8 new books kids will love

The crocuses are out. Daylight-saving time has arrived again. It’s time to read about bunnies, gardens, baseball and the like in eight terrific new children’s books.

“Little White Rabbit” by Kevin Henkes: This book tells the story of a small bunny bursting with imagination and curiosity. As he explores, he muses. He hops through tall grass and wonders what it would be like to be green. On the next glorious two-page spread, the bunny and nearly everything around him – frog, cricket, lily pad, grass – are green. He hops beneath butterflies and “wonders what it would be like to flutter through the air.” A lovely illustration follows. The wondering continues until he encounters a cat, and he gets scared. He hops quickly home to his mother, where “he didn’t wonder who loved him.”

For a long time “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” and the other fabulous “mouse” books were Henkes’ trademark. But “Little White Rabbit” is the newest in a more-recent series of five utterly charming picture books for preschoolers that includes “A Good Day” and “Kitten’s First Full Moon,” which won a Caldecott Medal. In many reviews, these books have been compared to the work of Margaret Wise Brown. They might be even better – eloquent in their simplicity, with just the right amount of story, and perfectly tuned to the concerns and joys of young children. (Greenwillow, 40 pages, $16.99, ages 2 to 5.)

“Spring is Here” by Will Hillenbrand: After Mole wakes up and discovers spring has arrived, he rushes back in to wake Bear. It’s not easy. Despite the striped PJs and puffy quilt, Bear seems to be hibernating as soundly as any old bear in the woods. After trying several unsuccessful wake-up tricks, including a feather and a horn, Mole gets to work on a big pancake breakfast. That gets Bear’s attention, but it makes Mole sleepy again. The story and Hillenbrand’s nubbly textured pictures are enchanting. (Holiday House, 32 pages, $16.95, ages 2 to 6.)

“Planting the Wild Garden,” by Tacoma resident Kathryn O. Galbraith, illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin: This book depicts the many ways that seeds are spread and planted in the wild landscape. Seeds are carried by birds, and in the fur of animals. They fall in rain, are blown by wind, and moved by streams. Even humans tromping through woods and meadows pick up seeds on boots and pantlegs and deposit them elsewhere. Sound effects and animal drama add interest to Galbraith’s narrative. “Peck. Peck. Peck. The flock of goldfinches bobbles and sways.” A fox chases a rabbit, which scatters seeds as it jumps to safety.

With Halperin’s lyrical, flowing illustrations and Galbraith’s descriptive, lively words, there’s a sense of movement that echoes the growth and change they describe. (Peachtree, 36 pages, $15.95, ages 4 to 8.)

“First Garden: The White House Garden,” written and illustrated by Robbin Gourley: Bright lively watercolors grace this well-told tale of Michelle Obama’s kitchen garden on the White House lawn. Gourley includes a short history of White House gardens; there hadn’t been a vegetable garden since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden in 1943. Gourley describes how kids from Bancroft Elementary helped with the garden and she includes information about gardening and beekeeping. We meet the White House chefs and learn about meals in which they used ingredients from the garden. Recipes and resources are included. (Clarion Books, 36 pages, $16.99, ages 6 and older. Scheduled for release April 4.)

“The Little Red Pen,” by Janice Stevens, with hilarious illustrations by Susan Stevens Crummel: This is a wacky parody of “The Little Red Hen.” It’s deep into the school year and teacher’s supplies are getting tired. Pencil’s sharpened to a nub. Stapler’s back is killing him from being pounded all day. And Little Red Pen is in a frenzy trying to correct towering stacks of homework. Who will help? The other supplies beg off. So Red Pen embarks on an all-nighter that leaves her so wobbly that she falls into the scary trash can. The others mobilize a rescue effort, creating a crazy contraption involving a paper clip chain, yardstick, lazy hamster, his wheel and a blue pushpin named Senorita Chincheta. There’s far more fun than message. (Harcourt, 56 pages, ages 4 and older, $16.99. Scheduled for release mid-April.)

“This is the Game,” by Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander, illustrated by Owen Smith: Don’t want to jinx anything, but the way spring training is going, maybe baseball will be something to rejoice about again. Here’s a cool book that celebrates the game in all its forms, from the days when kids played with a stick in alleyways to today’s major leagues. It’s written in nicely flowing rhyme: “This is the swish! As the pitch whizzes by from the mound to the plate in the blink of an eye.” There’s painterly artwork by Smith, who’s done covers for The New Yorker. (Harper, 32 pages, $16.99, ages 4 and older.)

“The Rabbit Problem,” by Emily Gravett: This is a take on Fibonacci’s 13th century mathematical question: If a newborn pair of rabbits are put in a field, how many rabbits will there be after a year? The math is there and accurate, but it’s tucked in amidst rapidly multiplying hilarity. The ever-imaginative Gravett (“Meerkat Mail,” “Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear”) arranges the book like a calendar, complete with a hole for hanging. As the rabbit population grows, we’re treated to extras such as a fold-out baby book, a newspaper with the banner headline “Boredom strikes,” and when a May carrot famine swings the opposite way in September: “The Carrot Cookbook.” The field isn’t big enough to hold December’s 144 rabbits, so that calendar page is empty with a hole. The last spread is a glorious exploding pop-up of rabbits. (Simon & Schuster, 28 pages, $17.99, ages 4 to high-school math class.)

“If You’re Hoppy,” by April Pulley Sayre, with bright illustrations by Jackie Urbanovic: This book puts a bouncy, fun animal spin on the song “If You’re Happy and You Know it, Clap Your Hands.” As a read-aloud (sing-aloud?) this can’t help but get little listeners moving as they mimic the animals in the book. “If you’re hoppy and you know it, you’re a bunny!” or “If you’re growly and you know it, you’re a dog.”

For each action, Sayre throws in extra options. If you’re flappy, you could be a bird, butterfly or pterodactyl. It makes the singing more challenging, but with practice, it can be done. (Greenwillow, 34 pages, $16.99, ages 2 to 5.)

Rebecca Young: 253-597-8267 rebecca.young@thenewstribune.com rebeccayoungbooks.com