Flowers
The "language of flowers" was used by the Victorians to express their feelings. Every flower had a specific meaning. Gifts of flowers were chosen with great care to convey particular sentiments. Daisies spoke of innocence, buttercups smiled of cheerfulness, camellias were good luck gifts for men, and chrysanthemums (in general) said you're a wonderful friend; but specific colors had other meanings: white chrysanthemums promised truth, while yellow ones spoke of slighted love. Today we revel in the glory of all sorts of blossoms (and the fruits that many produce). Our improved transportation systems make it possible to obtain flowers from all over the world without too much difficulty. The awareness of flowers in the U. S. landscape was greatly enhanced by the "beautification" projects of Lady Bird Johnson. Whenever you are out-and-about, take the time to notice the blossoms that adorn your part of the world.
Find the meanings of different flowers:
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/flowerlanguagel-z.html
Read about Lady Bird Johnson's flower projects:
http://www.pbs.org/ladybird/shattereddreams/shattereddreams_report.html
Visit the "online flowers encyclopedia":
http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/miscellaneous/flowers-and-history
Contributor: Sheilah Egan
Reviews
The ABCs of Plants
Bobbie Kalman
With headings like "C is for Colorful cactuses" and "E is for Energy from the sun," the alphabet-corresponding subjects reach beyond just naming flowers and dive into the inner-workings of the plant world, from explaining their life cycle to discussing carnivorous plants such as the Venus flytrap. The broad world of plants is explained, piece by random piece, using creative ways to involve the reader, such as "I is for Imagine," which asks the reader to "Imagine" if flowers could talk and to write what they would say. One in a series of alphabetically categorized nature books known as "The ABCs of the Natural World," in which many aspects of the natural world are explained in short, easy paragraphs, complete with an index and a useful glossary. Colorful photographs by a variety of photographers add a realistic, educational touch that helps readers match the facts they are learning about the plants with what they really look like, taking this beyond the typical dull, faded textbook photo approach. Much of the textual content in this particular installment is covered in the classroom and textbooks, and adding this book to the available supplemental learning materials in the classroom may help the child who is a visual learner to grasp concepts that may otherwise be difficult. This entire series would be a great addition to the classroom on the science shelf, as the colorful photographs, interesting facts, and simple writing style make it both fun and educational for children of almost any age. I even learned a few things myself. (Did you know that lizards can pollinate flowers?) 2008, Crabtree Publishing Company, $7.95. Ages 6 to 12. Reviewer: Carly Reagan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7787-3413-0
ISBN: 0-7787-3413-7
ISBN: 978-0-7787-3433-8
ISBN: 0-7787-3433-1
Amazing Plants
Sally Hewitt
As a part of the "Amazing Science" series, this book shows the reader where plants grow, how they grow, and what to do to make them grow. The parts of the plant are identified and investigated throughout this science-based factual book. There are many interesting topics covered by this book, such as extraordinary plants, amazing plants, and underwater plants. The author engages readers throughout all of the mini chapters. There are questions on every other page to help them relate the information explained in the book to what they know. Key science vocabulary words appear the bottom of every page; readers are to look for them on the page. This book would be a wonderful asset to any science curriculum. Not only are the words and explanations clear and concise, the pictures are fabulous. They show each plant, flower, and organism discussed in great detail. The captions next to each picture give additional information about each topic and explain what each picture represents. Another interactive aspect of this book is the suggested science experiment described at the end. This book helps to get children interested and involved in understanding the place plants have in society. 2008, Crabtree Publishing Company, $7.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Rachel Miller (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7787-3614-1
ISBN: 0-7787-3614-8
ISBN: 978-0-7787-3628-8
ISBN: 0-7787-3628-8
Busy in the Garden
George Shannon
Pictures by Sam Williams
