Gardens
Gardens are a vital part of children's literature. They are the setting for favorite stories such as The Secret Garden and Oscar's Wilde's The Selfish Giant, and more recently, young adult novels The Poison Diaries and Forget-her-nots. Gardens also tell us about significant times in American history, such as the role of vegetable gardens during WWII as seen in the picture book Lily's Victory Garden. Many nonfiction titles explore the diverse ways people have used gardens over the years—from Dr. Carver's lessons about sustainable agriculture to how to grow an elementary school garden.
Because gardening is one of those activities that can be done at nearly any age—and in nearly every location—it is a perfect way to expose children to the joy of growing their own flowers and food. There are so many different and creative ways to grow a little, or a lot, or simply learn how to identify basic items found in a garden. The highlighted selections below are recently published titles about gardening, and of course, many more titles can be found when you search the CLCD database.
For more information and ideas for gardening with kids visit:
http://inkrethink.blogspot.com/2009/04/10-reasons-why-kids-need-garden.html
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/garden-activities-for-kids.htm
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/gardening-kids
Contributor: Emily Griffin
Reviews
A Garden of Opposites
Nancy Davis
Colorful, bold, simple pictures and text revolve around the concept of opposites. The opposite word pairs are set in a garden theme. The layouts open to a pair of opposites. Long and short are illustrated with a short caterpillar and a long snake; the words short and long label the pictures. Other pairs of opposites include inside and outside the apple, big and little beetles, different and alike clovers, and open and closed flowers. The final page folds out and opens to a garden that provides opportunities for children to find opposites in the yard, such as empty and full baskets of strawberries, tall and short pea plants growing on the trellis, or far and near apple trees. The back endpaper includes some of the opposites found in the garden foldout picture; however, children may find many more pairs of opposites too. Young children may even enjoy practicing their counting as they explore the garden illustration. 2009, Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House Children's Books, $10.99. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780375856662
Backyard Cookbook
Rob Rees
Growing and cooking one's own food can be a lot of fun to share with family and friends. Fruits and vegetables grow in a garden at different times of the year. Cooking with the seasons offers an array of garden delights, and the final product can be crunchy, sweet, tangy or tart. Winter is a good time for leek and potato soup. To add a touch of spring guacamole dip made from fresh avocadoes and crunchy asparagus is the perfect dish to tantalize the taste buds. Summer treats can include fruit smoothies that contain juicy raspberries and cool bananas. Strawberries are always the right touch for any season. A strawberry zinger has a tart, tangy flavor that can add a little zip to any meal. Most fruit is picked in the fall. Apples and pears are a delicious addition to any salad or just as juicy eaten alone. An apple salad with fresh, crisp beets, and sticky toffee pears for dessert are a perfect combination for those cool fall days. The recipes are easy to read and will be fun for a child and adult to prepare. There are fun facts throughout. The artwork is superb, and colorful. 2011, Crabtree Publishing Company, $6.95. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Beverly Melasi (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780778799610
First Garden: The White House Garden and How It Grew
Robbin Gourley
A bit of history, a dash of culture, and a sprinkle of how-to information combine to make this non-fiction book an interesting read. The first part of the book explains the current White House garden from Mrs. Obama's inspiration for it to what is in it, the particular challenges it faces (e.g., helicopter winds, first dog intrusions) to strategies for dealing with pests, its production capacity to uses of the foods. Small anecdotes about previous presidents are included, such as that President Wilson had a flock of sheep on the White House lawn, that President Taft's cow Pauline was kept there, and that President Jefferson's garden at Monticello provided some seeds for the current garden. Aftermatter includes a two-page list of "Good Reasons to Garden," as well as eight "Recipes from the White House." An extensive list of resources related to the presidents, the White House, gardening, and local agriculture rounds out this book. It is a sure bet that many readers will be inspired to think about creating their own gardens! 2011, Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 4 to 10, $16.99. Reviewer: Heidi Hauser Green (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-547-48224-8
Forget-her-nots
Amy Brecount White
