seasonal story time
read aloud picture books for celebration

Here is a list of the seasonal stories we read each year.  We read one story from this list each day.  The list goes from January to December.  I choose a theme for each week by writing it in my planner.  Then, each week we just choose books from that part of the list to read.  Simply put, each week gets its own seasonal story theme.  Each day gets one of those stories.

New Year

• Around the Year by Tasha Tudor
• A Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor
• Around the Year by Elsa Beskow
• A Year in Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem
• Circle of Seasons by Gerda Muller
• Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter board books by Gerda Muller
• Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall

 
Snow and Ice

• The Snow Children by Elsa Beskow
• Ollie’s Ski Trip by Elsa Beskow
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
• Katy and the Big Snow by Viginia Lee Burton
• Snow by Cynthia Rylant
• Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
• White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt
• Big Snow by Jonathan Bean
• The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark and Nelson Cassino
• The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
• First Snow by Bomi Park

 
Penguins and Polar Bears

• The Emperor’s Egg by Martin Jenkins
• The Little Penguin by AJ Wood
• Penguins by Gail Gibbons
• Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Eric Carle
• The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett
• Ice Bears: In the Steps of the Polar Bear by Nicola Davies

 
Animals in Winter

• The Mitten by Jan Brett
• The Hat by Jan Brett
• Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
• The Big Snow by Berta Hader
• Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft
• Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser
• Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman

 
Love, Hearts, and St. Valentine’s Day

• God Gave Us Love
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
• Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie B. Friedman
• The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond
• The Kiss That Missed by David Melling
• Never Too Little To Love by Jeanne Willis
• Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
• I Love You Little One by Nancy Tafuri
• The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
• Snowy Valentine by David Peterson
• Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli
• Bear Hugs: Romantically Ridiculous Animal Rhymes by Karma Wilson

 
Maple Sugaring Off

• Sugar Snow by Laura Ingalls Wilder

 
Sheep, Warmth of Wool

• Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie de Paola
• Pelle’s New Suit by Elsa Beskow

 
Presidents

• George Washington’s Breakfast by Jean Fritz
• When Washington Crossed the Deleware by Lynne Cheney
• A Picture Book of George Washington by David A Adler
• Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters
• A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln by David A Adler

 
Bears

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury
• Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson (and other Bear books)
• Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming
• Old Bear by Kevin Henkes
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett
• Corduroy by Don Freeman
• Little Bear by Elsa Holmelund Minarik
• Moon Bear books by Frank Asch
• A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
• Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? By NW Carlstrom

 
Clouds

• It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw
• The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola
• Clouds by Anne Rockwell
• Little Cloud by Eric Carle
• Hide and Seek Fog by Alvin Tresselt

 
Rain

• Come on Rain! by Karen Hesse
• Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin
• Down Comes the Rain by Franklyn Branley
• Flash Crash Rumble and Roll by Franklyn Branley
• The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow
• Thunder Cake by Patricia Pollacco

 
Wind and Weather

• The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
• Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros
• Weather Words by Gail Gibbons
• What Will the Weather Be? (Read and Find Out Science Series)

 
Luck, Clovers, and St. Patrick’s Day

• Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola
• Fiona’s Luck by Teresa Bateman
• St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting
• That’s What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting
• Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola
• Jamie O’Rourke and the Pooka by Tomie dePaola
• Fiona’s Lace by Patricia Polacco
• Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess
• A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman

 
First Day of Spring

• The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle von Olfers
• Here Comes Spring by Kevin Henkes
• Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson
• Outside Your Window by Nicola Davies
• And then it’s spring by Julie Fogliano

 
Bunnies

• The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
• Home for a Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
• The Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter
• Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
• The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward
• Bunny’s First Spring by Sally Loyd-Jones
• In My Meadow by Sara Gillingham (Board Book)

 
Easter Eggs

• The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown
• Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco
• The Easter Egg by Jan Brett

 
Easter

• A Tale for Easter by Tasha Tudor
• The Story of the Easter Robin by Dandi Daley Mackall
• The Easter Story by Patricia A. Pingry
• Simon and the Easter Miracle by Mary Josun

 
Birds, Eggs, Nests

• An Egg is Quiet by Diana Aston
• A Nest is Noisy by Diana Aston
• About Birds: A Guide for Children by Cathryn Sill
• Birds, Nests, and Eggs by Mel Boring
• Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward
• Nest by Jorey Hurley
• The Best Nest by PD Eastman
• Are You My Mother? By PD Eastman
• Thornton Burgess Bird Book
• The Boy Who Drew Birds by Jacqueline Davies

 
Seeds

• A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Aston
• From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons
• How a Seed Grows by Helene Jordan
• The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
• Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson
• The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

