Books like The Busy Busy Day: 100 fan favorites

By Claire Freedman, Daniel Howarth (illustrator),

Here are 100 books that The Busy Busy Day fans have personally recommended if you like The Busy Busy Day. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms

Anita Loughrey Author Of Rabbit's Spring Gift

From my list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child I was always fascinated by nature, especially the way the trees changed throughout the seasons. This may be what stimulated my love of growing and caring for bonsai trees and why I have written many books about the seasons myself. Now as an author, ex-primary school teacher, parent, and grandparent I am aware of the importance of encouraging other children to have this same interest and fascination in nature and the ever-changing seasons. I believe it fosters an awareness of how the world is far bigger than themselves and everything is interconnected. I hope these books will inspire young mind’s love and understanding of the natural world.

Anita's book list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons

Anita Loughrey Why did Anita love this book?

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms is a delightful heart-warming tale full of what to expect when the seasons change to spring. You can’t help but smile at Fletcher the Fox who mistakenly thinks the falling blossom is surprising spring snow so warns the other animals that it is going to get cold and the birds should fly south, find shelter, or go back into hibernation. 

This picture book is the ideal mix of a funny, entertaining story and glorious watercolour illustrations that demonstrate how nature is transformed by the changing seasons. I particularly like the double-page spread showing how the woods have been transformed by a blanket of pink and white petals. Great for use in the classroom or reading aloud at home with your child.

By Julia Rawlinson, Tiphanie Beeke (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

“Captivating.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

In this companion to Fletcher and the Falling Leaves and Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas, Fletcher the fox returns for another seasonal adventure. A perennial favorite for storytime sharing!

Fletcher enjoys the sunny weather and the warmth of spring. But when he stumbles across snowy flakes gently floating to the ground, he spreads the news of winter’s return to all his friends. But spring is full of wonderful surprises for Fletcher and his friends.

The Fletcher books are enjoyable picture books for sharing at home or in the classroom and are perfect for units on…


Book cover of Abracadabra, It's Spring!

Anita Loughrey Author Of Rabbit's Spring Gift

From my list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child I was always fascinated by nature, especially the way the trees changed throughout the seasons. This may be what stimulated my love of growing and caring for bonsai trees and why I have written many books about the seasons myself. Now as an author, ex-primary school teacher, parent, and grandparent I am aware of the importance of encouraging other children to have this same interest and fascination in nature and the ever-changing seasons. I believe it fosters an awareness of how the world is far bigger than themselves and everything is interconnected. I hope these books will inspire young mind’s love and understanding of the natural world.

Anita's book list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons

Anita Loughrey Why did Anita love this book?

Abracadabra, It's Spring! shows seasonal magic at its height. The charming rhymes and lyrical nature of the text transports the readers on a magical journey of seasonal changes. Each page opens out to double the size by the addition of beautifully illustrated pull-out flaps. This is a great picture book for young children as it visually shows how the winter snow magically melts away to reveal the thrill and wonder of spring’s arrival.

I particularly like how it provides opportunities to discuss bird migration and the life cycle of birds and butterflies. You can also have fun brainstorming all the different activities they can do during the spring when the weather gets warmer. A great addition to a spring-themed bookshelf.

By Anne Sibley O'Brien, Susan Gal (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Abracadabra, It's Spring! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sun shines on a patch of snow.
Hocus pocus!
Where did it go? Winter turns to spring in this lyrical book that celebrates the magic of nature and the changing seasons. Eleven gatefolds open to re-create the excitement and surprise of spring's arrival, revealing what happens when snow melts, trees bud, flowers bloom, birds arrive and eggs and cocoons hatch. Finally, it's warm enough to pack away winter clothes and go out and play!


Book cover of Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring

Anita Loughrey Author Of Rabbit's Spring Gift

From my list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child I was always fascinated by nature, especially the way the trees changed throughout the seasons. This may be what stimulated my love of growing and caring for bonsai trees and why I have written many books about the seasons myself. Now as an author, ex-primary school teacher, parent, and grandparent I am aware of the importance of encouraging other children to have this same interest and fascination in nature and the ever-changing seasons. I believe it fosters an awareness of how the world is far bigger than themselves and everything is interconnected. I hope these books will inspire young mind’s love and understanding of the natural world.

Anita's book list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons

Anita Loughrey Why did Anita love this book?