Babies and toddlers are notoriously "busy." In this absolutely delightful collection of poems the little ones are invited, encouraged, even exhorted to set about planting seeds, pulling weeds, and reaping the results of their efforts. "Zucchini" is one of my favorites as it addresses the plight of zucchini growers everywhere--too much of the green stuff. Beginning with "zucchini / meeny / miney / moe" and ending with "zucchini hash and succotash. / Zucchini / meeny / miney / MOAN," this one is the perfect description of the zucchini gardener's overabundant crop. The charming illustrations show plants in all of their stages of development from seed to flower to fruit as an integrated part of the pictures of the darling children who cavort about the garden. One of the poems is a little riddle about the parts of a plant that people eat; "sister ate the seeds and tossed the rest" is the line about eating peas. Reading this book will result in lots of discussions about the parts of plants that are consumed and would pair well with the book Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens. Grab your own garden basket and pack it with these twenty four poems for a "garden of delight"--guaranteed. You'll love the one about how to grow Jack O'Lanterns--plant a candle with every pumpkin seed! The cute-o-meter goes to the top on this one but do not overlook the many teachable moments captured in this celebration of all things "garden." Wrap this up with a "bunch of seeds" and give it as a wonderful gift of spring. 2006, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, $15.99 and $16.89. Ages 3 up. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-06-000464-9
ISBN: 0-06-000465-7
ISBN: 978-0-06-000465-1
ISBN: 978-0-06-000464-4
The Curious Garden
Peter Brown
Despite living in a dreary city with no gardens or trees, young Liam loves to walk outside, even in the rain. One morning he climbs up to explore the tracks of an unused railway. There he discovers to his surprise some plants and wildflowers. They seem to be dying, so Liam begins to tend them. Slowly the plants start to spread along the tracks. When winter snow cuts him off from the garden area, Liam lays his plans for the spring. Soon the garden begins to spread all over town. And everywhere other gardeners take up the call, until "the entire city had blossomed" years later. Acrylic and gouache scenes sometimes fill double pages while sometimes recording plant growth in vignettes. The geometric shapes of Liam's town make fine contrasts to the emerging organic growth. The gardens gradually turn the grim dullness of the story's initial image, with smoke stacks emitting clouds of black smoke, to the clear view of greenery and windmills. The end pages offer a similar contrast. Brown adds a note about the inspiration for this encouraging view of a possible greener future. 2009, Little Brown and Company, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-316-01547-9
Fern Verdant and the Silver Rose
Diana Leszczynski
Fern Verdant is pretty sure her parents love plants more than they love her. Why else would Lily and Olivier, both world-renowned botanists, move her away from her best friend to the tiny, dank town of Nedlaw, Oregon? Of course, Fern knows why they moved. It was so her father could study the fern species he had just discovered, now designated-humorlessly, in Fern's opinion-the Verdant Fern. Fern's dislike for all things flora intensifies when her mother, an endangered-plant scientist, disappears while on a mission to save a one-of-a-kind metallic silver rose. Long after everyone else presumes Lily dead, Fern's dreams convince her that her mother is still alive. On her thirteenth birthday, she receives confirmation... from a trumpet flower. Lily Verdant, it turns out, had a secret, one which her daughter now shares: the Verdant women can talk to plants. Suddenly, Fern is thrust into a new world of discovery and danger, depending on the very plants she despised to rescue the mother she loves. Under Leszczynski's guidance, Fern inhabits a Roald Dahl-ian world in which parents are loveably clueless, acronyms are hilariously revealing-enter NITPIC, the Nedlaw Institute for the Treatment and Prevention of Insanity in Children-and secret potions can turn villains into pigs without making the reader feel as though fantasy has unfurled too far. Ideal for either end-of-day reading aloud or as a curriculum addition with science and geography applications, Fern's adventures will find a welcome place on any young reader's bookshelf. 2008, Knopf/Random House, Ages 9 to 12, $15.99. Reviewer: Cara Chancellor (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-375-85213-8
Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms
Julia Rawlinson
Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke
Fletcher the fox is exuberantly enjoying the sights and sounds of spring until he goes into the orchard. He sees "snowy flakes" carried on the softly blowing breeze and determines he must warn the other animals that more snow is coming. He warns the birds who say they must warn the Porcupine before they fly back south. Porcupine says before he crawls back into bed he must tell Squirrel. who must tell the rabbits who exclaim they want to go play in the snow. A trip to the orchard reveals that it is not snow after all. It is an orchard full of blossoms. Rawlinson uses an old but successful story pattern in a fresh new tale. This second seasonal book about Fletcher will be a hit with young children. The book has an inviting layout and Fletcher is drawn with such personality. On certain pages the text curves down the page, reflecting the language and adding to the playful illustration. Beeke used pastels to create the springtime color pallet/ Each turn of the-page offers a new and fresh perspective. The final two-page spread shows glittering blossoms in the trees. This is ideal for a spring story hour. Teachers might also want to use it as an introduction to what happens in spring. 2009, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, Ages 3 to 7, $17.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-168855-3
