Shorts, Sun, Sneezing…looks like Spring is on its way! Here in the Midwest, it’s a fleeting but welcomed change especially when one day it’s 65 degrees and sunny and the next 32 with flurries.
Here are 6 books that share the beauty of growth, renewal and change:
Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms by Robert Paul Weston and Misa Saburi
This beautifully illustrated picture book delves into the story of a young girl named Sakura and her transition to life in America. Cleverly written in a series of tanka poems (5, 7, 5, 7, and 7 syllable lines) the story captures the beauty and the healing power of friendship while tackling themes such as loneliness, learning a new language, differences in perspective, and even death and dying.
Vocabulary to consider:
- Sakura (桜) – In Japanese, it means “cherry blossom” and is derived from saku 咲, which means to bloom, or alternately to smile or laugh.
- Obaachan – Japanese word for “grandmother”
When the Sakura Bloom by Narisa Togo
Here is another gorgeously illustrated book that sheds light on the cultural significance of cherry blossom season in Japan. Despite the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the characters in the story come together to celebrate the fleeting, delicate beauty of nature serving as a metaphor for mindfulness and a reminder to slow down and appreciate life’s little moments.
Holi Hai! by Chitra Soundar and Darshika Varma
Gauri is excited to splash colors on everyone and help her family prepare for Holi festivities. But when she doesn’t get her favorite color, Gauri gets mad. Will she find a way to overcome her anger and join in the festivities? Varma’s illustrations are just as vivid as the emotions – love, anger, forgiveness and joy Gauri experiences. Back matter explains the Hindu festival, words that may be unfamiliar to some readers, and recipes to make colored water (not powder) to celebrate Holi.
Puddle by Hyewon Yum
On a rainy day, a little boy is bored inside and grumpy that he can’t play outside. Then, his mom comes up with a way to keep him entertained–by drawing a picture of herself and him playing outside in the rain and splashing in a giant puddle. They have so much fun drawing themselves that they decide to venture out and make the most of the rainy weather.
Love Makes a Garden Grow by Taeeun Yoo
Inspired by her own grandfather and his garden, Yoo tells the story of a little girl and her grandfather and their bond over a beautiful garden. But like a garden, life is full of growth and change and when her Grandpa must move to an apartment and the girl moves far away, it is their love of flowers that connects them.
Lala’s Words: A Story of Planting Kindness by Gracey Zhang
In this evergreen story about the unassuming power of kind words, readers are introduced to the spirited, sensitive and compassionate, Lala who day after day tends to a patch of dirt where tiny weeds sprout.
“Hello, hello, friends!” she whispers. Lala waters the plants every day, but it is her kind words that make them sway and nod.
Though her mother views Lala’s actions as just childhood rambunctiousness (and really, what adult hasn’t made that mistake?) Lala’s kind nature shows how we can nourish the world around us.
