Find, celebrate springtime through children’s books at the library

It's May. It's May - 'that gorgeous holiday” that Julie Andrews sang about in 'Camelot,” when every day is a celebration of sprouting, rebirth and color. So why not celebrate with books?

'Finding Spring” by Caril Berger (Greenwillow, 2015; $17.99) is a sweet and funny story about a little bear named Maurice who can only think about his first spring. '‘I wish it was spring right now, Maurice told Mama. ‘Waiting is hard,' she said. ‘Right now it is time to sleep.'”

But Maurice can't sleep and he sets off to find spring. He finds other animals. The squirrel tells him finding spring, 'might take a while.” The robin says, 'Everything in its time.”

Maurice finds beautiful six-branched crystals and is sure he has found spring. He wraps some up to take to Mama. Then he snuggles in for a good sleep. When he wakes up the spring he had captured is gone. But Mama is there to help him look.

The story is perfectly satisfying and the cut paper collages are charming. The trees in the winter forest announce their greenness with the word 'GREEN” on part of the paper.

The flap copy of the book reports that Berger uses 'catalogs, old books, receipts, letters and ticket stubs” in these collages. And part of the fun is reading the little bits that show up on leaves, scarves, or squirrel tails.

'Outside Your Window,” written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Mark Hearld (Candlewick, 2012; $19.99), is a year's worth of nature poems and observations, which starts with spring.

'Listen to the Pond” is one of my favorites because it reminds us of those wonderful spring peepers, ephemeral singers: 'Listen! Can you hear it?/ Rrrrruuurp. Rrrrruuup./ The frogs are croaking in the pond/and laying eggs like spotted jelly./ Next week the spots will be wiggly tadpoles/ Next month they'll grow a pair of legs./ By summer they'll be tiny frogs that leap off into the world./ And one night in another spring, when they're big frogs,/ they'll be back!/Rrrrruurrrrp. Rrrrrruuurp. Rrrrrruuup.”

One specific celebration in May is Mother's Day. Two classics are can't-miss favorites for this day: 'Monster Mama” by Liz Rosenberg with over-the-top illustrations by Stephen Gammill (Trumpet Club, 1994 op) can be found at your local library.

It's a rollicking story of the deceptiveness of appearances and the power of a mother's love.

Monster Mama lives in a cave at the back of the house and she looks a little scary, but she makes wonderful cupcakes - and is on the spot when needed. Hazel's 'Amazing Mother” by Rosemary Welles (Puffin Reissue, 1992; $5.99) is another satisfying story of the power of a mother's love.

'Taking Care of Mama Rabbit” by Anita Lobel (Alfred Knopf, 2014; $11.99) turns the tables and the 10 little rabbits take care of Mama Rabbit when she gets sick.

While Papa is off getting medicine, the 'Littles” bring Mama healing items as a cup of hot chocolate, a cuddly toy, a sweet-smelling flower.

This is a lovely story of thoughtfulness, of the ones who are most often cared for doing the caring. That is something worth celebrating in any month.

' Jacqueline Briggs Martin of Mount Vernon has published 17 books for children, including 'The Chiru of High Tibet.”