Flower Garden
Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt
In an oversized board book (referred to as a lap book), a young girl and her dad are off shopping. In addition to food, they purchase daffodils, tulips, daisies, and pansies--all in bloom. Dad lugs the groceries, and our young girl handles the flowers. It is pretty tiring riding the bus and walking up the stairs to their apartment; she shows it by plopping down while dad opens the door. Then, they create a flowerbox for their window ledge. It is a bright display of beautiful colors. What happens next is a nice surprise: candles are lit on a cake and what a wonderful surprise awaits mom--a garden box, just for her. It is a delightful story showing a city-dwelling family determined to bring the beauty of spring flowers into their home and neighborhood. It is also wonderful to see such a nice relationship between father and daughter and among all members of this family. 2008 (orig. 1994), Red Wagon/Harcourt, $10.95. Ages 2 to 4. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-15-206516-4
Flowers
Robert Snedden
Did you know that there are around 250,000 different kinds of flowering plants in the world? And the variety range in size from trees and grasses to floating weeds on streams and ponds. The smallest plant is less than 0.03 inches long and the tallest is a tree that grows to the height of 300 feet. This book on flowers in the "Living Things" series is chock full of information, with descriptive illustrations that work very well with the text and photographs. It covers everything there is to know, from root systems, seeds, plant defenses, and stages of germination. Children will be interested in how much we as humans rely on flowering plants for food, fuel, buildings, clothing, and even medicines. Animals also depend heavily on flowering plants as without them they would starve with nothing to eat. This book is a concise documentation of the importance of these plants that children will find appealing. 2008, Smart Apple Media, $27.10. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Joan Elste (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59920078-1
ISBN: 1-59920078-3
Flowers Bloom!
Mary Dodson Wade
Flowers have an important job. It is to make seeds that might become a new plant someday. From the "I Like Plants!" series, this colorful book will teach young scientists about flowers big and small. (The largest can be as big as a bathtub!) Learn about petals, nectar and pollen and how flowers make seeds. Large print, easily understood text and color photographs on every page will keep the attention of young botanists. Beginning pages include a table of contents, glossary and an illustration of the parts of a flower. At the end of the book, readers will find a simple activity titled "Are All Flowers Colorful?" as well as a list of books and websites to learn more. Although written for beginning readers, preschool and kindergarten teachers would find this book appropriate to share with nonreaders. This book along with its five companion titles would make an excellent addition to elementary classrooms and school libraries. 2009, Enslow Elementary/Enslow Publishers, Ages 4 to 7, $$21.26. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7660-3157-9
ISBN: 0-7660-3157-8
ISBN: 978-0-7660-3617-8
ISBN: 0-7660-3617-0
Friends and Flowers
Jessica Gunderson
Illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld
This title, part of the "Read-It! Readers Science" series (Green Level) deals with the issues of the loss of a friend (moving), patience, growth in nature, and making new friends. Before Julia's family moves away, she gives Lindsey, her next door neighbor "best friend," a tulip bulb to remember her by. Lindsey and Julia had greatly enjoyed the flower garden together. Lindsey looks forward to the bulb growing but is sad about the loss of her friend. With reassurance from her mother that she would make a new friend, Lindsey plants the bulb and patiently waits for spring. On most of pages there is an inset with botanical information about the growth of bulbs. The cartoonlike illustrations augment the story line and reveal what is happening to the bulb developing underground. Of course, as the tulip blooms a new neighbor moves in next door--a girl Lindsey's age who announces that "I love flowers." The perfect ending is just right for this level of reader. No special emphasis is placed on the fact that the families are of different races (African American and Caucasian)--they are just neighbors and friends. The efforts of various animals to eat the bulb provide a humorous moment, as well as the good advice to use hot sauce to make the bulb unappetizing to the rabbits and squirrels. The Green Level books incorporate more complex ideas, vocabulary, and sentence structure. 2008, Picture Window Books, $19.93. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
