Delightful Picture Books for Spring

Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Plays Football by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros (Nosy Crow)

We love Frank and Bert in our house – these fabulously fun stories about friendship are a guaranteed hit when my daughter goes babysitting and with our Brownie unit.

Bert always tries his very best but often things go a bit wrong. He can’t help that he’s not very good at kicking a football. At first, Frank is patient but then decides to play with Barbara instead. Poor Bert feels left out and a bit sad. Playing with Barbara turns out to not be as much fun as Frank originally thought and when he really needs help, it’s Bert who’s there for him.

This is the most delightful read-aloud that will have children laughing, gasping and smiling right along with these charming characters. Lessons of including everyone in games and recognising different talents flow effortlessly off the page.

The Full Stop That Got Away by Laura Baker & Nathan Reed (Scholastic)

Cleverly exploring the role of a full stop, this delightful story shows what might happen if a full stop isn’t allowed to do his job. Chaos? Disaster? Or maybe a whole lot of fun!

Frank likes short stories that get to the point and end promptly with a full stop. On the other hand, Dee the dragon wants stories to carry on with lots and lots of food. Ellipses take over… and the huge pile of food keeps growing… Finally, Dee realises she needs Frank the Full Stop to bring the story to an end and make everyone safe. Perhaps full stops are useful after all.

Frank is feisty with a whole lot of attitude. Children will love the contrast with Dee the dragon and this fun twist on sentence construction.

The Night Before Holi by Swapna Haddow & Aditi Kakade Beaufrand (Scholastic)

Vibrant and fun, The Night Before Holi is a creative twist on the traditional poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. It’s nearly the festival of Holi and the family is busy getting ready. There is colourful dye, delicious food and bright decorations everywhere. A little girl and her grandad are determined to win the Holi fight with the best route and the most powder. Shouts of “Holi Hai” fill the neighbourhood as everyone joins in the fun!

The information page at the end of the book helps all readers understand the festival and the recipe for Grandad’s favourite mango lassi sounds delicious! This is a brilliant book for building empathy towards another culture and showing everyone all the wonderful celebrations held around the world.

Do NOT Eat the Easter Egg by Fiona Barker & Sian Roberts (Scholastic)

Holidays often bring treats which can be so difficult to resist! When Small Rabbit discovers a shiny, delicious chocolate egg in the cupboard labelled “Do NOT eat the egg!”, it’s all he can think about. Will he be able to put it back and wait or will Big Rabbit come home to a chocolatey mess? Prompting discussions about self-control and following instructions, this sweet book is just right for spring and the lead up to Easter. Children will think about why carers tell us to do certain things and how, often, they really do know what’s good for us.

Our Love by Fatima Ordinola (Post Wave Children’s Books)

Our Love is a beautiful description of everything love is. It is bigger than any river, warm on the coldest days and stronger than any shield. Sharing this gorgeous book is like wrapping up in a warm hug, honouring the most special relationships. Perfect for Mother’s Day or just to read with someone you care for, Our Love is gentle, calm and wonderful for reading again and again.

Fatima Ordinola’s illustrations are what make this book so special. Soft and warm, they communicate so much of the message of love, family and peace.

All the Ways I Love You by Helen Docherty & Daniele Sosa (Scholastic)

All the Ways I Love You explores loving relationships between parents and children through creative vocabulary and delightful rhymes. Each page develops a new metaphor with objects that work in unity for a common purpose: a rainbow in the sky, a firework with a spark, an acron in the earth, a cloud on the breeze. Children will be able to use these mini poems as models for their own writing as they express what love means to them.

Daniela Sosa’s everyday scenes create a feeling of familiarity for young readers. This love is something they’ve experienced and can look for in their own lives.

The Gnome Book by Loes Riphagen & translated by Michele Hutchison (Pushkin Press)

I’ve always loved the idea of magical creatures living right alongside us. The Gnome Book reveals their secrets and where they might be hiding. From what’s under their hats to how they make use of human objects to how they look after each other, every detail is so precise and sweet. There is so much to explore on every page!

Hop Helps Out by Marc Brown (with Peter K Hirsch & Tolon Brown) (Orchard Books)

The Arthur series by Marc Brown has a strong history of fun stories that encourage sharing, empathy and kindness. Hop Helps Out continues this tradition with the wonderful story of two friends who meet a troll living under the bridge. Helga, the troll, is sad and scared to venture out into the world. Together, Hop and Benny show Helga all the great things in their village and help her to feel at home. At the end of the day, Helga realises the world is full of so many good things.

This lovely story encourages children to be good friends and reach out to those in need. It also challenges them to open their eyes to the world around them and spot all the good things right on their doorstep.

The Circular Square by Simon Philip & Neil Clark (Templar Books)

Square found life hard. Difficult situations would knock the sharp points off his corners and leave him feeling battered and bruised. He wished he could be round, rolling gracefully through life. However, instead of dwelling on what he wasn’t, Square tried to be positive and resilient. He treasured all the good things in life and, before too long, his corners wore away and he became round. He was wiser, “well-rounded” and the shape he was always meant to be.

The Circular Square is a thought-provoking story about optimism and being the best you can be. Children will enjoy spotting everything Square did to find happiness and face life’s challenges head on. Connections with their own lives will create a powerful PSHE lesson about resilience, courage and strength.

Let’s Play Rugby by Gordan D’Arcy, Paul Howard & Ashwin Chacko (Little Island Books)

As the 2025 Six Nations rugby tournament kicks off, the youngest of fans have a new guide to help them learn all the ins and outs of the sport. Let’s Play Rugby! is a high-action, non-fiction picture book full of facts. With tips, plays and key vocabulary, it will take young readers right through the game. Ashwin Chacko’s larger than life illustrations emphasise the power of rugby players and how much fun it is to join in!

Click on the covers to find out more or purchase on-line from Bookshop.org

Books by Kate Heap:

Click on the image to purchase from Bookshop.org:

Purchase from Amazon:

Disclosure: If you buy books using the links above, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org whose fees support independent bookshops. As an Amazon Associate, Scope for Imagination earns from qualifying purchases.