 
Flowers

• Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
• The Flower’s Festival by Elsa Beskow
• Sunflower House by Eve Bunting
• The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller
• Flower Garden by Eve Bunting
• Pick Pull Snap!  Where Once a Flower Bloomed by Lola Schafer

 
Gardening

• Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner
• Inch By Inch by Leo Lionni
• My Garden by Kevin Henkes
• Mucha Muncha muncha! By Candace Fleming
• Two Little Gardeners
• The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
• Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole
• Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens
• The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
• How Does My Garden Grow? By Gerda Muller
• Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

 
Caterpillars and Butterflies

• The Story of the Butterfly Children by  Sibylle von Olfers
• A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Aston
• Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• Monarch Butterfly of Aster Way by Elizabeth Ring
• Are You a Butterfly? by Judy Allen
• A Monarch Butterfly’s Life by John Himmelman

 
Fairies

• Flower Fairy Books by Cecily Mary Barker

 
First Day of Summer (Summer Solstice)

• The Sun Egg by Elsa Beskow

 
Berries and Other Fruit

• The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear by  Audrey Wood
• Jamberry by Bruce Degen
• Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
• Peter in Blueberry Land by Elsa Beskow
• Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg

 
Bees and Honey

• Are You a Bee? By Judy Allen
• The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons
• From Flower to Honey
• Bumblebee at Apple Tree Lane by Laura Gates Galvin
• The Bee Tree by Patricia Pollaco

 
Bugs

• A Ladybug’s Life by John Himmelman
• Ladybug at Orchard Avenue by Kathleen Widner Zoehfeld
• Are You a Ladybug? by Judy Allen
• The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
• The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle
• The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle
• Are You an Ant? by Judy Allen
• Are You a Grasshopper? by Judy Allen
• Are You a Dragonfly? By Judy Allen

 
Independence Day

• Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• The Fourth of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh
• The Star Spangled Banner Illustrated by Peter Spier

 
Ducks

• Duck and Goose by Tad Hills
• Just Ducks! by Nicola Davies
• Have You Seen My Duckling? By Nancy Tafuri
• Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
• The Story of Ping by Marjorie Flack
• I Went Walking by Sue Williams
• On Duck Pond by Jane Yolen
• Mallard Duck at Meadow View Pond by Wendy Pfeffer
• Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings by Matthew Van Fleet
• Peep Leap by Elizabeth Verdick

 
Frogs

• It’s Mine by Leo Lionni
• An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni
• Jump Frog Jump by  Robert Kalan
• Frog Went A-Courtin’ by John Langstaff
• A Frog in the Bog by Karma Wilson
• Frog and Toad Books by Arnold Lobel
• Frogs by Gail Gibbons
• From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer
• Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle by Deborah Dennard
• A Boy A Dog and a Frog by Mercer Mayer

 
Turtles

• Turtle Splash! By Cathryn Falwell
• Mossy by Jan Brett
• Box Turtle at Silver Pond Lane by Susan Korman

 
Fish

• Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni
• Swimmy by Leo Lionni
• Fish Eyes by Lois Ehlert
• McElligot’s Pool by Dr. Suess
• The Curious Fish by Elsa Beskow

 
Pond and Wetlands

• Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
• In the Small Small Pond by Denise Fleming
• About Habitats: Wetlands by Cathryn Sill
• Wake Up, Island by Mary Casanova

 
Ocean

• The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown
• A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
• Mr. Seahorse by Eric Carle
• The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson
• The Giant Squid by Candace Fleming
• Gentle Giant Octopus by Nicola Davies
• One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies
• Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies
• Big Blue Whale by Nicola Davies

 
Trees

• A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry
• Tell Me Tree by Gail Gibbons
• The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown Ups by Gina Ingoglia
• Be A Friend to Trees
• A Tree for All Seasons
• Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
• The Gift of the Tree by Alvin Tresselt
• A Year Around the Great Oak by Gerda Muller
• Miss Twiggley’s Tree by Dorothea Warren Fox

 
Farms and Farm Animals

• Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
• Mr. Brown Can Moo!  Can You?
• Rooster’s Off to See the World by Eric Carle
• All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri
• Five Little Chicks by Nancy Tafuri
• Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox
• Dinnertime! By Sue Williams
• Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell
• Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
• Hedgie’s Surprise by Jan Brett
• Billy and Blaze by CW Anderson
• Blaze and the Forest Fire by CW Anderson

 
Preserving the Summer

• Summertime in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Lucy’s Summer by Donald Hall
• Mr. Grumpy’s Outing by John Burningham
• The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

