scientists: Experiments, Explosions (and What the Neighbors Thought)The Most Magnificent ThingThe Most Magnificent ThingThe Joy of PiThe Joy of PiPiece of Pi: Wit-Sharpening, Brain-bruising, Number-Crunching Activities with Pi (Grades 6-8)Piece of Pi: Wit-Sharpening, Brain-bruising, Number-Crunching Activities with Pi (Grades 6-8)Amanda Bean's Amazing Dream (Marilyn Burns Brainy Day Books)Amanda Bean's Amazing Dream (Marilyn Burns Brainy Day Books)Math CurseMath CurseSir Cumference and the First Round Table (A Math Adventure)Sir Cumference and the First Round Table (A Math Adventure)Math-terpieces: The Art of Problem-SolvingMath-terpieces: The Art of Problem-SolvingBeethoven Lives UpstairsBeethoven Lives UpstairsWhy Beethoven Threw the Stew (And Lots More Stories about the Lives of Great Composers)Why Beethoven Threw the Stew (And Lots More Stories about the Lives of Great Composers)Beethoven (Famous Children)Beethoven (Famous Children)Ludwig Van Beethoven (Revised Edition) (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers)Ludwig Van Beethoven (Revised Edition) (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers)Brahms (Famous Children (Paperback))Brahms (Famous Children (Paperback))Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought)Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought)Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music!Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music!The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD)The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD)The Star-Spangled Banner (Reading Rainbow Books)The Star-Spangled Banner (Reading Rainbow Books)Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled BannerRush Revere and the Star-Spangled BannerThe Story ofThe Story ofFrancis Scott Key's Star-Spangled Banner (Step into Reading)Francis Scott Key's Star-Spangled Banner (Step into Reading)The Sneetches and Other StoriesThe Sneetches and Other StoriesHorton Hears a Who!Horton Hears a Who!Oh, Say Can You Say?Oh, Say Can You Say?Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!What Pet Should I Get? (Classic Seuss)What Pet Should I Get? (Classic Seuss)Dr Seuss's Sleep BookDr Seuss's Sleep BookDr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss GeiselDr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss GeiselWho Was Dr. Seuss?Who Was Dr. Seuss?The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. SeussThe Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. SeussOne Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (I Can Read It All by Myself)One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (I Can Read It All by Myself)Green Eggs and HamGreen Eggs and HamYertle the Turtle and Other StoriesYertle the Turtle and Other StoriesPatrick: Patron Saint of IrelandPatrick: Patron Saint of IrelandThe Story of St. Patrick: More Than Shamrocks and LeprechaunsThe Story of St. Patrick: More Than Shamrocks and LeprechaunsSt. Patrick's Day in the MorningSt. Patrick's Day in the MorningSt. Patrick's Day: Parades, Shamrocks, and Leprechauns (Finding Out about Holidays)St. Patrick's Day: Parades, Shamrocks, and Leprechauns (Finding Out about Holidays)Jamie O'Rourke and the Big PotatoJamie O'Rourke and the Big PotatoSt. Patrick's Day AlphabetSt. Patrick's Day Alphabet

 

Resources for Introducing the Orchestra

I've listed a few books above to help you introduce your children to the orchestra. But don't forget about the many wonderful resources and ideas Mary has already put together for incorporating the orchestra into your studies. 

 

And her newest resource in the SQUILT family, Meet the Instruments: Explore the Orchestra is a beautiful way to introduce your children to the orchestra. Just what you need for your Foundations students!

I hope you find this list of Children's Literature for March helpful for your homeschool. Go ahead and choose some to check out from the library or add them to your personal home library. Enjoy! 

What other topics would you include for March?