Local publishers have a slew of children's books out for spring. Here are just a few.

"OVER ON THE ISLAND" BY YUKO GREEN AND SARAH TUPOU; ISLAND HERITAGE, AGES 3-6, $9.95

Oliver A. Wadsworth's beguiling, late-19th-century counting rhyme "Over in the Meadow" gets a local twist in this picture book. The rhythm of the classic poem encourages children to sing along, making this an excellent choice for read-aloud time. Each spread, counting from 1 to 10, features a mother creature interacting with her baby:

"Over on the island,
in the soft morning sun,
lived a proud mother whale
and her little whale one.
'Splash!' said the mother.
'I splash,' said the one.
So he splashed with his tail
in the soft morning sun."

The images, including turtles, birds and geckos, are paper-cut collage using textured papers and watercolor wash.

"LONO AND THE MAGICAL LAND BENEATH THE SEA" BY CAREN LOEBEL-FRIED; BISHOP MUSEUM PRESS, AGES 4-8, $14.95

Stunningly illustrated in hand-colored block prints, this tale of Lono was adapted from a translation by Mary Kawena Pukui.

Lono is a fisherman on the island of Hawai'i long ago. Loebel-Fried is adept at creating a warm, intimate mood through her word choices. The story begins when Lono wakes early one morning to the sound of creaking:

"The gourd that held his hooks and lines was calling him. In the darkness, Lono yawned and quietly gathered his fishing gear. He made no noise since it could offend the gods and ruin his luck. Outside in the cool air, Lono looked at the sky. There was a glimmer of light on the horizon, but the stars still shone, and he saw that they pointed towards Mauna."

Lono comes to discover an amazing world of plants beneath the sea that eventually transform.

About the art, Loebel-Fried writes, "The technique is similar to Hawaiian 'ohe kapala, which was practiced by highly skilled women. They decorated their kapa fabric with stamps carved from bamboo that were dipped in natural dyes and pressed into the cloth in geometric patterns."

The book concludes with an insightful afterward and a thorough list of resources.

"MY FILIPINO WORD BOOK" BY ROBIN LYN FANCY AND VALA JEANNE WELCH, RONNY LYNN ILLUSTRATOR; BESS PRESS, AGES 1-4, $14.95

A very first book, written in English, Tagalog and Ilocano, "My Filipino Word Book" is designed to help prepare children who speak English as a second language for school. Warm watercolor paintings in vibrant tones illustrate each of four categories of concepts — colors, shapes, numbers and animals. An outdoor farmers market filled with bananas, lemons and daisies represents yellow, while a straw thatched roof portrays the concept of a triangle. The authors, both teachers at Lana'i High and Elementary Schools, created the book when they discovered that there were no such books available for Filipino children who speak English as a second language.

"LET'S MAKE DESSERTS!/E HO'OMAKAUKAU MEA 'ONO KAKOU!" BY PUNAHELE SVENDSEN, KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS PRESS, AGES 4-8, $13.95

This pretty picture book, with a clean design, is the result of a student-created book publishing project at Kanu o ka 'Aina Century Public Charter School in Waimea on the Big Island. The book opens with an invitation to Aunty's potluck. Four recipes for desserts are each featured on a two-page, illustrated spread. Ingredients and cooking instructions are given for kulolo, haupia, breadfruit and banana dishes.

Flip the book upside down and over to read in English or Hawaiian. Punahele Svendsen was a sophomore when she wrote and illustrated this title.