Spring

Spring Begins on March 20, 2010

Wake Up, It’s Spring!
by Lisa Campbell Ernst

It was a long winter, but one day, the sun rises and tells the earth to “Wake Up, It’s Spring” as it warms the earth up. Then the earth tells an earthworm to wake up. The earthworm tells the seed to wake up, and the seed sprouts out of the earth. Then the seed tells the ladybug to wake up. The ladybug flies over to rabbit and wakes rabbit up by ticking its ear. Rabbit then jumps up and tells bird to wake up. The animals continue to tell each other to wake up, and then the dog tells the baby to wake up. The baby tells her family, and then everyone enjoys the spring together.














The Spring Equinox: Celebrating the Greening of the Earth
By Ellen Jackson and illustrated by Jan Davey Ellis

This nonfiction book begins by discussing the basics of the spring equinox. Then there is information on what civilizations from the past did to celebrate spring or the ceremonies they would perform to bring about springtime. The book talks about the Mayans and their fire ceremony that they believed would end the winter and begin spring, the Jewish holiday of Passover, the Iranian festival of No Ruz, the Indian holiday of Holi, and the celebration of Easter. The book even discusses how Easter customs came from the Old World (Germany). Finally, the book talks about the Bambara of Mali and even Earth Day in the United States. At the end of the book is “A Spring Story” about how the name “Easter” came about from an Anglo-Saxon myth and some spring activities and recipes.
















Jackson Jones and Mission Greentop
by Mary Quattlebaum

Jackson Jones works in the community garden on the plot that his mother rented for him for his birthday, even though he does not think that the garden is necessary. You can get fruit and vegetables at the store, and he is tired of eating the zucchini from the garden. The bully at school also likes to tease him about his work in the garden. Then one day, he hears the news that the garden is going to be shut down by the company that owns it and an apartment building will be built there, instead. Jackson’s friends decide to protest the bulldozing of the garden, and he agrees to help. Then the bully calls a news station, and Jackson and his friends tell the story of the garden. A visit to a knot garden convinces Jackson that the garden is a good thing. Will they be able to save the garden from becoming an apartment building?
















Fletcher and the Springtime Blossums
by Julia Rawlinson and illustrations by Tiphanie Beeke

As Fletcher is walking through the woods towards the orchard, he is taking in all the sights and sounds of spring. When he gets to the orchard, though, he sees snowflakes falling through the branches. He knows he has to warn everyone. He tells two birds that they have flown north too early. They tell him that they should go back south, but they want to warn Porcupine first. Porcupine is just waking up when they tell him that the snow is coming. He will go back to bed, but he wants to warn squirrel first. When they tell Squirrel, he decides that he must hunt for more food, but he wants to warn the rabbits. The rabbits decide they want to play in the snow. Was it really snowing? Is spring really not here?