The unique style of this picture book is a pleasure to read aloud. You can use different voices as the young boy walks through the countryside with his dog and says goodbye to each of the signs of winter and then how the seasons reply. In effect, you get this wonderful conversation between nature and the boy from the birds chirping in the branches, to the ice melting on the babbling brook.

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring is the ideal book for highlighting the dramatic contrasts between the season of winter and spring. The perfect choice for a fun storytime themed around the seasons.

By Kenard Pak,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

As days stretch longer, animals creep out from their warm dens, and green begins to grow again. Everyone knows - spring is on its way!

Join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome the lushness of spring.


Book cover of Little Bear's Spring

Anita Loughrey Author Of Rabbit's Spring Gift

From my list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child I was always fascinated by nature, especially the way the trees changed throughout the seasons. This may be what stimulated my love of growing and caring for bonsai trees and why I have written many books about the seasons myself. Now as an author, ex-primary school teacher, parent, and grandparent I am aware of the importance of encouraging other children to have this same interest and fascination in nature and the ever-changing seasons. I believe it fosters an awareness of how the world is far bigger than themselves and everything is interconnected. I hope these books will inspire young mind’s love and understanding of the natural world.

Anita's book list on introduce young children to spring and the seasons

Anita Loughrey Why did Anita love this book?

Little Bear's Spring is an inspired picture book about friendship that emerges from the unlikeliest of things. When Little Bear wakes up from his long winter sleep he discovers everywhere is covered by a blanket of snow and is eerily quiet. He feels alone and afraid. You can’t help but go Ahhhh when Little Bear picks up a small pebble which he thinks is just as alone as he is. He clutches it tightly in his paw and sets off on this heart-warming adventure in search of friends.

You can really identify with Little Bear as he wonders at the magnificent changes the seasons have on his environment. This caring picture book is a celebration of how amazing the natural world is.

By Elli Woollard, Briony May Smith,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Little Bear's Spring as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Little Bear's Spring is a glorious reminder for children and adults of just how wonderful the natural world is, and that, sometimes, the unlikeliest of friendships are the best kind.

Little Bear has just woken up from his long winter sleep. But when he pokes his head out of the den, the world around him is vast, white and silent. The only thing he sees is a smooth little stone, just as alone in the snowy wilderness as he is. He nestles it in tight to his fur and off they go in search of friends.

Little Bear's Spring is…


Book cover of No Nibbling!

Tom Lichtenheld Author Of Louis

From my list on pictures about crabby characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an author and illustrator who makes books for children and people who used to be children. I have worked as a sign painter, set designer, printer, and art director. After a long career in advertising, I stumbled into the job I was always meant to do, creating children’s books. Seven of my books have been New York Times bestsellers and all are noted for their humor, expressive characters, and rich – sometimes hidden – detail. In my spare time I enjoy riding my bike, eating chocolate, and getting other peoples’ kids all wound up then sending them home.

Tom's book list on pictures about crabby characters

Tom Lichtenheld Why did Tom love this book?

Derwood the Goat is a fussy farmer who grumpily guards his garden against dandelions, pigweed, crabgrass, sapsuckers, and all manner of invaders, especially rabbits. So, when he catches a cute little bunny named Tabitha nosing around his vegetables, he’s very suspicious, and very crabby. Tabitha has one excuse after another, all delivered in delightfully pun-filled banter with Derwood, who’s having none of it. Tabitha finally offers to weed the garden while the exhausted Derwood dozes off in his rocking chair. When Derwood wakes up, the weeding is done, and he rewards Tabitha by sharing his harvest with her. In the end, everybody gets what they wanted: food, friendship, and nonstop nibbling. I love this story because it shows how humor, conversation, and cooperation can turn adversaries into friends.

By Beth Ferry, A. N. Kang (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked No Nibbling! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

From New York Times-bestselling author Beth Ferry and illustrator A.N. Kang comes a tale filled with fantastic word play that will have kids laughing and insisting, "No nibbling!"

One warm spring day, Derwood the goat planted a garden and patiently tended it as it grew. On that very same day, he noticed a dandelion puff--it was too early in the season, but Derwood was taking no chances. Growing a garden is risky business, after all. But as Derwood inspected the dandelion, he realized it wasn't a weed. It was a bunny! With Tabitha, a precocious bunny who is very interested…


Book cover of The Carrot Seed

Wendy Greenley Author Of Lola Shapes the Sky

From my list on kids who celebrate being themselves.

Why am I passionate about this?

