Early Years – Seasons
An ever-present early years topic, exploring seasonal changes helps children to understand and make sense of their physical world and community. These wonderful books will help children engage with themes of seasonality through stories, poems and information, and will hopefully inspire deeper connections with our natural world.
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Let’s Go For A Walk
Author: Text developed with Terri Langan based on CBeebies’ Ranger Hamza series Illustrator: Katy Kronreif
Publisher: Ivy Kids
Interest age: 5-12
Reading age: 6+Wherever you live, in a town, by the sea or in the countryside, this vividly illustrated picture book by CBeebies favourite Ranger Hamza will make any walk more interesting and exciting.
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Autumn is Awesome
Author: Emma Steel Illustrator: Wendy Wen
Publisher: Every Cherry
Interest age: 6-8
Come for a walk – and discover a whole sensory experience! Sensitively put together, this would delight any young child, and especially those with learning disabilities.
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Sunday Fun Day: A Nature Activity for Every Weekend of the Year
Author: Katherine Halligan Illustrator: Jesus Verona
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 8+Featuring 52 activities (one for every Sunday in the year), Sunday Fun Day is a compendium of craft, cooking, gardening and outdoor activities organised into Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Loads of useful ideas and lovely for families who love crafts.
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Together with You
Author: Patricia Toht Illustrator: Jarvis
Publisher: Walker
Interest age: 4-5
Come rain or shine, follow this little boy through the four different seasons as he enjoys precious moments with his beloved grandmother.
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My Friend Earth
Author: Patricia McLachlan. Illustrator: Francesca Sanna
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 6+Francesca Sanna’s stunning illustrations are the star of this lovely picture book which (rather like Disney’s Moana) depicts Nature as a young girl deity, tending the landscape which is a part of her. A lovely book to inspire children to want to be a good friend to Earth, who will perhaps read this alongside some factual books about nature when they get…
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Ava and the Acorn
Author: Lu Fraser Illustrator: Paddy Donnelly
Publisher: Hachette
Interest age: 5-7
Reading age: 7+Ava and her grandad share happy memories of an old oak tree in this heartfelt exploration of growth, change and loss told through the magic of seasonal changes. A beautiful picture book.
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Follow the Swallow
Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Pam Smy
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 6+Chack the blackbird is brown but claims he will turn black and that the berries in the tree where he lives will turn orange, but Apollo the swallow doesn't believe him.
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Tidy
Author: Emily Gravett
Publisher: Two Hoots
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+Pete the badger likes to keep everything neat and tidy, but his over-zealous cleaning begins to have a damaging impact on the forest. This entertaining picture book, with its rich illustrations, carries an important environmental message.
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The Golden Hare
Author: Paddy Donnelly
Publisher: O’Brien
Interest age: 4-5
Reading age: 6-8Paddy Donnelly’s lovely book – inspired by a unusual type of hare found on Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland – is a must for young nature lovers, or for anyone looking for a sweet, calming read with some lovely nature facts woven in.
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The World to Come
Author: Robert Macfarlane & Johnny Flynn Illustrator: Emily Sutton
Publisher: Magic Cat
Interest age: 3-8
Reading age: 7+Based on meditative walks that Johnny Flynn took with his son during lockdown, this lyrical book explores nature and evokes a sense of hope as its characters muse on the promise of a world to come.
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Luna Loves Gardening
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Fiona Lumbers
Publisher: Andersen
Reading age: 4-8Luna is off to the community garden with her dad. There, she learns how to grow plants and discovers each one has its own story to share.
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The Big Dreaming
Author: Michael Rosen Illustrator: Daniel Egnéus
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 4-5
Reading age: 7+It’snearly time for the Big Dreaming. Big Bear and Little Bear will sleep through the Winter and wake in Spring. But Little Bear is worried he’ll run out of dreams, so he sets off on an adventure to find some… Perfect for bedtime reading.
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Rabbit's Bad Habits
Author: Julian Gough Illustrator: Jim Field
Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
Interest age: 6-7
Reading age: 6-7Gentle Bear wakes up early from hibernation one day and decides to build a snowman. Grumpy, know-it-all Rabbit comes along, and then Wolf, too. A beautiful modern classic about friends and sharing.
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Meet the Weather
Author: Caryl Hart Illustrator: Bethan Woollvin
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 4-5
An energetic, fun introduction to different types of weather, using rhyme and vibrant, bright illustrations.
Mae merch fach a'i chi yn hedfan trwy'r awyr mewn balŵn aer poeth hudol, gan ddysgu am dywydd ein planed: cymylau, gwynt, corwyntoedd, mellt a tharanau, niwl ac eira, heulwen a glaw, ac – yn olaf – enfys hyfryd.
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Owl Babies
Author: Martin Waddell Illustrator: Patrick Benson
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 3-7
Reading age: 6+This reassuring and stunningly illustrated book tackles the subject of temporary separation - a situation which all children are likely to experience, be it Mum going to work or first day at Nursery.
