It must be spring… and this series’ beloved free-spirited family returns to embrace the signs of yet another season. Be a part of the fun as they skip and rhyme their way to a colourful conclusion that makes good on the promise of nature’s very own pot of gold. And of course, our pun-ny squirrel friends are back with a splash and all new punchlines that will put a spring in your step and a smile on your blooming two-lips.
Michelle Wang is the author of an award-winning series of picture books about a fun-loving family discovering the beauty of the changing seasons: It Must Be Autumn (winner of the 2021 Royal Dragonfly Book Award and the Southern California Book Festival Award), It Must Be Winter (2021 Wishing Shelf Book Awards finalist), It Must Be Spring (2023 Educators Choice Awards finalist), and It Must Be Summer (available December 2023).
Michelle lives in Toronto, Ontario, where she was born and raised on Saturday mornings at the library with her two sisters, borrowing ten books each. The rest of the week, she lived in the worlds of heroes whose names were spelled with an e and wore paper bags and ate alligator pies at Macdonald Hall, alongside chums aged two plus two plus two who owned the wrong hockey sweater and told tales of strange things done.
When Michelle grew up and got married, her mother-in-law came to stay one day. Things went missing, and the events that ensued inspired Michelle to write Oma’s Bag as a love letter to her husband and their four children, as well as for all those families who have loved ones living with dementia.
Unlike Oma, Michelle doesn’t usually carry around a purse or a bag, but please don’t ask to look in her pockets.
Love this entire series! The illustrations are adorable and the fun jokes are an added bonus! E only all the ways the author describes spring! Very fun read!
"It Must Be Spring" puts creativity and chuckles on rails. No flights of fancy, although the kiddies will find it extremely fanciful. Ms. Wang's eye as a teacher, is on the ball, never wavering. Dads all over the map will be bewildered, reading the same book night after night after night, because the kid will demand it. Kids in this target area love learning formulas, and predicting the next page, always right on the money. It will be a challenge to avoid the sound of little voices shrieking down the stairs at bed time. The tree-jokes are groaners, just like they were when Dad and Mom were kids, and finally, the author gets a fist-pump, as she subtly reveals the full spectrum of the rainbow, from character to character to the end. A pot of gold for Michelle Wang.
It Must Be Spring is the newest in the series of "It Must Be" season books and it doesn't disappoint! Returning fans and readers will feel welcomed back to familiar friends and kids will especially read in anticipation of the squirrelly humour! Perfect for a read-aloud, the book's patterns and prose make for fun times and the different text tracks allow kids, parents, and teachers alike to experience the book many times in different ways. Whether it's in a part of the world where 4 seasons are the norm, or a place where people will see what weather and climate are like in most parts of North America, it's a great look at Mother Nature. Michelle and Uliana have come up with another gem, and our family looks forward to the next installment (which my son says HAS to happen)!
Fans of “It Must Be Autumn” and “It Must Be Winter” will not be disappointed with this newest addition to the series. It has the same classic trademarks that we all are so familiar and in love with, the repetition of the verses, the squirrels that always seem to have something funny to say. They’re all there. But this time, Michelle Wang has added a new wrinkle - colour. In addition to the memorable verses, she has cleverly integrated colours which adds a “colourful” component to advance the story. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and they truly complement Michelle’s vision. “It Must Be Spring” continues the tradition of delighting readers of all ages.
Just when I thought the storybooks couldn't get any better, "It Must Be Spring" arrives and the huggable family brings us even more surprises and highlights of the season representing renewal, growth and hope. The chattery squirrel pals are as witty as ever, so readers can look forward to more comedic material to share with classmates, friends and family. Pretty petals and sun showers splash colour on every visually dazzling page. Just like with the other seasons’ storybooks, each time you read it, you'll discover details you hadn't noticed before... a perfect book to sit in the grass and read together.
The "It Must Be" series has very quickly become a seasonal tradition with my family. "It Must Be Spring" is no different. My daughter loves the book and looks forward to reading all the jokes from these punny squirrels (repeatedly).
We love how the entire family loves to have fun and their adventures have given our family some inspiration (thankfully, there aren’t muddy puddles around our home too often).
