The Thing About Spring

by Daniel Kirk

From the bestselling author of the Library Mouse series comes a charming story about the changing seasons
 
Mouse, Bird, Bear, and Rabbit are friends. Though Mouse, Bird, and Bear love winter, they’re all excited that spring is finally here. But not Rabbit. He thinks that spring can only spell trouble: He won’t be able to make snow bunnies, the days are too long, and it rains all the time. Rabbit’s list goes on and on. But his friends can always counter his complaints with something good that spring brings: warm days, lots of good food, blooming flowers—until Rabbit admits that spring is full of pleasant surprises. The book includes punch-out finger puppets that will add value to this sweet eight-by-eight paperback.
 

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Friendship, School, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published February 17, 2015

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing about spring is that it involves change, and that bothers Rabbit in this sweet picture-book about the seasons and learning to accept the different things they bring. Listing everything he'll miss about winter, Rabbit is comforted by his friends Bird, Mouse and Bear, who enumerate in return all the many wonderful things about spring...

Best known for his picture-books about the Library Mouse, author/artist Daniel Kirk turns to the seasons in The Thing About Spring, in which the reluctant Rabbit must be convinced that not all change is bad. I think that message will find a receptive audience with young children, some of whom will identify with Rabbit's reluctance to accept new things. The artwork, done in pen and ink and then scanned and enhanced digitally, felt a little flat to me, but was still colorful and cute. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books about spring, or children's stories about dealing with change.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care much for this twist on welcoming spring. The grumpy rabbit just didn't appeal nor did the rather flat palette of the illustrations.

It is possible I am dealing with too many "rabbits" in regular life right now to be objective.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, Spring! Its coming brings new colors and smells, and is cause for celebration on the part of many. Bird, Bear, and Mouse are thrilled with the new season and list all the reasons they are glad for its arrival. Rabbit, on the other hand, grumpily responds to all their positive comments about spring with his negative rejoinders. It's only on the book's final page that he finds a reason to celebrate. The illustrations will make readers smile since the other creatures seem so happy and poor old Rabbit just looks so miserable at all the bad things he expects spring to bring. Usually, folks seem unhappy at the arrival of fall and winter, which makes this reaction rather amusing. We've all known individuals like Rabbit who find it really hard to see the best in something.

[Michele Knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

For every person that loves spring, there are, well, probably a few people, that will miss winter (I am not one).
Rabbit is sad that spring is coming. He will miss winter activities like making snow bunnies and snow forts (I won't miss them). But lucky for Rabbit, he had some friends that show him that there are great things about spring that make it a season to enjoy as well (you don't need to convince me)! Perfect story to read in March!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun story about the pros and cons of the changing of the seasons. The interactions between the animals have an anthropomorphic nature, and I am sure that children will relate to the mixed emotions of the advent of Spring.

The pen and ink illustrations, colored and textured digitally, are cartoonish and fun and the characters are very expressive. We enjoyed reading this book together.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bird, Mouse, and Bear are excited about Spring, but not Rabbit. Rabbit has a counter-point for all of his friends points, however in the end he agrees that Spring does bring with it surprises.

[Hannah Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spring is coming, and most of the animals are excited. Rabbit however, is not excited. He likes the snow! The snow helps him to tell where his friends have hopped too. It is fun to play in and he can throw snowballs at targets. Rabbit always has a reason why he doesn't want spring to come, and all the other animals have a reason to be excited about spring. Rabbit's biggest problem is that the long, warm days of running around in the spring make him very thirsty. He saved some snow in his pal but now it is all melted. He and the other animals drink the melted snow and cheers to spring.
I gave this book 4 stars. Spring is one of my favorite times, so I think having books to read about spring is fun! I enjoy the illustrations in this book a lot. I love that Rabbit is being a "Debbie downer" but all his friends are still being optimistic and trying to cheer him up about all the amazing things spring brings. This book can teach children about more than just changing seasons, but change in general also. It can teach them to make the best of situations and try and see things in a positive light.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every season, each and every one of us has our own reactions. Sometimes just one reaction per life customer, sometimes multiple reactions.

Brave Daniel Kirk, tackling all this complexity in this upbeat picture book!

I think his delightful book serves an important purpose. Because young children can't see comic strip-type bubbles sticking out of everybody's head, hello! This book can serve as a powerful-yet-calming introduction to an idea that is harder to accept than most humans assume.