This engaging book for girls follows fourteen-year-old protagonist Laurel over the course of a year. Laurel's mother dies, and her father sends his only child to boarding school where she knows few other students and becomes somewhat of an outcast early in the year because of a class project that involves flowers. Curious incidents lead Laurel to suspect that she possesses some kind of flower magic, and she believes that part of her flower magic helped a teacher find a husband. Soon after the death of her mother, she learns her father has met his soul mate. She has a crush on a boy who goes to a nearby school, however, she is not sure how he feels about her. Her experience with flowers gives her courage to help fellow students with their boyfriends. Several cousins go to the same school, but lack the interest in flowers she has. Believing that she has inherited the flower magic from her mother who got it in turn from her mother, Laurel attempts to call her grandmother, but her calls are not returned. A published author of magazine and newspaper articles and stories, White makes her debut as a book writer here. She taught middle and high school English but now spends time in her flower garden and gives flowers to friends to convey meaning or messages. Flower meanings can be found at the close of this interesting but lengthy book. 2010, Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, $16.99. Ages 11 to 18. Reviewer: Jennie DeGenaro (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780061672989
Garbage Helps Our Garden Grow: A Compost Story
Linda Glaser
Photographs by Shelley Rotner
Shelley Rotner's vibrant photography is the highlight of this title, which brings the art of composting to life. Children are the main characters in this nonfiction story, which takes place in the yard of a very environmentally conscious family. Vivid, colorful photographs feature the children collecting leftover food scraps for their compost pile. Two sisters trek through the yard in every season to recycle everything from rotting jack-o-lanterns to leftover coffee grounds. Throughout the year, the compost pile is watered and tossed, and in the spring, the family spreads the rich, composted soil throughout their garden. This manuscript shows how simple composting can be, all the while communicating a message of ecological sustainability. Throughout the process of composting, the family works together to plant and harvest deliciously healthy fruits and vegetables. Also, in keeping with the theme of environmental responsibility, the manuscript was printed on paper made with thirty percent recycled post-consumer waste fibers. 2010, Millbrook Press, $25.26. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Jennifer Keeney (Children's Literature).
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Green Earth Book Award, 2011 Honor Book
Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, 2010 Honor Book Science Grades K-6 United States
ISBN: 9780761349112
How to Grow a School Garden: A Complete Guide for Parents and Teachers
Arden Bucklin-Sporer and Rachel Kathleen Pringle
This interesting workbook was written by two members of the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance, a group that advocates for school gardens and outdoor classrooms and was originally founded to help children care more about the environment through a close association with it. The ten chapters in the book cover everything from the philosophy behind a school garden to getting parents and others involved, selecting a site, developing a program the whole school can participate in, deciding what a healthy outdoor classroom needs, planting, harvesting and cooking and so on. Each chapter contains detailed discussions with boxed suggestions and anecdotes from real schools' experiences. Lots of color photos throughout depict ideas, in action, students and adults in action and delicious-looking results. Special emphasis is placed on connecting activities to established curriculum or providing already established curriculums to inspire. Team and community building is an added plus. An extensive list of resources is included as well as an index. John Dewey, the father of hands-on learning, would be pleased. 2010, Timber Press, $24.95. Ages Adult. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781604690002
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, $16.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award, 2010 Shortlist Canada
Governor General's Literary Awards, 2009 Finalist Children's Literature (Illustration) Canada
Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award, 2010 Shortlist Picture Book Canada
ISBN: 9781554532797
Insect Detective
Steve Voake
Illustrated by Charlotte Voake
Right now, all around you, thousands of insects are doing strange and wonderful things." To see them, you must become an insect detective. Voake first encourages readers to examine wasps at work making a nest. Then they should follow an ant home to its nest. The habits of solitary bees are noted. We are shown the ways insects use camouflage to hide from predators. Other creatures of interest are also found under stones. The dragonfly is perhaps "the greatest insect hunter." To see all these wonders, readers are encouraged to "just open the door and step outside." The lively text in large type is balanced by further information in small type asides. Sketchy pen-and-ink drawings with lightly applied touches of transparent watercolors create the delicate emotional atmosphere of the insect world. Voake carefully represents the creatures and their plant environment with an accuracy that does not dull the esthetic character of the double-page scenes. On the end pages the dragonflies carry on in the grassy venue of the jacket. Along with an "Index," information is provided about how to be an insect detective. 2009, Candlewick Press, $16.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
A Junior Library Guild selection
SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science, 2011 Finalist Hands-On Science Books United States
ISBN: 9780763644475
In the Garden with Doctor Carver
Susan Grigsby
Illustrated by Nicole Tadgell
This story highlighting the work of George Washington Carver mixes history and lessons on the ecosystem for young children. The story is set in the rural South as Dr. Carver, a renowned botanist, brings his classroom to the people by roaming the countryside with a wagon filled with examples of his discoveries in the laboratory. In this story related by one of the children present, Dr. Carver visits a group of families just leaving church, focusing especially on the children present. They visit a local garden where he encourages observation of the important interactions of plants and insects and their dependence upon each other. He shows the children how to plant a garden by enriching the soil for greater yields using found materials in nature. The story illustrates that today's organic foods movement is really a return to many of the ideas of Dr. Carver. Hopefully, readers will discover the importance of being close observers and custodians of the natural world. Colorful watercolor illustrations enhance the story and provide the common and Latin names for many plants, insects and animals. A short bio about Dr. Carver is included at the end of the book. 2010, Albert Whitman, $16.99. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780807536308
A Librarian's Guide to Cultivating an Elementary School Garden
Bonnie Mackey and Jennifer Mackey Stewart
This resource for elementary school librarians encourages educators to use school gardens to improve students' grades, perspectives on the environment, and their nutritional habits. The book provides information needed to justify, fund, design, and implement a school garden, with material on the benefits to students and the importance of school gardens to local ecological communities. Information is provided on designing and maintaining five common types of gardens/habitats: wetlands, urban, vegetable, wildscape, and butterfly. B&w photos are included, along with lists of related books, instructional activities, and web sites. Mackey teaches college courses in emergent literacy and reading instructional strategies. Stewart is an instructor with the Round Rock (Texas) Independent School District's Community Education Program. 2009, Linworth Publishing, Inc., 124pp, $39.95. Ages: Adult professional. Reviewer: Book News (Book News Scientific and Technical, March 2009).
ISBN: 9781586833282
Lily's Victory Garden
Helen L. Wilbur
Illustrated by Robert Gantt Steele
In the midst of World War II, Lily relies on her precious plants and flowers to bring her a small piece of joy. She learns to be content with the flower box that occupies the third floor window of her family's apartment. She is ecstatic when she learns of an upcoming lottery for land to grow Victory Gardens. Sadly, she discovers that she is far too young to take part, but Lily is not flustered. She is already thinking of a place with a big yard and plenty of space for her very own garden: The Bishop's home. The Bishops, who are going through their own private struggle of losing their son in the war, initially reject her request to use some of their land, but Mrs. Bishop relents. Lily plants her seeds, and soon the garden is full of beets, beans, peas, and watermelon. Surprises pop up here and there, like a lovely straw hat that greets Lily early one morning or the little bench that rests near the garden. An unlikely friendship begins to form between two unsuspecting souls, and along with it comes a little healing. This story was inspired by Wilbur's own experiences in the garden. Steele's illustrations are subtle yet powerful. This book would be an excellent tool to use while teaching the upper elementary grades the art of writing a memoir. It is poignant; the language creates several vivid and personal images that will bring the story to life. It will also make a great read aloud for several social studies and science units. Students will enjoy this excellent cross-curricular tool. 2010, Sleeping Bear Press/Thomson-Gale, $16.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Summer Whiting (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781585364503
My Garden
Kevin Henkes
What would your very own garden look like and what would you grow? The girl in the story describes how she helps her mother care for their garden by watering the plants, removing the weeds, and chasing the rabbits who like to nibble at the lettuce. If she could have her way, however, her garden would be free of weeds and flowers would never die, but that is not all. In her imaginary garden, flowers would change colors and patterns by thinking, rabbits would be made of chocolate for eating, and jelly beans would grow on bushes for harvesting. Find out what else is growing in this dream garden. Enjoy the beautiful watercolor and ink illustrations on every layout. There is a dreamy, fantasy effect with its pastel colors and blue lines of the pictures which fill the pages and support the text. The book jacket features the girl, and a sunflower is featured on the cover of the book. The endpages are decorated with sunflowers as well. This book is a pleasing story that plays with the imagination of the audience. 2010, Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins Publishers, $17.99. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung (Children's Literature).