Lindsey and Julia are best friends with a common love of gardening. One day Julia tells Lindsay she is moving. Julia gives Lindsey a tulip bulb to remember her by. Lindsey misses Julia terribly. She plants the tulip bulb before winter and waits for it to bloom. She wonders if she will ever find another special friend like Julia. As the tulip blooms, another friendship begins to blossom. This book is part of the green level in the "Read-it! Readers: Science" series. This level presents more complex ideas and extended vocabulary utilizing an expanded language structure. Both content information and reading skill development are addressed. Children will learn facts about plants and gardening and utilize the language and pictures to problem-solve for information. Several pages in the book include text boxes that contain scientific information about plants and gardening. A plant- growing activity, glossary, and a chart containing the life cycle of a bulb are also included. In addition, the author offers other book suggestions and web sites related to the book. Children will enjoy the story and illustrations while learning about gardening. 2008, Picture Window Books/Coughlan Publishing Company, $14.95. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Melissa Hower (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-2291-7
ISBN: 1-4048-2291-7
From Seed to Daisy: Following the Life Cycle
Laura Purdie Salas
Illustrated by Jeff Yesh
As part of a new series titled "Amazing Science: Life Cycles," this book is well written and precisely illustrated. It follows the sequence of a Shasta daisy, which a sidebar explains got its name because the petals look like the snow found on Mount Shasta. After describing the location of the seeds in the flower, the text and pictures combine to follow the growth of the seed from a seedling to a mature plant. A life cycle chart at the end provides reinforcement for the whole book. A wealth of additional information is added through sidebars on every other page; a glossary; a list of facts about the Shasta daisy; a bibliography; and web sources from FactHound that have been checked by the publishing staff. This book should be considered for purchase. It will be an excellent addition to the science curriculum and is sure to be used by both children and teachers. 2009, Picture Window Books, $25.46. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Sylvia Firth (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-4919-8
ISBN: 1-4048-4919-X
From Seed to Dandelion
Ellen Weiss
This book tells the story of a dandelion. It uses photographs to show the various parts of the dandelion as well as the stages a dandelion goes through as it grows. It also has key vocabulary words highlighted throughout the book. This is a wonderful resource for a science unit on plants or flowers. I recommend this book for the early elementary grades. (Scholastic News Nonfiction Readers.). Nonfiction. Grades 1-3. 2007, Children's Press, 24p., $14.00. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Bethany Powell (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 20, No. 4)).
ISBN: 0-53118539-7
ISBN: 978-0-53118539-1
Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas
Cheryl Bardoe
Illustrated by Jos. A. Smith.
This unusual nonfiction picture book examines the life and experiments of Gregor Mendel, one of the world's first geneticists. The text provides a factual yet entertaining account of Mendel's education, leading up to his becoming a friar and his truly groundbreaking experiments in hereditary science. Mendel was the first scientist to employ mathematical ideas and the scientific method to the field of biology. Working around the same time as Darwin, his experiments are marked by many as the beginning of the science of heredity; as Bardoe explains, Darwin elucidated why evolution happens but not how it transpires. Mendel's work focused on how the transmission occurs from generation to generation. Smith's charming, softly colored illustrations highlight Mendel's life as a man as well as a scientist, but most remarkable are his detailed drawings explaining the scientific experiments, including an easy-to-follow chart of the pea to pea genetics. Poignantly, the author concludes the work with a brief poem written by Mendel, dreaming that his work may be remembered long after his death. 2006, Abrams Books for Young Readers, $18.95. Ages 7 to 9. Reviewer: Laura Ruttig (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8109-5475-3
ISBN: 978-0-8109-5475-5
How a Seed Grows into a Sunflower
David Stewart
Illustrated by Carolyn Franklin
How a Seed Grows into a Sunflower has everything you ever wanted lower elementary children to know about the sunflower. The book is organized into chapters such as: "What is a sunflower?," "What Is a Seed?," "What Happens in the Spring?," and more. The font is large and the illustrations are colorful, although the book does not present any actual pictures of a sunflower. Each chapter is not more than two pages with concise facts. Many other illustrations are labeled such as stems, ladybugs, petal, and other parts of a flower. This nonfiction selection has a table of contents, sunflower facts showing the flower at different stages, a "Things to Do" section on how to grow your sunflower, life cycle of a sunflower, glossary, and index. It is a good early start book for the life cycle of a sunflower. (Amaze.). Nonfiction. Grades K-3. 2008, Children's Press, 32p., $26.00. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Maria Medina (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 21, No. 1)).