The family keeps growing and we loved the addition of a new baby in this book. We can’t wait to see what fun adventure they go on next.
It Must Be Spring, is an enjoyable read-aloud-story for the entire family. It is exciting that we get to see what this growing and dynamic family is up to in the spring season! The punny squirrels with their "nutty" jokes deliver. The cheerful illustrations are wonderful. The rhyming story is fun and educational. We definitely can't wait to see how the family enjoys the summer season next. Our family has only one suggestion - we think the adorable puppy needs a cat friend in the next book.
It Must Be Spring is a great addition to books about the seasons. The characters are delightful and the squirrels are so funny! The family’s experience of spring will expand children’s vocabularies and understanding of the season. The use of rhyme will have children chanting along and wanting to read and reread this story! It’s a great addition to a classroom or home library. Thank you Michelle Wang for another treasure.
Michelle Wang masterfully brings to life the beauty of the season, from blooming flowers to the playful antics of nature. The clever humor, including the pun-filled one-liners from the neighborhood squirrels, adds a charming touch that will have readers of all ages smiling.
This book is not just a celebration of spring but also a reminder of the joy found in simple, everyday moments. It's a must-have for any child's bookshelf and a wonderful way to welcome the season. Highly recommended!
A lovely picture book for preschoolers and early readers.
The multicultural book can be used to teach colors and action words associated with the spring season. As each member looks out the window, that person highlights a color and steps outside in the rain to play. Readers meet the parents, grandparents, and siblings of the family. A fun book that encourages children to be interactive as they imitate the actions of each character.
Like the other books in this series, the Spring one brought bright smiles to my face. I like how I’m this one there was emphasis on colours and several synonyms for words that children could easily sponge. As always, those scurrying tree-dwellers stole my heart with their puns and silly jokes!
This is a such a fun and creative book springtime! Through this book, young readers will learn about signs of spring and for very young readers, this is a fun way to review colors. I love the jokes through the book. They made me laugh and smile. Great work!
It Must Be Spring is the 3rd in the series of children’s books revolving around an extended family celebrating the different aspects of an oncoming new season. It’s joyous, positive, whimsical, funny (those squirrels!) - everything that is wanted in a story for young children. I highly recommend this book and its predecessors, which celebrated Autumn and Winter in similar fashion.
This whole series is outstanding! The latest book, It Must Be Spring, is entertaining and fun to read. Great book for early readers and established elementary readers. Funny jokes that the kids will remember and will share with their friends. It’s a book that your child will want to read over and over again. Highly recommend!!!!
My kids and I love the It Must Be series! The Spring book highlights the wonderful things blooming with the season while acknowledging that the rain brings much of the new growth.
I also appreciate the learning aspect of counting and identifying colors, which makes this book an asset in the classroom and a home. This is a must read for children learning about the seasons!
This book has everything you would want in it: funny, charming, sweet message, family bonding, and cute animals! I loved how the author put in funny jokes throughout the page too! The illustration was so beautifully done and went perfectly with the text!
A class favorite—birds, blooms, and a chorus that sticks in little brains of the little people I teach. The repetitive lines? By the end of the book, they’re reading it on their own. Gold! Even my quieter students participated in echoing it by page three. Great for participation and memory-building while sneaking in a little seasonal joy. And as always, the squirrel jokes are a hit!
What a colourful book (you'll see when you read it)! The perfect embodiment of the blooming season! And of course, yet again my favourite squirrels stole the show with their hilariously punny jokes! Great 3rd addition to a wonderful series!
This is the second book we have read in this series and it did not disappoint. A fun story with lots of repetition and it also teaches children about the season as well as colours and counting. The jokes on each page are a wonderful addition and the illustrations are gorgeous.
A cheery book about what you see in spring. Children will enjoy the repetition of verse throughout the book and the various colours depicted by spring. My daughter enjoyed the illustrations
This amazing author continues to entertain and educate using the multicultural, multigenerational family we met in “It Must Be Autumn” and “It Must Be Winter”. I gave those books to all the children in my family for Christmas and have had continuous requests for “the next one”. Although written for children, it is a book for all ages and the squirrels continue to be the punniest!! Can’t wait to see what happens to this family (including two new additions) in “It Must Be Summer”.