Looking for new spring books to share with your elementary students? Want to add some lively spring-themed books to your classroom library? You’re in the right place! Switching up the books with the seasons can really spark your students’ love for reading, and get them excited about reading again!
Here are ten spring picture books filled with themes of renewal, growth, and perseverance perfect for your elementary students. These books take you on adventures through nature, introduce you to heroes who’ve changed the world and are packed with stories your students will love. I’ll also be sharing some teaching tips for you to use with each story!
1. Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Park
As a young boy and his dog take a walk through the countryside, they observe the change from winter to spring. This book is perfect for discussing observations in nature, changes in seasons, and the cycle of life. After reading, have students read a nonfiction book about the changes of the season and make comparisons between the two texts.
2. Busy Spring by Sean Taylor and Alex Morss
This uplifting picture story follows a family helping in their garden, discovering the busy world of growing plants and the creatures that thrive within it. Use this book to talk about the sequence of events and retelling with students.
3. Spring and Spring: How Rachel Carson Inspired the Environmental Movement by Stephanie Roth Sisson
This is a vibrant picture book that brings to life the story of Rachel Carson, a pioneering environmentalist. This book follows Carson’s deep connection with the natural world from her childhood observations of nature to her career where she helped to start an environmental movement. After reading, have students write a summary of the story and write about how Rachel made an impact on the world.
4. The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of Jadav Payeng by Sophia Gholz
This true story of Jadav Payeng highlights his extraordinary effort to plant a forest larger than Central Park to save his island home in India. This book is an excellent introduction to narrative nonfiction. You can use this book to talk about themes of perseverance and the impact one person can have on the world.
5. It’s an Ant’s Life by Steve Parker
This informative book takes a close look at the life of ants, providing fascinating details about their social structure and behaviors. Have students work in partners to identify the sequence of events throughout the text.
6. The Great Eggscape by Jory John and Pete Oswald
A humorous story about a group of eggs’ adventures in the supermarket as they hide and seek. This book is a perfect introduction to a lesson on puns and wordplay. Use this book to talk about the sequence of events and retelling with students.
7. How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball by David Shannon
In a world where spring no longer exists, and baseball is banned, Georgie brings hope and challenges the status quo. This is a great book to talk about theme. Challenge students to come up with the theme by looking at the story elements and Georgie’s actions throughout the story.
8. The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
A heartwarming tale of a young girl who transforms her uncle’s gray world into one full of color and life through her secret garden. Discuss themes of hope, the power of giving, and how small acts can make a big difference. It’s also great for teaching letter writing and storytelling.
9. Down Comes the Rain by Franklyn M Branley
This educational picture book explains the water cycle and the importance of rain in a simple, engaging way. After reading, have students create their own posters of the water cycle and then write a short summary of how the water cycle works.
10. Nesting by Henry Cole
Using stunning black-and-white illustrations, this book tells the story of a pair of robins building a nest and raising their young. Have students read a nonfiction book about a bird’s life cycle and then compare and contrast the two texts.
Spring Reading Activities:
Fiction and Nonfiction Reading Banners for Spring
Use this spring-themed reading decor to make reading more fun and show off what your students are learning. Whether they’re reading about Rachel Carson in “Spring After Spring,” exploring how a boy grows a forest in “The Boy Who Grew a Forest,” or following the adventure in “The Great Eggscape,” these banners let students dive deeper into their books.
After reading, students can fill out banners with key parts of the story or facts from the book. For example, they can write about the main points from “Spring After Spring” or the story parts like who, what, and where in “The Great Eggscape.” This helps them think more about what they read and share their ideas in a fun way.
These banners not only make learning more interactive but also decorate your classroom with students’ work, showing off the great reading they’ve done.
Reading Comprehension Graphic Organizers for March
The March Reading Comprehension Graphic Organizers set is a fantastic tool for helping 2nd to 5th-grade students get to the heart of their reading materials, whether they’re reading about St. Patrick’s Day, exploring springtime changes, or reading one of the books listed above. These 15 different worksheets target reading standards like understanding cause and effect, identifying character traits, and unraveling the main idea and details of a story. By using these graphic organizers during your reading block this March, your elementary students will develop a deeper understanding of each text that they are reading.
Reading Comprehension Graphic Organizers for April
These no-prep reading comprehension graphic organizers are an easy way to help your 2nd to 5th-grade students. With 15 different organizers, students can explore both fiction and nonfiction texts in fun ways anytime in April or beyond. These tools cover everything from cause and effect to character traits, making it easy to dive into any book or article.
These graphic organizers are perfect for ELA centers, group work, or independent practice. They’re also great for mini-lessons; you can even enlarge them for the whole class to see and learn together. Plus, they’re super handy for distance learning or leaving with substitutes, as they can pair with any reading material.
Using these reading comprehension graphic organizers, students can get better at focusing on key details, understanding themes, and expanding their vocabulary, all while enjoying their reading assignments. It’s a simple way to make learning more interactive and effective.
That’s a wrap on our spring picture book picks for your elementary students! Each story is not just for reading; it’s a chance for your students to think more deeply, learn about our world, and share their own ideas. With the added reading decor activities and graphic organizers, your students can explore these books in fun ways, making this spring a season full of new discoveries and learning in your classroom.
You may also like these blog posts:
10 Read Aloud Books for March
20 Engaging Back to School Read Alouds for Upper Elementary
10 Books to Read in the Fall with Upper Elementary Students
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