ISBN: 978-0-53120442-9
ISBN: 0-53120442-1
The Imaginary Garden
Andrew Larsen
Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher
Theo loves her Poppa's garden, and is concerned when he moves to an apartment and has to leave it. Since Poppa says it will be too windy on his balcony for real flowers, Theo suggests an imaginary garden. When spring arrives, Poppa puts a big blank canvas on the balcony. With paint they "build" a stone wall and create soil. Poppa paints crocuses and scilla coming up, and adds a visiting robin. When Poppa goes on holiday, he leaves Theo in charge. She adds blossoms in many colors and eagerly awaits his return. This delightful imaginative story combines sketchy black ink drawings with particularly colorful multimedia collages for illustrations. The decorative iron fence on the balcony makes a fine contrast for the great canvas that becomes the garden. There is a logic to the way it grows, with paints added in time for the crocuses and then tulip bulbs, while vines cover the stone, for a sense of magic to the colorful creation. The love between Theo and her grandfather is evident. If only a real garden were as easy to establish and flood with blooms as this one! 2009, Kids Can Press, Ages 4 to 8, $16.95. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-55453-279-7
Max's Magic Seeds
Géraldine Elschner
Pictures by Jean-Pierre Corderoch
Translated by Charise Myngheer
The adventure genre usually brings to mind tales of pirates and spies, but here is a story that captures the adventure young children find in the workings of the natural world. Young Max is given a bag of flower seeds by his eccentric uncle and told to scatter them throughout his hometown. Soon flowers begin to poke up between the cobbles of the streets, trail down from bridges and encircle doorways. Though the text is rather flat, Corderich's fabulously exuberant illustrations, brimming with color, action and expression, more than make up for it. Preschoolers will enjoy searching through the details of each picture. 2007, Penguin, $16.99. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Barbara Carroll Roberts (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-698-40059-7
ISBN: 0-698-40059-3
Mortimer's First Garden
Karma Wilson
Illustrated by Dan Andreasen
Mortimer Mouse, depressed by winter, longs to see something green. The "big people" in his house, however, have seeds ready for garden time. Mortimer, who loves seeds for eating, can't believe that putting them in the dirt can miraculously produce many more. But he decides to try with his last seed. Despite many doubts, his seed does finally sprout and grow. Thanking God for this miracle, Mortimer tends his plant patiently. The green plant produces a beautiful yellow sunflower. From it he harvests hundreds of seeds to eat, to plant next spring, even to share. The jacket's naturalistic oil painting of a happy mouse hanging from a mature, bright sunflower promises the best of the story within. Mortimer expresses the emotions of the gardener, as he charmingly displays the actions necessary to tend a plant to maturity and the satisfaction to be derived. This should inspire young gardeners. 2009, Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-4203-0
ISBN: 1-4169-4203-3
On Meadowview Street
Henry Cole
