To most people, spring means warmer weather and the rebirth of all things green and growing. To a book reviewer, it’s also a chance to take a peek at the publishers’ spring lists. To help you choose from among the hundreds of new books for children and young adults, here are some recommendations.

For the very young:

BABY ANGELS, by Jane Cowen-Fletcher, Candlewick Press, 18 pages, $15.99.

With exquisite pastels and lyrical rhyming text, Cowen-Fletcher, a South Berwick author, tells a comforting tale of baby angels who keep watch over a curious toddler.

NOW I’M BIG, by Margaret Miller, Greenwillow Books, 32 pages, $15.

Miller follows six children from infancy to early childhood, comparing their abilities and activities. Bright, action-packed photographs capture the pride children feel as they grow up.

YOUR FIRST STEP, by Henri Sorenson, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 24 pages, $15

At the same moment that a toddler takes his first step, baby animals the world over are taking theirs — lion cubs playing on the Serengeti Plain, chimpanzees grooming each other in Sierra Leone, young Indian tigers learning to hunt. Through translucent acrylic paintings, Sorenson brings together the creatures of the animal world in the act of taking first steps.

For 5- to 8-year-olds:

KITTEN TRAINING AND CRITTERS, TOO!, by Judy Peterson-Fleming and Bill Fleming, Tambourine, 39 pages, $16

Companion book: PUPPY TRAINING AND CRITTERS, TOO!, same price.

Young children are shown the basic steps in caring for and training kittens and puppies in these two new books. Corresponding information is also given about training wild animals. Wonderful books for owners of kittens or puppies.

THE OLD WOMAN WHO NAMED THINGS, by Cynthia Rylant, illustrations by Kathryn Brown, Harcourt Brace and Co., 32 pages, $15

An old woman, determined to keep from becoming lonely after many of her friends have died, names some of her special things — her car, house, chair and bed. When a stray puppy appears, she hesitates to name him, for fear he, too, might die and leave her alone. The puppy’s devotion helps the woman overcome her fear. Whimsical illustrations and a well-written text convey the gentle message of this satisfying tale.

JESSE’S BLUEBERRY SUMMER, by Leslie Maurice Evans and Susan Sainio Edwards, illustrations by Hilary Alina Clark, self-published, 1995, 27 pages, $7.95

Co-written by two Bangor women and illustrated by Edwards’ daughter, this book tells the story of Jesse, a young girl worried about her hard-working mother. Jesse decides to rake blueberries to earn a special dress for her mother. Taking her grandmother’s “magic” tourmaline stone for good luck, Jesse manages to achieve her goal, but not without some bad luck along the way. A simple tale with an earnest message.

For Older Readers:

EVEN STEPHEN, by Johanna Hurwitz, Morrow Jr. Books, 112 pages, $15, ages 10 and older

To 14-year-old Sunny, it seems like there isn’t anything her older brother, Stephen, can’t do — top student, star athlete, editor of the school newspaper. When Stephen is unable to prevent a tragedy from happening, his confidence is shattered, and Sunny learns an important lesson about perfection. A good book for overachievers and their siblings.

MOTHERS AND OTHER STRANGERS, by Budge Wilson, Harcourt Brace and Co., 176 pages, $16, ages 12 and older

A collection of nine short stories whose characters, with ages spanning more than 60 years, face many of the same struggles, joys and dreams. Though released as a young adult book, these stories transcend age and should appeal to older adults as well.

Judy Eyerer is a free-lance writer who lives in Bangor.