When I think about picture books for springtime, I often think of changing seasons, flowers blooming, sunshine…and lots and lots of cute animals. Here is a list of some of my top picks for spring-ready picture books. From classics to new titles, from whales to wombats, here- in no particular order- are my picks:

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, illus. Erin E. Stead
If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano, illus. Erin E. Stead
Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson, illus. Jane Chapman
Daisy and the Egg by Jane Simmons
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman
Petunia by Roger Duvoisin
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
A Leaf Can Be… by  Laura Purdie Salas, illus. Violeta Dabija
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, illus. David Small
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, illus. G. Brian Karas
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
999 Tadpoles by Ken Kimura, illus. Yasunari Murakami
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Bunnies!!! by Kevan Atteberry
Peggy by Anna Walker
Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee
Noni the Pony by Alison Lester
Ol’ Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein
A Pet for Petunia by Paul Schmid
Gossie by Olivier Dunrea
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw, illus. Margot Apple
Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
More by I.C. Springman, illus. Brian Lies
Five Little Chicks by Nancy Tafuri
Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illus. Peter H. Reynolds
Oink-a-Doodle-Moo by Jef Czekaj
My Garden by Kevin Henkes
Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illus. Anita Jeram
Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke
Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Chicken Big by Keith Graves
UnderGROUND by Denise Fleming
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, illus. Betsy Lewin
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Enormous Turnip by Kathy Parkinson (though there are many editions of this folktale!)
Diary of a BABY Wombat by Jackie French, illus. Bruce Whatley
Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly by Mo Willems
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons by Il Sung Na
Duck Sock Hop by Jane Kohuth, illus. Jane Porter
How To by Julie Morstad
Spring Is Here by Will Hillenbrand
Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Where Is Tippy Toes? by Betsy Lewin
The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

You can take a look at my Book Lists for more themed picture book ideas!