Eloquent Springtime Reads for Personal Growth and Contemplation

Novels, creative non-fiction, poetry, and picture books to help us pay closer attention

In the spirit of transparency, I’ve found that these seasonal literary round-ups are what my readers enjoy best—and it’s taken me some time to compile a modest list of what I believe to be seasonally appropriate reads (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway) to savor while the earth regenerates.

Truthfully, I have struggled to choose works of literature that (I feel) accurately reflect themes of new life and germination, for spring is not all sunshine and blossoms. Beauty flourishes this time of year, to be sure, but it does not do so without growing pains and torrents of rainfall and blustery storms; there are moments of bleak uncertainty we would do well to examine thoroughly.

And so the novels, poetry, and even picture books listed below should, ideally, harken back to moments of discomfort, self-examination, and change that inspire genuine growth and revitalization in your own real life experiences. (For what else are we reading for?)

But also, I believe they’re all just really, really beautiful books and it is my sincere hope that you take as much delight in them as I have. :)

Novels:

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

When life becomes unbearably gray, four unlikely women take to the sea on the cusp of spring for a holiday in an Italian castle. (I am quite partial to a humble castle. And honestly is there anything dreamier than a Mediterranean castle getaway?) This lovely little novel proves that sometimes a change of scenery is just what one needs. The power of beauty and its ability to heal even the hardest of hearts springs forth in this whimsical work. By the end of the book, you will have been a bit transformed yourself, and even the most unlikeable characters will have steadily developed the ability to charm you.

“How beautiful, how beautiful. Not to have died before this…to have been allowed to see, breathe, feel this…She stared. Her lips parted. Happy? Poor, ordinary, every day word. But what could one say, how could one describe it?”

-Elizabeth von Arnim, The Enchanted April

A Place on Earth by Wendell Berry

I can think of no better introduction to the town of Port William and the poetic prose of Wendell Berry. Although this particular novel is the second to be published in a series of tales about a fictional town based loosely on Berry’s own homeland, A Place on Earth provides the reader with the most widespread overview of the cast of characters you will encounter in the ever-changing landscape of Port William: The town barber (Jayber Crow), the gravedigger (Uncle Stanley), the Feltner family farm, and many other people and places are uniquely intertwined in this World War II era story of a community striving to look out for one another in times of uncertainty. This is a novel that perfectly captures a sense of place, even on the cusp change (both physically and spiritually) and the true nature of people. In short, reading a Wendell Berry novel feels like home—even if you haven’t lived and breathed along the banks of the Ohio River.

Emma by Jane Austen

Although much of this artful story takes place in the spring, it is the themes of self-awareness and personal growth that really make this novel a delightful springtime read. One of Austen’s most iconic heroines, the lively and (nearly insufferably) witty Emma Woodhouse plays matchmaker in the quiet, country village of Highbury—to a fault. Emma is much more than a story about love and marriage; it is a cautionary tale on the importance of self-awareness and how we, if we are not careful, can fail to truly see those around us.

“Vanity working on a weak head produces every sort of mischief.”

-Jane Austen, Emma

Andromeda by Therese Bohman

The spring parties are all the rage at Rydens, a prestigious publishing house in Sweden—but that’s not why you should read this really, really important book; you should read this novel because it’s an “old soul book” stranded in the landscape of modern literature.

Early this year, the United States was ever so fortunate to be graced with a translation of Andromeda, a short yet potent novel by Swedish novelist and cultural journalist Therese Bohman. Originally published in 2022, it is a bold and lovely work of fiction that both examines the modern publishing industry and what it means to be human in an ever-evolving world. On the surface, Andromeda is a novel about a young (and nearly nameless) editor and her inappropriate—but highly insightful—relationship with her boss at Rydens. Beneath the surface, Andromeda is a novel about the search for quality literature that deals with life in a genuine way and the ever-growing tension between preserving the treasures of the past while adapting to the world in which we live and breath now. (I wax poetic in further detail about this lovely little work here.)

Picture Books:

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

The music of Antonio Vivaldi comes to life in this beautifully illustrated and whimsical story about a little girl and her puppy named Pickle—with an apple tree in tow— as they magically journey through all four seasons in a day. The interactive buttons keep young children engaged and each portion of the featured music is individually analyzed in the back of the book, where you can also learn more about the world-renowned composer. Each book in The Story Orchestra series retells famous ballets and operas or pairs a child-friendly story to a classical piece of music. These are beloved books in our home.

Spring Story and Poppy’s Babies by Jill Barklem

Our copy of The Complete Brambly Hedge gets plenty of well-loved use year-round. Spring picnics, thoughtful surprises, new babies, and cakes of all varieties grace the pages of Jill Barklem’s springtime mouse adventures. (And if your little ones are anything like mine, they will be itching for a backyard picnic after Spring Story; it will be worth the effort and potential mishaps.)

(I sincerely hope you can’t detect how desperately in need of a mop my floor is.)

Creative Non-fiction:

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

A Pulitzer Prize Winner, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is the personal narrative of author, essayist, and poet Annie Dillard in which she quietly, intentionally, and on-foot explores the creek near her home within Virginia’s Roanoke Valley. It is a thorough and insightful piece of creative non-fiction that takes an up-close look at the changing seasons within a year’s time. Dillard easily blends the world of theology with her observations of nature at work—leaving us with the ability to detect the divine in a blade of grass.

Poetry:

Evidence Poems by Mary Oliver

Honestly, pick any collection of poetry by Mary Oliver and it’s going to be exactly the renewal your soul is in need of; this is simply the current collection I am leafing through at this point in time.

I will leave you with my favorite excerpt from her poem titled “Evidence”:

There are many ways to perish, or to flourish.

How old pain, for example, can stall us at the threshold of function.

Memory: a golden bowl, or a basement without light.

For which reason the nightmare comes with its painful story and says: you need to know this.

Some memories I would give anything to forget. Others I would not give up upon the point of death, they are the bright hawks of my life.

Still, friends, consider stone, that is without the fret of gravity, and water that is without anxiety.

And the pine trees that never forget their recipe for renewal.

And the female wood duck who is looking this way and that way for her children. And the snapping turtle who is looking this way and that way also. This is the world.

And consider, always, every day, the determination of the grass to grow despite the unending obstacles.

-Mary Oliver, “Evidence”

What do you enjoy reading in the springtime? Are there certain poets or novels you turn to this time of year? Share your literary wealth!