When Caroline and her family move to Meadowview Street, she searches in vain for any meadow. Caroline is an environmentalist at heart. First, she protects a small flower in the lawn from her father's mower. Soon, her "wildflower preserve" covers the entire lawn. Agreeing that her garden needs shade, her parents add a maple tree. Caroline and her father then build birdhouses for the birds in the tree. By the time they have added a pond, the neighbors have begun to change their yards as well, making friendly homes for nature's flowers and creatures. This modern, simply-told tale is visualized in acrylic paintings that are positive in their simplified naturalism. There is neither weed nor hole-digging dog in this suburban development of identical houses and fences. Vignettes depict Caroline and her family's activities clearly enough to be used as instructions for creating "meadows." A double-page spread just before the end depicts and names the many inhabitants to be found in Caroline's meadow. 2007, Greenwillow Books /HarperCollins Publishers, $17.89. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-056481-0
ISBN: 0-06-056481-4
ISBN: 978-0-06-056482-7
ISBN: 0-06-056482-2
A Place Where Sunflowers Grow = Sabaku Ni Saita Himawari
Amy Lee-Tai
Illustrations by Felicia Hoshino
Japanese translation by Marc Akio Lee
Flowers do not grow easily in the desert, nor does a young Japanese-American girl who has been uprooted from her home, her friends, and her flower-filled backyard. But with time, patience, and care both will grow tall, strong, and beautiful. Mari and her family have been forcibly removed from their home and incarcerated in an internment camp in the hot, dry desert of Utah. Mari desperately misses her old life, but as time passes, she begins to bloom. Mari finds solace in drawing her memories of home. She makes a friend. She sees that the sunflower seeds she and her mother planted in the sandy, dry soil of the camp have sprouted. And as we learn in the endpapers, these sunflowers flourished just as a young girl's spirit can flourish even in the harshest of circumstances. Mari's story is drawn from the actual experiences of the author's grandmother and mother who were interned in Topaz, Utah, during World War ll. The poignant multimedia illustrations are based in part on the artwork of Hisako Hibi, the author's grandmother. This touching story introduces younger readers to a little known part of American history. The story's text is printed in English as well as Japanese, making this book a must for any elementary school offering a Japanese language immersion curriculum. Recommended. 2006, Children's Book Press, $16.95 Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature).
Yearning for the freedom of her old life in California, young Mari plants sunflower seeds in the bleak Utah desert where her family is interred. The author bases her bilingual English/Japanese picture book on the experiences of her mother and grandmother at the Topaz Relocation Center during World War II. (More than 120,000 innocent Japanese Americans were similarly "relocated" by the government during this time, according to the book's introduction. While she waits for her seeds to sprout, Mari endures the conditions of the camp--the lack of privacy in communal shower and toilet rooms, the noisy mess halls, the dust storms. In her art class, though, she finds the tools and inspiration to bring color to this dreary place. Mari creates a picture of her family's barrack and places herself and best friend Aiko under towering sunflowers. And when she returns to her desert garden, amazingly enough "nine tiny green stems peeked from the ground" like "old friends." Through her creative and resilient spirit, Mari is able not only to transcend but to make changes to an oppressive situation. Luminous mixed-media illustrations by Felicia Hoshino reinforce the message of the text. A beautiful, important book about a long-hidden chapter in American history. 2006, Children's Book Press, $16.95. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-89239-215-5
ISBN: 0-89239-215-0
Plants Grow!
Mary Dodson Wade
Have you ever wondered what is inside a seed's tough cover? It is a new plant that, under the right conditions, will send a small root down into the soil and a stem up out of the ground. In this book, young scientists will learn about the life cycle of a plant, the parts of the plant and the function of each part. Bright flowers, for example, attract insects that pick up pollen and carry it to other flowers; that way, new seeds will be produced and can be spread to new places. From the six-title "I Like Plants!" series written for beginning readers, this colorful and informative book will introduce early elementary students to the life cycle of plants. Large print, straightforward and easily understood text and color photographs on every page will keep the young readers turning the pages. The beginning pages include a table of contents, a brief glossary and an illustration of the parts of a plant. At the end of the book, readers will find a pictorial life cycle of a plant and directions for a simple experiment (sprouting seeds) as well as a short list of books and websites to learn more. This book along with its five companion titles would make an excellent addition to elementary classrooms and school libraries. 2009, Enslow Elementary/Enslow Publishers Ages 4 to 7, $21.26. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7660-3612-3
ISBN: 0-7660-3152-7
ISBN: 978-0-7660-3152-4
ISBN: 0-7660-3612-7
Quick Draw: Flowers and Plants
Peter Bull
This drawing book uses a grid method to help children learn how to draw some basic plants and flowers. Grid paper is not included—rather, children are encouraged to trace the grid themselves, a tedious task for all but the most serious art students. Furthermore, they may be frustrated to find that many of the projects require more squares than the sample page has. The first page lists five basic steps for creating the pictures using the grid method, but the individual designs do not include any written instructions. Instead, the picture is broken down into four to eight steps illustrated in black and white drawings. Each step shows the newest lines in black, with previous lines fading to grey. There are fourteen flowers and plants, including a cactus, daisy, seaweed, and poppy. There is neither a table of contents nor an index, and the plants are not in alphabetic order, so children looking for specific plants to draw have no choice but to flip through the pages to find it. Still, many children will find it helpful to have pictures broken down into simpler pieces, and the grid may help them understand basic principles of proportion. 2008, Kingfisher/Macmillan, Ages 6 to 10, $5.99. Reviewer: Heather Christensen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7534-6202-7
ISBN: 0-7534-6202-8
Quiet in the Garden
Aliki
A young boy sits quietly in the garden. He knows that if he is very still he will see and hear things that others miss. He listens to conversations among the creatures he is observing. A snail asks a robin why it is eating berries from the tree. The robin answers that it is hungry. Most of the conversations are similar to this. A snail eats holes in leaves, a butterfly sips nectar from flowers, and a worm eats bits of plants and bugs. Other hungry creatures include a squirrel, a spider, a turtle, a lizard, a frog, a fish, a mouse, and the boy's pet rabbit. The boy picks vegetables from the garden and spreads them on a cloth for a picnic with his newfound friends. The last page features illustrated directions for growing a garden. The young, brown-skinned boy has large blue eyes which seem to examine everything with wonder and curiosity. The boy, the creatures, and the plants stand out against white backgrounds in this oversize book. This is a good introduction to garden wildlife. 2009, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, Ages 4 to 7, $17.99. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-155207-6
Sam's Sunflower
Jillian Powell
Illustrated by Johanna Boccardo
The students are planting seeds in pots to see who can grow the tallest sunflower and win a prize. Poor Sam! He doesn't see a sprout; there just doesn't seem to be anything in his pot except dirt. His teacher suggests that the problem may be due to a bird stealing his seed. In one picture readers can see that something is growing outside the schoolyard wall. Could it be Sam's seed? Some pictures give hints, others show emotions in interesting ways--the smiley face on Sam's shirt actually turns into a frown to match Sam's. The potential seed thief is shown on an earlier page and shows up later as everyone gazes at the really tall sunflower that grew from Sam's seed. Now Sam is happy and smiles and so does the face on his shirt. Powell and Boccardo have a nice collaboration in this engaging text and kids will enjoy discovering all of these details. "Tadpoles" is the name given to this series of early readers that kids can read on their own or with adult assistance. Tips are provided to help enrich the reading experience and make it fun. The fifth point listed is one often overlooked--"Give praise! Children learn best in a positive environment." In each title of the series, on the verso of the title page there is a photograph or drawing of the author and illustrator with a comment from each. 2007, Crabtree, $6.95. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780778738640
ISBN: 0778738647
ISBN: 9780778738954
ISBN: 0778738957
A Seed Is Sleepy
Dianna Hutts Aston
Illustrated by Sylvia Long
