[For 5-year-olds] Picture Books to Read in Spring | Let’s Explore Different Worlds with Children
Speaking of five-year-olds, they’re the ones everyone relies on as the oldest in the class.
The children themselves seem brimming with confidence.
This is also the time when their world expands even further.
Not only indoor and outdoor play, but we also want them to have plenty of experiences imagining and daydreaming.
Here are picture books perfect for five-year-olds to read in spring.
The rich, layered world of picture books plants many kinds of seeds in children’s hearts.
What will the children feel?
Be sure to enjoy their reactions too.
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[For 5-year-olds] Picture books to read in spring | Let’s explore different worlds with children (1–10)
My First ErrandText by Yoriko Tsutsui / Illustrations by Akiko Hayashi
The picture book “First Errand,” with story by Yoriko Tsutsui and illustrations by Akiko Hayashi, depicts a little girl going on her very first errand all by herself.
Along the way she faces challenges—she falls down, a bicyclist rings their bell at her—but even so, her single-minded determination to complete the errand is sure to give readers courage.
Another charm is the humor sprinkled throughout the richly detailed illustrations.
Take your time and look through it again and again.
This is only PicoText: Shuntaro Tanikawa / Illustrations: Makoto Wada
This is “Kore wa Nomi no Piko,” a picture book that incorporates elements of wordplay.
The story is by Shuntaro Tanikawa, with illustrations by Makoto Wada.
The book opens with the single line from the title, “Kore wa nomi no Piko.” On the second spread, a cat appears, and it’s revealed that the flea lives there.
In this way, the sentences grow longer and longer, with new characters joining in turn.
As each sentence lengthens, it can also be enjoyed almost like a tongue twister.
Happy NutsRyoji Arai
“Happy Nuts” is a work that lets you feel the arrival of spring and the changing seasons.
Created by picture-book author Ryoji Arai, the story unfolds in the first person from a young girl’s perspective, depicting the cycle of the seasons from spring to winter.
One distinctive feature is the mix of pages: some are filled edge-to-edge with illustrations like a traditional picture book, while others are laid out with smaller panels, comic-style.
Thanks to this, readers can enjoy an experience unlike any before.
Another highlight is its focus on the everyday sounds of life.
[For 5-Year-Olds] Picture Books to Read in Spring: Let’s Explore Different Worlds with Children (11–20)
Deko-chanNobuko Tsuchida
A story about a girl whose bangs were cut way too short, “Deko-chan.” Her real name is Teko-chan, but because her forehead is completely visible, people call her “Deko-chan” and laugh.
She has to go to preschool, so she really wants to fix the problem somehow.
She asks various people for advice and gets different solutions.
The ideas everyone suggests are quite funny.
It’s a unique picture book that will make both kids who’ve had the same experience and those who haven’t chuckle.
In the end, her big sister solves it with a wonderful idea, so you can read with peace of mind!
The Reluctant DaycareText: Rieko Nakagawa / Illustrations: Yuriko Omura
The picture book “Iyaya-en” contains seven stories.
It’s a text-forward book rather than image-focused, so it’s perfect for five-year-olds who are starting to read hiragana bit by bit.
The stories are set in a preschool and include fantasy elements, letting children see themselves in the characters and feel excited and thrilled.
The title story is about a boy who says “No” to everything and ends up being sent to the “Iyaya-en.” It’s included at the end of the book, so be sure to give it a read.
Treehouse in the Lively ForestText by Etsuko Arai / Illustrations by Kaya Doi
Let me introduce the picture book “The Lively Forest Treehouse,” featuring a variety of animals like Mr.
Elephant, Mr.
Bear, and little Mouse.
It seems everyone uses their own special skills to build a treehouse.
But as the work progresses, the main character, little Mouse, starts to worry: “Am I actually being helpful…?” Anyone can feel down when they see how amazing others are and start to wonder about themselves.
At times like that, try reading this book—it will surely lighten your heart.
With school just around the corner, it’s nice to build a little confidence in yourself, isn’t it?
What day is it today?Text: Teiji Seta / Illustrations: Akiko Hayashi
Let me introduce a picture book themed around letters and puzzles, “What Day Is It Today?”.
The letter writer is the main character, a little girl.
At her daughter’s prompting, the mother starts looking for the letter—but instead of just one, she finds several all around the house.
Each time she finds one, she reads it and puzzles over it.
Children reading the book will surely puzzle over it right alongside her.
In the end, a lovely gift and a surprise are waiting.
Letters are a way to express our feelings in words, and using them like this is fun and makes everyone feel happy.