No matter what the news from Punxsutawney, the lengthening daylight and crossed off calendar pages start all but the frostiest of dispositions thinking about the warming weeks to come. As the natural world finishes its long respite and gets ready to work its magic, it’s the perfect time to share some seasonal picture books to help young listeners understand what’s happening and prepare them for the wonders that are about to unfold.

Chaconas, Dori. Spring Cleaning. illus. by Lisa McCue. 32p. (Cork & Fuzz: Bk. 10). Penguin. Mar. 2015. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780670016860.

Gr 1-2 –Cork is a short muskrat with patience and willingness to try new things, while Fuzz, a tall possum, does not like to wait for anything and is often less than enthusiastic when adventures present themselves. They are like The Odd Couple of the animal world—one sloppy, one striving to keep everything in perfect order. In this four-chapter, easy-to-read story, they prove that best friends with many differences can have fun together. This series installment offers familiar characters with plenty of dialogue and a story line with more twists and turns to encourage readers’ growth. The balance of text and art is just right, and the bright illustrations show these friends working out their differences. Suggested activities help children understand the feelings of the characters and explore their own characteristics. VERDICT A solid addition to a well-established series.–Janene Corbin, Rosebank Elementary School, Nashville, TN

Chernesky, Felicia Sanzari. Sun Above and Blooms Below: A Springtime of Opposites. illus by Susan Swan. 32p. Albert Whitman. Mar. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780807536322.

PreS-Gr 2 –Chernesky and Swan, creators of Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvesting of Shapes (Albert Whitman, 2013), have teamed up again, this time to showcase opposites. Miss Ava’s class has spring fever. Despite the rain, she takes her students on a field trip. In this rhyming adventure, the kids discover “a springtime of opposites” on their journey to a local farm. Riding on the school bus, they soar up hills and back down. They travel a crooked lane and pass straight wood fences. At the farm, they see big and small chickens and white and black barn cats. Each pair of opposites is emphasized in bold text. The highlight of the trip is watching baby chicks hatch in the warm incubator. When the students board the bus to head for home, they realize that “Springtime opposites are everywhere!” Although the story is engaging, some of the rhymes are a bit awkward (“A rooster crowed atop the coop/At the bottom, chicken poop!”). The brightly colored collage illustrations fill the pages, adding some country charm to the story and offering plenty of rustic details for children to look at. VERDICT Young fans of the series will enjoy learning their opposites along with the children in Miss Ava’s class.–Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA

Clement, Nathan. Big Tractor. illus. by Nathan Clement. 32p. Boyds Mills. Mar. 2015. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781620917909. LC 2014943970.

PreS-Gr 2 –Clement is a deity of vehicular lit. When kids enter the moving machinery phase of childhood, they revel in his Drive (2008), Job Site (2011), and Speed (2013, all Boyds Mills). Big Tractor is another wonderland of superlative illustrations that convey interesting information with the help of minimal text. The main characters here are a farmer in a checkered shirt and green-and-white cap, and a large green tractor. On the first page, the farmer opens a huge door and says, “Wake up, Ol’ Partner. It’s springtime!” He talks to the vehicle about the jobs they are tackling as they proceed through the growing season: “Hurry up! Time to tow the planter. Time to seed the rows.” “Take a break, Ol’ Partner. Time to start up the combine. Time to cut down the wheat.” Each spread is a lesson in agriculture, demonstrating the many phases of activity and the attachments a tractor pulls in order to get the work done. The computer-rendered images are dramatic and beautiful, treating readers to a wide variety of colors and perspectives. VERDICT Pair this title with Michael Garland’s Grandpa’s Tractor (2011) and Joy Cowley’s The Rusty, Trusty Tractor (1999, both Boyds Mills) for a farm machinery storytime that’s downright heartwarming.–Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

Frost, Helen. Sweep Up the Sun. photos by Rick Lieder. 32p. Candlewick. Mar. 2015. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780763669041. LC 2013957345.

PreS-Gr 1 –Following on the heels of Step Gently Out (Candlewick, 2012), which combines verse and photography to bring readers into the wonders of the insect world, this new title takes readers into the sky to fly with the birds. “Rise into the air/on the strength of your wings--/go out to play in the sky,/trusting it to hold you/as you learn to fly.” One motivational poem stretches easily throughout the book while the photographs work with it to capture impossible split seconds of flight and rest through a variety of conditions. (“You may find yourself/shaking off raindrops/or caught in a blizzard at night /You’ll pause for a quick conversation,/meet wingtip-to-wingtip/in flight.”) Each page showcases a different type of bird including goldfinches, starlings, ducks, and woodpeckers, and the back matter uses the photographs to connect readers to the birds’ names and basic information. The sharply focused birds stand out against blurred backgrounds, creating a stark contrast that invites close and repeated observation. VERDICT With a gentle text and dramatic visuals, this book has much to offer beginning birders, science classes, and storytimes for very young listeners.–Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Patricelli, Leslie. Hop! Hop! illus. by Leslie Patricelli. 26p. Candlewick. Feb. 2015. Board $6.99. ISBN 9780763663193. LC 201395782.

PreS –This is a charming anticipatory story of Easter through the eyes of a toddler. Patricelli’s oval-headed little tyke walks readers through the adventures of dying eggs, craft time, and an Easter egg hunt. In the end, his greatest surprise is finding out what Easter really means. Preschoolers will relate to the messy portrayal of the art project. They will also find it humorous when the toddler can’t find the many eggs during his hunt, even though they are quite obvious. During storytime, teachers or librarians could ask children to count the eggs available during the hunt and compare that to the number the toddler actually finds. The bald-headed baby, sleeping in bunny ears, cottony tail affixed to his diaper, contrasts with a shadow of the “real” Easter bunny busy leaving goodies by the door. This is illustrative magic. This very short board book includes 13 exclamation points; they are all warranted. VERDICT Preschoolers, parents, teachers, and librarians will be excited to “hop” to Patricelli’s latest.–Gwen Collier, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY