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[For 1-year-olds] Picture Books to Enjoy in Spring | Wildflowers and Creatures
One-year-olds are gaining more abilities, like walking, eating, and talking.
They’re having a variety of experiences every day, both indoors and outdoors.
For one-year-olds, everything they see and touch is new and exciting.
The world of picture books is also full of unfamiliar things.
Spring is the season when plants and animals become active.
Here are some picture books perfect for spring that we’d love one-year-olds to enjoy.
Each story unfolds with gentle words and captivating illustrations, so children are sure to find a favorite.
[For 1-year-olds] Picture Books to Enjoy in Spring | Plants and Creatures (1–10)
Butterflies flutteringText: Michio Mado / Illustrations: Kayako Nishimaki
Would you like to read the picture book “Choucho Hirahira,” whose warm, spring-sunshine-like touch immediately catches the eye? Animals like rabbits, elephants, and mice make appearances, and everyone laughs together when a butterfly lands on them.
It’s aimed at one-year-olds, so there isn’t much text, but even a single laugh is expressed in various words, making it perfect for children in the vocabulary-building stage.
Another nice point is that reading this book naturally brings smiles to everyone’s faces.
The sun smiled.Chiki Kikuchi
This is a book that makes you think, “I want children to spend time like this”—Ohisama Waratta (The Sun Laughed).
Some readers may notice the artwork is distinctive; in fact, it’s created with woodblock prints.
In this story, featuring butterflies, frogs, flowers, and forest animals, everyone befriends the wind, shares laughter, and basks in the sunshine.
It’s filled with such wonderful moments.
Why not read it aloud in spring, when the warm sunlight is pouring down?
Sandwich sandwichEiko Konishi
On warm spring days, you feel like packing sandwiches in a basket and going on a picnic, don’t you? This picture book, “Sandwich Sandwich,” illustrates the steps of making a sandwich.
You get the bread ready, spread butter, add lettuce…
and the fillings keep piling up.
In the end, you have a very hearty sandwich.
Its delicious look might make you think, “I want to eat that!” It might even inspire some kids to make pretend sandwiches during playtime.
dot dot dotWakayama Shizuko
Let me introduce the picture book Tententen, which features ladybugs and butterflies you often see in spring.
The first surprise in this book is the boldly drawn insects.
They’re depicted so large they seem to leap off the page, which is sure to grab children’s attention right away.
You can sometimes see only their shapes or just a peek of their faces, making it fun to guess what they are.
Another charm is that the insects’ names appear together with onomatopoeia that expresses their characteristics, so after reading this book, kids might quickly learn the names of the bugs!
The yellow one is a butterfly.Taro Gomi
Let me introduce a delightful pop-up picture book, “The Yellow One Is a Butterfly.” In spring, you often see yellow butterflies.
Some children can’t help but chase them when they flutter by.
The protagonist of this book is one such child.
However, what they catch, thinking it’s a butterfly, isn’t actually a butterfly.
Even though it’s yellow and looks like a butterfly in shape, when you turn the page, it turns out to be something completely different.
So, will the protagonist be able to catch the yellow butterfly?
strawberryKazuko Hirayama
This picture book, Ichigo (Strawberries), features strawberries, which are in season from spring to summer.
It carefully illustrates how strawberries grow, and in the end, the strawberries look incredibly delicious! The illustrations look so real that some children might find themselves reaching out to grab them.
The gentle world of strawberries that seem to say, “Just a little longer,” to children eagerly waiting, “Is it ready yet?” makes this a book that will make anyone fall in love with strawberries.
After reading it, you’ll surely want to enjoy some sweet, in-season strawberries.
warm and cozyHiroyuki Arai
The picture book Pokapoka, which joyfully depicts the arrival of spring, is a perfect read for the season.
The sun, flowers, insects, and a bear all make appearances, each in turn calling out, “Spring is here—wake up!” One by one, they rejoice that spring has come, open their eyes, and say good morning.
Reading this book will help children feel that spring is a fun season, when flowers bloom and insects buzz about.
Just reading it lifts the spirits, so be sure to share it with kids as a read-aloud.