As they did with An Egg is Quiet, Aston and Long have teamed up to produce another beautiful and informative book. The opening spread with its colorful array of seeds is enough to intrigue any reader. As the book relates, some seeds lay in the soil waiting for the right conditions before they sprout. Some may take a few months, others like the Texas mountain laurel might wait ten years. Young readers will learn that ninety percent of the plants on Earth are flowering plants, and it is the fruits that help to protect and sometimes nourish the seeds. The spread showing the life cycle of beans, rice, pumpkins, and a few other seeds is quite enlightening, as is the detailed look at the bean seed. The varieties in nature are stupendous--ranging from a tiny orchid seed which looks smaller than the periods at the end of a sentence to the gigantic coco de mer palm, which can weigh up to sixty pounds. Seeds wait for the right time to propagate; they may travel in various ways--in the air, floating on water, or through the excrement that an animal leaves behind. The process of photosynthesis is described, and the final spread shows a bright array of big yellow sunflowers--which are now definitely awake. Kids can challenge themselves to match up the seeds from the initial spread to the plants they produce as depicted in the final spread. It is a wonderful way to introduce science to young children. 2007, Chronicle Books, $16.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
In this worthy follow-up to their An Egg Is Quiet, Aston and Long celebrate the magic that makes a seed--"sleepy...tucked inside. Snug. Still." --become a flower. Each double page poetically describes the state of a seed, with text in script-like print, while additional information is added in regular type, along with a host of clearly labeled naturalistic ink and watercolor illustrations that fill, almost dance across, the rest of the pages. We follow various kinds of seeds as they spread or are carried to a place where they can grow. And then a seed is thirsty, hungry, clever, and finally "awake!" Although the intent here is to deliver information about a wide variety of seeds, Long illustrates the facts in an artistically sensitive manner. Her ink lines present the smallest details where needed, while the watercolors depict the ultimate end of the seeds' objectives, from a violet's purple flower to the stages of a bean plant's development, to the glorious double-page celebration of giant sunflowers. The introductory double-page spread depicts a host of clearly labeled seeds, while the final spread shows the plants that emerge from each. 2007, Chronicle Books, $16.95. Ages 4 to 9. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-8118-5520-1
ISBN: 978-0-8118-5520-4
The Sunflower Farmer
Jessica Gunderson
Illustrated by Ryan Haugen
The Sunflower Farmer is a beginner reader about a boy who wants to be a farmer like his grandfather. He is determined to follow in his grandfather's footsteps. He visits the older man every week and listens to stories about his grandfather's farm days. Troy finds out weather can help or damage crops. Although Troy's grandfather doesn't farm anymore, he still owns farmland. One day, Troy's mother takes him to visit the farm. Troy admires the sunflowers and wants to grow some in his backyard, so he gathers seeds from the flowers to take home. In the spring, Troy plants the seeds in a garden he has prepared. Then he waits and waits for the seeds to grow into flowers. But it takes a long time, and when Troy tells his grandfather, the response is that farming takes patience. The plants begin to grow, then are threatened by the weather. Will they ever bloom? Colorful illustrations, short sidebars, directions on how to grow sunflowers, a glossary, further reading, and website are included. The author has told a story of family relationships, while educating readers about life science, weather, and sunflowers. 2008, Picture Window Books, $19.23. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Della A. Yannuzzi (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4048-2293-1
ISBN: 1-4048-2293-3
Trees, Weeds, and Vegetables--So Many Kind of Plants!
Mary Dodson Wade
There are so many different kinds of plants. Woody plants like trees have stiff stems and branches. Evergreens stay green all year round, but other plants lose their leaves every fall. "Weeds are any plants that grow where they are not wanted." Dandelions are weeds with pretty yellow flowers but most people do not want them in their lawns. Vegetables and fruits are parts of plants that people can eat. When you eat broccoli, you are eating a bunch of flowers! Most plants make flowers; the flowers make seeds that will grow into new plants. Some plants, like tulips, grow from bulbs, and others, like mosses and ferns, grow from spores. From the six-title "I Like Plants!" series written for beginning readers, this colorful and informative book will introduce early elementary students to the many different kinds of plants in the world. Large print, straightforward text and color photographs on every page will keep the attention of the young scientists. The beginning pages include a table of contents, glossary and an illustration of the parts of a plant. At the end of the book, readers will find directions for a simple activity ("Which Plants Live Near You?") as well as a brief list of books and websites to learn more. Although written for beginning readers, preschool and kindergarten teachers would find the book appropriate to share with nonreaders. This book along with its five companion titles would make an excellent addition to elementary classrooms and school libraries. 2009, Enslow Elementary/Enslow Publishers Ages 4 to 7, $21.26. Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7660-3156-2
ISBN: 0-7660-3616-2
ISBN: 978-0-7660-3616-1
ISBN: 0-7660-3156-X
Added 4/28/09
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