15 Children’s Books about Seasons

Inside: this list of children’s books about seasons includes both picture books and nonfiction choices for ages 3-8. You can use these books any time of year.

From preschool through the primary grades, young students typically study the four seasons and learn the little signs to show spring is coming or summer is turning into fall.

It’s important to find books that teach the seasons in interesting and accurate ways that build scientific reasoning and feed their natural curiosity. In this post, I’m sharing 15 children’s books about seasons to add to your classroom or home library!

(Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.)

Picture Books about Seasons

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall

The seasons really come to life when we can see them in progress. That’s exactly what makes this book a success. Young readers observe an apple tree changing throughout the seasons with vivid, beautiful images. In the fall, the family finally gets to prove why this is called the “apple pie tree.” 

The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons

Arnold loves to spend time in his favorite apple tree. In this book, readers watch how Arnold’s visits to the tree change throughout the year in alignment with the weather and the changing seasons. This is a classic for a reason!

My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan

Written by acclaimed author Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated with gorgeous die-cut pages that peek-a-boo on the next page, this book is a delight to read! It personifies the Earth as a sweet friend and demonstrates the seasons as different ways the Earth helps its inhabitants. This one is a must-read! (and I should add it to my list of Earth Day books for kids!)

Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell

This text is an excellent introduction to the idea of seasons, especially for pre-K and Kindergarten students. A young girl plants a sunflower in the spring and notices how it changes throughout the year. This would be a great text to pair with a nature observation or a unit about plant life cycles!

The Story Orchestra: Four Seasons in One Day by Jessica Courtney-Tickle

In this story, the reader follows young Isabelle and her dog Pickle who have the amazing experience of exploring all four seasons in one day. What sets this book apart is that it includes audio pieces of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons in the book itself. This would be a great opportunity to talk about how art represents what we think of and experience. It would also be great to launch an art activity.

First & Lasts: The Changing Seasons by Leda Schubert

This is an excellent introduction to phenology: the study of how the seasons show up on earth. (Do you love learning new words? I do!) In this book, two young sisters notice the first signs of the season and the last, too. This would be perfect to support nature observations throughout the year to help students identify their own firsts and lasts.

The Year at Maple Hill Farm by Alice and Martin Provensen

We love this book so much that we recommended it in our list about the best kids’ books about farming! The authors share so much knowledge and insight into how the farm changes throughout the months of the years. This is a great way to break down a study in the seasons into a more micro level to see how things shift through the months. This book is perfect for young readers in pre-K through grade 2. 

A Celebration of the Seasons: Goodnight Songs by Margaret Wise Brown

This is a different take on the seasons that young children and their families will love. Brown invited 12 award-winning illustrators to create beautiful images for poems inspired by the seasons. The poems are also sung by two singers and recorded on an accompanying CD to bring them to life.

Related: 12+ Books about the Months of the Year

Non-Fiction Children’s Books About the Seasons

A Stroll Through the Seasons: Look and Wonder by Kay Barnham and Maddie Frost

I really appreciate that this book starts by explaining the astronomical reason behind the seasons: the location and tilt of the earth in its orbit around the sun. From that starting point, the reader is guided through how the seasons change on earth. This is excellent for kids in K-3 who are learning about the seasons!

Watching the Seasons by Edana Eckart

Introduce the youngest readers to the concept of seasons using this simple non-fiction text with clear images to depict the changes in the seasons. This is a great text for young readers to practice their own reading skills while still learning about this important topic. Perfect for a classroom library in Pre-K to 2!

A Year on the Farm (Season to Season) by Christina Mia Gardeski

Similar to Watching the Seasons, this text is ideal for early readers to read on their own. This is a great way to build reading independence while supporting or extending a student’s understanding of how the seasons work. 

The Reason for Seasons by Gail Gibbons

Gibbons is a master at explaining complex ideas in simple ways. In this text, she goes in-depth explaining the earth’s rotation, solstices, equinoxes, and more in a kid-friendly way. This would be a great mentor text to study in a small group or to read after creating a KWL chart about the question “Why do we have seasons?”

A Tree for All Seasons by Robin Bernard

This short book from National Geographic has exceptional photos that feature a tree throughout the seasons. Not only is this book beautiful, but it will help students see the progression through winter, spring, summer, and fall – all in one sitting. Great for early readers!

The Reason for the Seasons (A Joulia Copernicus Book) by Ellie Peterson

Ideal for young readers in 1-4 Grade, Joulia Copernicus breaks down more complex astronomical concepts, like why the earth is cooler in winter, using clear examples and language. Budding astronomers will be fascinated by the information and the real-life examples will help clarify confusing concepts, too.

Weather and the Seasons by DK Books

I love that this volume breaks down some of the weather conditions we see in different seasons. It also includes a variety of scientific language, like water vapor. Kids will love the hands-on crafts to test their new knowledge, too.

Free Customizable Seasons Emergent Reader

Even reluctant students are motivated to read independently when their name is in the title and on every page of the book! My free printable Seasons Emergent Reader is customizable to include the name of your emerging reader right there on every page. 

Do you have a favorite book about the seasons to recommend?

Be sure to share your top titles in the comments below. Let me know if you check out any of these titles! I’d love to hear your thoughts.