A former microbiologist and attorney turned children’s book author, I’m delighted to advocate for children’s self-confidence and critical thinking skills in literature. I like to write about things that I know, to share my passion, and about things I don’t know—to learn more. Stories have been an escape and a learning tool for me and I want to share stories that do the same for children today.

Wendy's book list on kids who celebrate being themselves

Wendy Greenley Why did Wendy love this book?

This book has been continuously in print since 1945. That date is not a typo! The fact is that this book speaks across genders, races, and generations with the message of belief in oneself—even when everyone else tells you that you’re wrong. Children accustomed to the brightly colored illustrations in contemporary books may take a while to warm up to this gem, but this classic exploration of patience and the power of positive thinking deserves a shout-out. The garden theme works well for spring reading.

By Ruth Krauss, Crockett Johnson (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Carrot Seed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Celebrate 75 years of The Carrot Seed with a new foreword from Caldecott Honor picture book creator Kevin Henkes!

When a little boy plants a carrot seed, everyone tells him it won't grow. But when you are very young, there are some things that you just know, and the little boy knows that one day a carrot will come up. So he waters his seed, and pulls the weeds, and he waits...

This beloved classic celebrates patience, determination, and believing in yourself. First published in 1945 and never out of print, the timeless combination of Ruth Krauss's simple text and…


Book cover of Margarito's Forest

Carol Fisher Saller Author Of The Bridge Dancers

From my list on nature providing strength and healing.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m not an expert in gardening, forestry, or herbal medicine. But like everyone else, I have a growing awareness that our planet Earth is entirely dependent on thriving forests and insects and even weeds. We owe it to our children and future generations to learn about and protect our precious resources. Although I live in the big city of Chicago and have a tiny backyard, last year I turned my little grass lawn into prairie! I have creeping charlie, dandelions, creeping phlox, sedge grass, wild violets, white clover, and who knows what else. (Luckily, my neighbors are on board.) I’ve already seen honeybees and hummingbirds. It’s not much, but it’s something I can do.

Carol's book list on nature providing strength and healing

Carol Fisher Saller Why did Carol love this book?

This extraordinary book (bilingual in English and Spanish, with excerpts in the Mayan language K’iche’) tells the true story of Don Margarito Esteban Álvarez Velázquez, a Maya farmer who planted trees instead of clearing land for corn and beans.

His vision and foresight came partly from his relationship with the village holy man, who taught him reverence for nature and ways to use native plants for food and medicine.

In creating and defending his forests, Don Margarito was ahead of his time in preventing erosion and preserving the soil for generations to come, even as his village was ravaged by government forces in the long-lasting genocide of indigenous peoples during the second half of the twentieth century. (This part of the story is treated very briefly and sensitively for younger readers.) 

Allison Havens’s bright collage illustrations incorporate drawings made by children from the present-day Central Guatemalan village where Don Margarito…

By Andy Carter, Allison Havens (illustrator), Omar Mejia (translator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Margarito's Forest as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Margarito’s Forest is a story of Maya culture and wisdom passed from one generation to the next. This beautifully illustrated bilingual book in English and Spanish, with excerpts in K’iche’, is based on María Guadalupe’s memories of her father, Don Margarito Esteban Álvarez Velázquez. As the devastating effects of climate change become clear, Don Margarito’s life and the ways of the Maya offer timely wisdom for a planet in peril.


Book cover of Thank You, Garden

Laura Alary Author Of What Grew in Larry's Garden

From my list on gardening as community building.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I am no gardening expert, I’ve always been intrigued by seeds. It amazes me that such tiny things hold so much: colour, scent, flavour, food, and the community that grows in the tending and sharing of it. Every winter since I published What Grew in Larry’s Garden, the real Larry sends me an envelope filled with tomato seeds and reminds me to give some to my neighbours. It makes me smile to think that my story has become its own kind of seed, growing friendship, and connecting people. I hope the book does that for you too.  

Laura's book list on gardening as community building

Laura Alary Why did Laura love this book?

This book is colourful, joyful, and deliciously diverse. The simple rhyme is rollicking but not too sweet, the illustrations are bright and playful, with plenty of fun detail. I love the mixture of people (all ages and colours and abilities) at work in the community garden, and how there is room for different ways of doing things (some plots are neat and proper while others are messy and wild). Best of all is how the story ends with everyone sitting down together to enjoy a garden-grown feast. Community, humour, hospitality, gratitude, and care for the earth—this little story is a cornucopia of good things. 

