springtime reading guide
20+ books set in spring I'll read and reread this year
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
One of my few optimistic and loving characteristics in this life is my steadfast belief that my favorite season is the one I’m in.
All except winter.
I love the warming and flower-scented air of spring. I love the freedom and sunset walks of summer. I love the crisp beauty of autumn.
And I fucking hate winter.
War is over! Spring is here, and right now that’s my favorite time for it to be! I want to soak in the vibes. Here’s what I’ll be reading in order to do it.
Note: As we speak (or as you read this) I am newly married! I have scheduled out paid Substack posts for each week I expect myself to be on hiatus, so I may not be active here. Weekly free posts will resume in mid to late April.
Children’s classics
Why are books for kids who lived a hundred years ago so incredibly good at conveying the feeling of spring? No one is coming close to their crown.
Anne of Green Gables
The first three books in the Anne series are pure magic to me. Watching this lovely little nature thing find family and home and love and a life of her own is so wonderful. And as far as I’m concerned, the series comes to a bittersweet and abrupt ending right after the trilogy mark.
The Secret Garden
Cannot even describe to you, as a bookish indoors kid continually banished outside on any given nice day, how jealous I was of bratty Mary Lennox for having this secret little space of her own. Even in adulthood the descriptions of hard blue skies and leaves poking through soil summon envy. I live in a city Mary!!!
Honorable mentions
I don’t adore these books quite as much, but I can’t deny they’re springy as hell.
Little Women (I do love this book, but I’m including it only as honorable because I associate it more with winter)
Grown-ups’ classics
The classic definition of classic is pretty good at springtime, too.
The Enchanted April
I spent last April with The Enchanted April because of my project long classics, and it was completely delightful. It subverted my expectations, which managed to make me as grumpy as our cast at the beginning of this stay in an Italian villa, and then I grew just as cheery as the rest of them too.
Middlemarch
The March three years ago (HOW?!) I spent reading this book in digestible sections with the wonderful Elle was one of the better reading experiences of my life. If you have free time this season, I couldn’t recommend it more.
