Friends of Montclair Library

Happy Groundhog Day! Whether the meteorological marmot sees its shadow today or not, February 2nd is always a good day to curl up with a book. Here are 9 picture books about groundhogs and Groundhog Day:

Groundhog Day! by Gail Gibbons (J 394.261 GIBBONS) – Facts about “Groundhog Day, its origins and the animal at the center of this delightful annual event,” (Amazon) in Gibbons’ trademark simple yet thorough style.

Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby (J PICBK BLACKABY) – Brownie the groundhog encounters a fox while waiting for winter to be over, and through clever maneuvering–and tasty snacks–the two become friends. (See also Brownie Groundhog and the Wintry Surprise.)

The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun by Wendie Old (J 394.261 OLD) – Every February 2nd, people in the United States wait to see if Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog living in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, will see his shadow and predict six more weeks of cold weather. But how can a groundhog predict the weather? And if it’s winter, shouldn’t he be hibernating? Are such predictions really accurate? Why is February 2nd so special? And do other groundhogs predict the weather?

Go To Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox (J PICBK COX) – When Groundhog is unable to sleep, he experiences autumn and winter holidays he never knew about, and then he finally falls asleep before Groundhog Day.

Substitute Groundhog by Pat Miller (J PICBK MILLER) (not at Montclair) – Too sick to perform his once-a-year job, Groundhog interviews other animals to come out of his hole on Groundhog Day.

Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman (J PICBK FREEMAN) (not at Montclair) – Gregory Groundhog and his shadow desperately look for each other after they become separated from one another just before their annual appearance on Groundhog Day.

Punxsutawney Phyllis by Susanna Leonard Hill (J PICBK HILL) (not at Montclair) – Although she can predict the weather much better than the boys in her family, no one thinks that Phyllis the groundhog has a chance of replacing the aging Punxsutawney Phil when Groundhog Day’s official groundhog retires.

Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub (J PICBK HOLUB) (not at Montclair) – When Groundhog realizes he needs helpers all over the country to accurately forecast the weather, he establishes a school to teach young groundhogs how to properly determine when spring will arrive.

Groundhog’s Dilemma by Kristen Remenar (new book – not at Montclair) – Groundhog wants to please all the animals, but half of them want spring to come quickly and the other half do not–and all of them think he controls the seasons, so what is a poor groundhog to do on Groundhog Day?

ADDED 2/20/16: HarperCollins just re-issued Crockett Johnson’s (of Harold and the Purple Crayon fame) 1959 Groundhog Day book, Will Spring Be Early? Or Will Spring Be Late? (also available in the original 1959 printing from the Main Library). In this funny story, when Groundhog sees a fake flower and declares spring has come the other animals are excited — until a grumpy pig points out the truth.