 
Hummingbirds

• About Hummingbirds: A Guide for Children by Cathryn Sill

 
Apples

• How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
• Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
• Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington
• Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Suess
• The Season of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons
• Apples by Gail Gibbons
• Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg
• The Apple Doll by Elisa Kleven
• Rain Makes Applesauce by Julian Scheer
• The Apple Pie That Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson

 
First Day of Fall

• Woody, Hazel, and Little Pip by Elsa Beskow
• Christopher’s Harvest Time Elsa Beskow
• In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes

 
Martinmas, Dragons, Knights

• The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie de Paola
• Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
• The Land of Long Ago by Elsa Beskow

 
Columbus Day

• A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David Adler
• Follow the Dream:  The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis

 
Night Time Sky

• Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Moon Shines Down by Margaret Wise Brown
• The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons
• Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
• Touch the Brightest Star by Christine Matheson
• Starry Messenger: Galileo Galiliei by Peter Sis

 
Owls

• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
• Owls by Gail Gibbons
• Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
• White Owl, Barn Owl by  Nicola Davies

 
Bats

• Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
• Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies
• Bats by Gail Gibbons
• Zipping Zapping Zooming Bats by Ann Earle

 
Spiders

• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
• Spinning Spiders by Melvin Berger
• Are You A Spider? By Judy Allen
• Spiders by Gail Gibbons
• Be Nice to Spiders by Margaret Bloy Graham

 
Pumpkins

• Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor
• It’s Pumpkin Time by Zoe Hall
• Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper
• Spookley the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano
• The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons
• From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer
• The Pumpkin Runner by Marsha Diane Arnold
• Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell
• The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll
• Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
• Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington
• Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White

 
Halloween

• Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara
• The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afriad of Anything by Linda D. Williams
• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
• One Spooky Night by Kate Stone
• Five Little Pumpkins by Tiger Tales
• Scarecrow by Cynthia Rylant
• Scary Scary Halloween by Eve Bunting

 
 
Martinmas, Getting Ready for Winter

• In November by Cynthia Rylant
• Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller
• Three Pebbles and a Song by Eileen Spinelli
• Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead

 
Leaves

• Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger
• Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall
• Red Leaf Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson
• Fall Walk by Virginia Brimhall Snow

 
Squirrels and Nuts

• The Nutty Nut Chase by Kathryn White
• The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
• Nuts to You by Lois Ehlert
• Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter

 
Thanksgiving

• We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season by Wendy Pfeffer
• An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott
• Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Zietlow Miller
• Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin
• A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting
• Too Many Turkeys by Linda White
• Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
• Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
• Give Thanks to the Lord by Karma Wilson
• Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Thanksgiving is Here! by Diane Goode
• Over the River and Through the Woods
• I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
• Thank You Thanksgiving by David Milgrim

 
The First Thanksgiving

• The Littlest Pilgrim by Brandi Dougherty
• The Very First Thanksgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene
• This First Thanksgiving Day by Laura Krauss Melmed
• The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh
• The Pilgrim’s First Thanksgiving  by Ann McGovern

 
Christmas Time

• Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones
• Counting to Christmas by Nancy Tafuri
• The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jan Brett
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess
• The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg
• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
• Lucy’s Christmas by Donald Hill
• The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
• Home for Christmas by Jan Brett
• Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett
• Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett
• Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel
• Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
• Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood
• Merry Christmas Strega Nona by Tomie de Paola
• The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
• Christmas in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
• The Christmas Fox by Anik McGrory
• Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble
• Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
• An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
• Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray
• The Dolls’ Christmas by Tasha Tudor
• Christmas in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
• Mortimer’s Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson
• The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie de Paola

 
St. Nicholas/Santa

• Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Steven Kellogg
• Here Comes Santa Claus by Gene Autry
• The Animals’ Santa by Jan Brett
• Dream Snow by Eric Carle
• Santa Claus and the Three Bears by Maria Modugno
• The Miracle of St. Nicholas by Gloria Whelan
• The Baker’s Dozen by Aaron Shepard

 
St. Lucia Day

• Lucia Saint of Light
• Hanna’s Christmas

 
Reindeer

• Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer by Robert May
• Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

 
Christmas Trees

• The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown
• Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
• The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston

 
Gingerbread

• Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett
• Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett
• Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett
• The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone

 
Christmas Angels

• Christmas Angels by Else Wenz-Vietor
• Country Angel Christmas by Tomie de Paola

 
Jesus’ Birth

• The Christmas Story by Jane Werner Watson
• The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado
• The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats
• The Friendly Beasts by Tomie de Paola
• The Donkey’s Dream by Barbara Helen Berger
• Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
• We Were There: A Nativity Story by Eve Bunting
• The First Christmas by Tomie de Paola
• A Christmas Story by Brian Wildsmith
• The Story of Christmas by Jane Ray
• The Clown of God by Tomie de Paola