HARRY THE DIRTY DOG by Gene Zion. Illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham Harry is a little dog who hates baths. (Does this remind you of any of your kids?) He hides the scrub brush and sets out on adventure to get as dirty as he can. The results aren't quite what he expected! This is such a delightful story. Definitely a family favorite!

I WILL REJOICE by Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Amy June Bates Karma Wilson (author of Bear Wants More and Mortimer's Christmas Manger) helps us to remember that we can go through our day rejoicing in I Will Rejoice. Based on Psalm 148 we follow a young girl as she lives out her day thanking the Lord for each part. Written in rhyming verse, this book, illustrated in lots of sunny yellows and grassy greens, helps us think of warmer days ahead!

THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF PETER RABBIT by Beatrix Potter We also can't have a Spring Series without mentioning a certain mischievous, little bunny - Peter Rabbit. This brazen, young bunny disobeys his mother's last words (before she heads out on errands) to stay away from Mr. McGregor's garden. She goes out the door, and Peter heads for the nearest gate into the garden. Plenty of mishaps ensue and natural discipline takes its course. BUT then he later returns with his cousin in the Tale of Benjamin Bunny. More lessons are learned especially with the help of Benjamin's father! These classics can speak to all of us today about the price of pursuing what we know we should stay away from! Beatrix Potter's beautiful watercolors throughout the little stories are a joy to look at for all ages!

MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS by Robert McCloskey We can't have a Spring Series without McCloskey's Make Way For Ducklings. Mr. And Mrs. Mallard are looking for the perfect place to build their nest, but they keep running into obstacles. Will they find a safe spot for their little ducklings? McCloskey's endearing drawings are a delight for children and parents alike!

MUDPIES AND OTHER RECIPES by Marjorie Winslow This is a recipe book for making mud pies! How precious is that? I don't know about your kids, but mine have spent hours concocting all kinds of "deliciousness" from their playhouse kitchen! When I found this book, I couldn't pass it up. The black and white illustrations are priceless! Alongside Activity- Grab several varieties of dirt, a pail of water, moss, pine needles, leaves, pebbles, etc and mix up a delightful batch of something!

DIARY OF A WORM by Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Harry Bliss. Ever wonder what goes through the mind of an earthworm? Diary of a Worm is a hilarious look into an earthworm's day. Get ready for some great laughs!

NORTHWIND by Gary Paulsen For all the upper elementary and older kids who loved the book Hatchet, Northwind will not disappoint. Leif is an orphaned boy who lives with sailors. When Cholera strikes and people start dying, Leif and another small boy are loaded into a canoe and told to head north. This book tracks that journey and many near death experiences.  Author Gary Paulsen passed in 2021, and Northwind was published in 2022. There is a substantial amount of author's notes in the back sharing adventures Paulsen had as a boy that he wrote into Leif's story. It is truly amazing. It also becomes very clear how Paulsen was such a genius at writing adventure/survival novels. Heads Up- D--- is used approx 3 times. Several people die due to cholera and there is some decent description of what infected people went through. Several life threatening situations. Leif is obviously Scandinavian ( most likely Norwegian) and looks to Odin for guidance.

OTIS AND THE TORNADO by Loren Long WEATHER WORDS AND WHAT THEY MEAN by Gail Gibbons With all the changes in weather that March and April bring, it's a great time to discuss tornadoes and weather words in general.  Otis and the Tornado is a gentle way to introduce your child to big storms and tornadoes. Otis is a very sweet tractor that cares for the animals on a farm. Loren Long develops a very caring tractor character in spite of dealing sometimes with difficult animals and situations. Gail Gibbons' Weather Words and What They Mean helps kids to understand what weather terms they may hear a forecaster or adult say. It can also help them expand their vocabulary when describing different degrees of wind or storms they may encounter. Alongside Activity- Track the weather with your child for a week or month on a piece of paper. Write the date, the temperature, and draw a picture of what's happening in the sky (sun, blue skies, cloudy, etc.) Use your new vocab to describe the conditions!

"STAND BACK," SAID THE ELEPHANT, "I'M GOING TO SNEEZE!" by Patricia Thomas. Illustrations by Wallace Tripp. In honor of spring and allergies here is "Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!" Written in rhyming verse the animals are all in a panic, because the elephant has announced that he has to sneeze. They all remember what happened the last time he did. Get ready to giggle! This book is tons of fun!

WATERCRESS by Andrea Wang. Illustrated by Jason Chin. Watercress by Andrea Wang is a powerful read set in rural Ohio. Wang writes from her personal memories of picking watercress alongside country roads with her immigrant parents. It's a book of desiring to fit in but receiving a glimpse into her parents' past. Watercress won the 2022 Caldecott Medal. Heads Up- It is clear (though they don't come right out and say it) that in the mother's past a brother died due to famine. Alongside Activity- see if you can get your hands on some watercress. Talk to someone who has a clean spring. Chances are there may be watercress around. Tuck a little on a corner of a sandwich to try. It does have a strong taste, so start slowly!

I MUST BETRY YOU by Ruta Sepetys Just finished Ruta Sepetys I Must Betray You. Set in Romania during the time of Nicolae Ceausescu's dictatorship, this book gives you a good look at the hopelessness of Communism. What becomes so heartbreaking is not being able to trust anyone. Informers are everywhere. An especially good read as we see what Russia is doing to the Ukraine, and we move towards socialism in this country. Ruta Sepetys is a historical fiction author that is considered a "cross over" author. This means her books appeal to teens and adults alike. Heads Up- Nothing major- a couple minor cusswords and brutality for not following the government.

THE IMAGINARIES: LITTLE SCRAPS OF LARGER STORIES by Elizabeth Winfield Martin The Imaginaries: Little Scraps of Larger Stories by Emily Winfield Martin (author of Snow and Rose) is a book to ignite the imagination. Martin uses a whimsical watercolor picture and a simple sentence to begin the idea of a story that could be launched a million different ways by a child. In our homeschool we always meet at the beginning of our day for prayer, scripture, and reading of some sort. From my oldest to my youngest they enjoy coming up with an explanation of the picture during that time. We keep it lighthearted, and it is always so interesting how each child will come up with a different idea for what is happening! It's a fun activity for sparking the imagination!