11 Books That Are Better in the Spring

All Creatures Great and Small

by James Herriot

The first in Herriot's autobiographical series about life as a country vet in Northern England. When Herriot lands a position with an eccentric owner of an existing veterinary practice at the tender age of 23, he learns to treat the animals that popular Yorkshire farms—which also involves a good bit of care for their colorful owners. A delightful collection that's easy to read one short story at a time.

The Wind in the Willows

by Kenneth Grahame

A. A. Milne said that while the merits of most books are debatable, "one does not argue about The Wind in the Willows." This is the story of four stubbornly loyal friends: river-loving Mole and Ratty, infuriating (but lovable) Toad, and wise Badger. A tale of friendship, loyalty and mapcap adventures. Exuberant, joyful, and full of fresh air.

A Room with a View

by E.M. Forster

You just can’t beat a book that turns on a stolen kiss in the Italian countryside. It’s widely believed that the movie is better than the book, but that’s no excuse not to read this slim novel about the awakening of sheltered Englishwoman Lucy Honeychurch (who is definitely in the running for Most Adorable Name in Literature) at the hands of an Englishman with little regard for convention. (It's worth saying: the movie version is fabulous.)

Middlemarch

by George Eliot

Eliot's hefty masterpiece combines her "study of provincial life" with a close look at several young couples who fall (or think they fall) in love. Who will find lasting happiness, and who won't, and why? By focusing on the narrow disappointments and particular joys of this small community, Eliot cuts to the heart of human nature. A novel about love, happiness, and second chances.

Leaves of Grass

by Walt Whitman

Whenever I think of Leaves of Grass, I picture Wynona Rider-turned-Jo March quoting Whitman's "new" volume in the 1994 movie Little Women. If you haven't touched poetry since high school, pick up Whitman's earthshaking 1855 collection, which oozes with freshness and optimism. Starting points: "Song of Myself," "Song of the Open Road," "I Sing the Body Electric." Highly controversial in 1855: read it and decide for yourself.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand

by Helen Simonson

A widower who was raised to believe in propriety above all falls hopelessly in love with someone who is completely wrong for him—at least by the standards of his small English village. A winsome story with an unlikely hero.

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The Precious One

by Marisa de los Santos

Taisy Cleary hasn't seen her father in 17 years. After he survives a heart attack, he summons her to write his biography (The Thirteenth Tale, anyone?), and Taisy is plunged back into her past, giving her the opportunity to write past (and current) crucial mistakes. Not my favorite de los Santos work, but the gorgeous writing and Middlemarch references keep it on my "worthwhile" list.

A Homemade Life

by Molly Wizenberg

After her father died, Molly Wizenburg didn’t know what to do with herself. So she went to Paris, and later, she started a blog. No spoilers here, so let’s just say I especially loved hearing about how the internet introduced the author to new, life-changing relationships. This memoir made me laugh, cry, check airfare to Paris, and curse my low carb diet. Completely and utterly charming, accompanied by tasty recipes.

Persuasion

by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice should be read in the spring; Emma in the summer. But Persuasion is for fall. This the last novel Austen completed before her death, and it’s darker and more serious in tone than her earlier works. With its themes of love, regret, and fidelity, this is my favorite Austen novel—at least some of the time. But always in autumn.

Anne of Green Gables

by L.M. Montgomery

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Prince Edward Island, Canada decide to adopt an orphaned boy to help them on their farm. Their messenger mistakenly delivers a girl to Green Gables instead—an 11-year-old feisty redhead named Anne Shirley. The series follows Anne from her childhood at Green Gables until she is a mother herself. Don't miss the final books of the series when Anne's own sons set sail to fight for Canada in WWI.

The Secret Garden

by Frances Hodgson Burnett

A spoiled, loveless orphan and a coddled, cantankerous invalid bring a forgotten garden—and each other—to life again in this childhood classic. The themes of rebirth and renewal—and the literal spring that blooms before their eyes in their secret garden—make spring the perfect time to revisit this book, or read it for the first time, as I just did.

Libro.fm

11 Books That Are Better in the Spring

All Creatures Great and Small

The Wind in the Willows

A Room with a View

Middlemarch

Leaves of Grass

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand

The Precious One

A Homemade Life

Persuasion

Anne of Green Gables

The Secret Garden

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations
for every mood

11 Books That Are Better in the Spring

Find your next read with:

100 Book recommendations for every mood

100 Book recommendations
for every mood