Welcome to The Book Basket, a place for sharing seasonal reads and other literature we are enjoying in our home.

Reading to my three sons is hands-down my favorite thing to do with them. Reading time is bonding time and learning time rolled into one.  When we read together, we slow down, regroup, and connect.

It’s the best part of our day, every day.

I have a large collection of books sorted by season and theme that I rotate out every few months, and I’m always particularly happy to see this book when I reach for the spring stack…

And Then It’s Spring, written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Erin E. Stead (Caldecott Medal winner)

Recommended age range: 4-7

(You can buy it here, but I hope you’ll check your local bookstore first!)

And Then It’s Spring is the simple story of a boy who, after a long winter, sets out to plant a garden. Though the ground is brown when he digs holes and places tiny seeds into the earth, he is hopeful that with patience and care and “a wish for rain,” his plants will grow.

What the kids like: the critters!

My children have a great deal of fun spotting and observing the non-human characters in the book, particularly the dog and the underground creatures.

Their favorite part is the dog guarding the spot where he “planted” his bone.

What I like: the tone, simplicity, and themes of hope and anticipation.

The thoughtful children’s educator Charlotte Mason encouraged adults to see that our children have, each day, something to love, something to do, and something to think about.

This book is a “something to think about.” It inspires us to imagine what’s going on beneath the surface of the just-thawed earth. It gets our wheels spinning about all the things seeds require in order to grow. It makes us wonder about what goes on in a garden when humans are away…

This book is not action-packed or exciting, by any standards. It is a quiet book that nurtures reflection — that begs the reader to turn its pages again and again for the illustrations alone.

As a cold-climate dweller, I relate to the boy waiting in anticipation for the brown earth to turn “a hopeful, very possible sort of brown.” As a gardener, I understand the vulnerability of waiting for my little seeds to grow — tending to them with care and concern.

A truly good book is enjoyed by children and adults alike. Julie Fogliano and Erin Stead have created that perfect kind of magic with this one.

Enjoy this delightful book this spring!

Do you have a favorite spring book? Share it in the comments!

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❤ Stacy