By Liz Garton Scanlon, Simone Shin (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Thank You, Garden as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 2, 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

From the author of the Caldecott Honor-winning picture book All the World comes an exuberant, lyrical celebration of the plants-and people-that grow and thrive in a busy community garden.

A community garden unites children and neighbors in this celebration of all the things that grow there, from flowers and fruits to friendships. In the spirit of her Caldecott Honor -winning picture book All the World, this ode to friendship, community, and working together for a better world will have young readers gathering their friends young and old to plant something together.


Book cover of I Love Strawberries!

Roxanne Troup Author Of My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me

From my list on farm-to-table for kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a farming community where everyone understood where our food comes from; we were all either farmers or related to farmers. I’ve since discovered that is not the case everywhere. Many kids honestly believe our food comes from grocery stores. Those that have been told our food is grown, are still unfamiliar with the extent of our reliance on agriculture—not just for food, but clothing; building and cleaning supplies; sports equipment; fuel; and so much more! They also don’t understand the amount of time and hard work (even technology) required to grow, harvest, and process the plants used to create their favorite foods. Hopefully these books—mine included—will help. 

Roxanne's book list on farm-to-table for kids

Roxanne Troup Why did Roxanne love this book?

A hands-on, child’s-eye-view of what it takes to grow your own food in which the main character, a young girl, works to prove to her parents that she is ready for the responsibility and hard work of gardening.

The author uses a combination of prose and diary entries to tell this story of perseverance, entrepreneurship, and agriculture—all big words described in a very child-friendly way. But it’s the illustrations that sell this book. I love the bright, scrapbook style. They add tons of humor and kid appeal while perfectly complimenting the writing.

I imagine kiddos spending hours pouring over the art's details, and using the illustrations as inspiration to create their own writing notebooks.

By Shannon Anderson, Jaclyn Sinquett (illustrator), Emma D Dryden (editor)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Love Strawberries! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Jolie LOVES strawberries - and she’s on an unstoppable (and hilarious) mission to grow her own food from seedling to table in this colorful introduction to the joy of growing the popular perennial.

Through Jolie’s comical scrapbook-style journal entries, young readers will learn how she convinces the “old people” (aka her parents) to let her grow her own strawberries. Growing strawberries is a lot of work and responsibility, but Jolie is ready with the help of her faithful rabbit Munchy! Together they find out just how delicious, rewarding, and sometimes complicated it can be to grow your own food.

Creating…


Book cover of The Heirloom Gardener: Traditional Plants and Skills for the Modern World

Lynn Coulter Author Of Gardening with Heirloom Seeds: Tried-and-True Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables for a New Generation

From my list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved gardening ever since I was five years old, when I followed my grandmother around her yard as she watered her dinner plate-sized dahlias. As a college student, I rode a bus to school each day and read every gardening book and magazine I could get my hands on. After I graduated with a degree in Journalism, I realized I wanted to write about flowers and veggies and show other people how beautiful and bountiful a garden could be. My first book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds, led to a wonderful speaking experience in Orlando at Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, and to contracts for two more books in the spiritual living genre.

Lynn's book list on why we love old-fashioned tomatoes, beans, peas

Lynn Coulter Why did Lynn love this book?

Author John Forti’s book combines personal essays and gardening info on traditional/ heirloom plants. He encourages readers to slow down and reconnect with the land (he’s one of the founders of the Slow Food movement) and learn or re-learn sustainable, traditional gardening skills. He describes herbs like angelica, pre-industrial agricultural practices (I wish I had goats, so they could eat all the poison ivy around my house), and much more. I enjoyed the beautiful woodblock print images throughout the book. They help remind me that I don’t have to depend on all the modern “stuff,” like technology, chemicals, and modern hybrids, to have a successful and satisfying garden.

By John Forti,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Heirloom Gardener as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An A-to-Z compilation of traditional gardening skills and heirloom plants, nostalgically illustrated with wood block art. Modern life is a cornucopia of technological wonders. But when we spend so much time glued to our phones and computer screens, something precious is lost: a sense of connection to the generations that have preceded us. John Forti is acutely aware of this loss, and his mission is to heal it. In The Heirloom Gardener, he celebrates and shares the lore and traditional practices that link us with the natural world and with each other. Arranged alphabetically, entries include heirloom flowers like beebalm,…


Book cover of Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms
Book cover of Abracadabra, It's Spring!
Book cover of Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring

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