In fact, many of us keep forgetting this essential condition of living on Earth:

Everybody I meet is NOT just like me.

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! Such an amazing book about the coming of Spring with brilliant illustrations that I loved! The story follows a group of animal friends, Bird, Mouse, Bear, and Rabbit, who are all happy for Spring to come other than Rabbit who will miss Winter and all the fun things to do in that season. So Rabbit's friends remind him of all the fun things to do in Spring! I highly recommend this book to kids of all ages especially to celebrate the coming of Spring!

[Amy Oberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Kirk (author of the endearing "Library Mouse" series) has created a unique tale about the transition from winter to spring. Young listeners and readers are likely to enjoy the reoccurring refrain ("The thing about spring is..."), and this story is a natural candidate for storytimes/family programs set during the changing of seasons.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rabbit gets talked into liking spring by his other animal friends.

[Taniesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute! Different story line, cute. Nice pictures. Children will enjoy this!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story all about animals like a mouse, bird, bear trying to convince Rabbit that Spring is here and how wonderful it is. Rabbit took a little time but Spring is pretty special too!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall cute, but the main character was very boring and kind of depressing at times.

[Rebecca Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little long, but cute story about saying goodbye to winter and hello to spring, even if you're sad to see winter go.

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute one time read.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes it's hard to let one season go and welcome another. I love how this book shows the gifts that both winter and spring offer.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute book! Throughout the book a mouse , and bird were excited about spring because hey could come out of hibernation. They talked to other animals about there thoughts on the weather change.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most enjoyable books to teach about spring!

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storytime Themes: Spring, Animals, Nature, Seasons, Change

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture book about the change from winter to spring. The animals are mostly excited about it, but Rabbit is a little too grumpy even for my taste.

[Kelly Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curmudgeon bunny prefers winter to all other seasons, but is won over to springtime by cheery friends. Kudos to the author for finding any arguments that winter is preferable to spring.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrative style is a little odd but I love the colors. The front and back pages of the book are designed in a really cool way. The story is interesting and engaging.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice message about seeing the positive.

[debbicat *made of stardust* · Rating 4 out of 5]

very cute!

[Storytime Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Mouse and Bird hurried to share the good news with their friends. Rabbit was in the measure, burst with a shovel and pail ‘What are you found, Rabbit?’ Mouse called. ‘ Saving snow, while I still can,’ Rabbit grumbled,”
❤️ The artwork is cute and I like the message that life (or in this case Spring) is always full of surprises
💫 The Rabbit grumbles, a lot. For everything but the last page in fact. His friends keep being optimists but his attitude wore on me. There are those people in life, but I’m not really interested in reading it 😂
📆 This book is useful for very early spring

Check out StorytimeCorner.com to see our favorites grouped by time of year/theme we’d recommend reading them.

My Ranking System:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I absolutely love everything about the book and would buy it
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love the book but there are enough “wishes” that I wouldn’t buy it but I’d definitely check it out again
⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m glad I read it once but it is a one time read and never again
⭐️⭐️ I was bored and wish I had the time back that I spent reading it
⭐️ I really didn’t like it and would advise people NOT to read it

[Alexandria · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bunny who doesn't like spring? Whoever heard of such a thing!? Cute rhymes aside, I don't have much love for this book. The illustrations are average and the story doesn't make much sense. Kid's books don't always need to make sense, but this book just seemed unnecessary. Neither of the boys I watch liked it very much and I don't recommend it in general. I don't hate it - we just didn't like it.

[Jennifer Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grumpy rabbit is not happy about spring coming, although his friends bird, mouse and bear are very excited. As his friends tell us what is great about spring, rabbit dwells on what he won't be able to do now that spring is here.
This was a great book to point out the cover illustration, and the endpapers, which give clues as to what happens in the story. The kids seemed to enjoy it.

[Linnea · Rating 2 out of 5]

notes: rabbit laments the coming of spring and the changing of the seasons while his friends try to make him see the "sunny side"

opinion: nothing good nothing bad. have read better spring themed books

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rabbit's pals, Bear, Bird and Mouse, are excited about the coming of spring but he can only think of all the winter things he'll miss, but eventually admits spring can also be full of great surprises. Cheerful, fun, and full of warmth.