Celebrating the Beauty of the Season with Spring Reading

The first official day of spring is Tuesday, March 19! Spring is the season of hope, renewal, and rebirth, and it is a sign that warmer weather is on its way. To celebrate the changing of the seasons, we have curated a list of books that that capture the promise of the season, feature new beginnings, and inspire you to embark on a new journey of your own.  

1. First published in 1911, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is an enchanting story of friendship and hope. After Mary Lennox’s parents pass away, she is sent to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor on the Yorkshire Moors. She is lonely until she discovers a walled garden that has been locked for years. Mary finds a key to it and unlocks a world of hope, beauty, and joy.
    
2. Spring by Ali Smith tells us about the changing times we are living in and how throughout history and across the world, spring connects us together. Among unlikely people such as Beethoven, Charlie Chaplin, and Shakespeare, spring is the common denominator. Smith’s “Spring” is the third installment of her seasonal quartet, but may also be read alone. Published during the Covid-19 pandemic, “Spring” is a story of connectivity and eternal hope filled with metaphors of the season.
    
3. Considered a classic children's novel since the mid-20th century, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery tells the story of an adventurous eleven-year-old orphan who is mistakenly sent to Prince Edward Island to live on a farm. Anne makes quite the impression on her new family, peers at her school, and others in town in this coming-of-age story. Her cheerful spirit mimics that of spring – bright, energetic, and full of wonder.
    
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is the classic love story of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. Set in the English countryside, their love story is a tale as old as time and carries the essence of springtime.   
    
5. Spring is the season of cleaning, tidying, and decluttering. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing follows Marie Kondo’s revolutionary how-to guide to declutter your space by simplifying, organizing, and storing. Her methods are easy-to-follow and will help you examine what items you own truly sparks joy in your life.
    
6. Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon is the perfect romance to read during April showers.
   Ari Abrams is a TV meteorologist on the rise but is not receiving the proper mentorship from her boss and legendary weatherwoman, Torrance Hale, because she is too distracted by her stormy relationship with her ex-husband/the station’s news director. Ari and sports reporter, Russell Barringer, team up to reunite their bosses, but is that the only romance budding?  
    
7. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed is an honest and eye-opening memoir about healing and new beginnings. After the death of her mother, Strayed begins her solo hiking journey on the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert all the way into Washington State. This story is all about healing, strength, and reinvention.

Come pick up your first book of spring at any of our branches.