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
A Junior Library Guild selection
Parents' Choice Award, 2010 Gold Picture Books United States
ISBN: 9780061715174
Mystery Vine: A Pumpkin Surprise
Cathryn Falwell
In this rhyming picture book, while this boy and girl help their mother with the garden, they discover a "mystery vine." Choosing to allow the mystery vine to grow, the children and their mother tend the garden, planting seeds, pulling weeds, watering, and preparing the garden for growing vegetables. Soon it was time to harvest the ripe vegetables; yet, the mystery vine could still not be identified. At the end of the growing season, fall was on the way and the children still did not know what was growing on the mystery vine. The temperature was dropping outside, the old plants were dying, and finally the mystery vine was showing its fruit! The children and their mother enjoyed the harvest of all the vegetables. Collages and full color art illustrations are warm and supportive for the poetry verses. Included at the end of the book are sections with recipes, gardening ideas, and craft projects. This is a sweet rhyming book for young readers. 2009, Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins Children's Books, $16.99. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Debby Willett (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780061771989
Planting the Wild Garden
Kathryn O. Galbraith
Illustrated by Wendy Halperin
A farmer and her boy plant seeds for the vegetables that they will grow and in the wild meadow seeds are also planted but not by human hands. Delicate watercolors with colored pencil illustrations capture the many ways that nature has to sow its seeds. The wind scatters them with a "oooooo-whishhh," with a "plip-plop" rain washes them to new places, and with a "hop, hop" a rabbit nibbles some seeds while others fall to the ground. Seeds catch in the thick fur of the fox, squirrels fail to find every acorn they bury, and the goldfinch feed on some seeds but others are strewn in their droppings. Humans track seeds on muddy boots, burrs stick to socks, and in some cases a puff of breath carries dandelion seeds. The soft palette, used to create the detailed drawings, reflects the gentle poetic cadence of the text. Full page illustrations are interspersed with smaller panels that record a seed's journey from distribution to fruition. What a perfect and handsome celebration of the many ways that nature renews itself. 2011, Peachtree, Ages 5 to 9, $15.95. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-56145-563-8
The Poison Diaries
Maryrose Wood
As the daughter of a renowned apothecary, Jessamine knows that even the most benign-looking plant has the ability to heal the sick—or kill a man where he stands. It is this dual nature that attracts Jessamine to her father's "poison garden," a collection of plants with lethal capacity, but despite her noted skill with plants, he locks the garden gates and forbids her to go anywhere near the poisonous specimens. When Weed, a mysterious boy with seemingly magical gardening gifts, comes to stay with them, their already tenuous father-daughter relationship is strained to the breaking point, leaving Jessamine's life in limbo while Weed must venture into the poison garden if he is to save her. Set near Alnwick Castle (and based on the real poison garden there) in eighteenth-century England, this delicate blend of historical fiction and fantasy evokes the quietly unsettling magic found in Hearn's The Minister's Daughter (BCCB 7/05). Narrated primarily by Jessamine through journal entries, the story manages to imbue the dramatic and sometimes implausible events with an elegant authenticity in its spare prose. The developing romance between Jessamine and Weed, for example, effectively shifts between everyday ordinary and profoundly intense, making the final scenes in which Weed is forced to kill to save his love even more powerful. Romance readers may be a bit surprised by the supernatural element that dominates the latter half of the novel, but the haunting ending will leave them suitably heartbroken and angsty as they consider Jessamine and Weed's future Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2010, Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 278p., $16.99. Grades 7-10. Reviewer: Kate Quealy-Gainer (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, October 2010 (Vol. 64, No. 2)).
ISBN: 9780061802362
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, $17.99. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780061552076
Rose's Garden
Peter H. Reynolds
Imaginatively written and beautifully illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, "Rose's Garden" is a lovely story inspired by and dedicated to a very special lady named Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, mother of Senator Ted Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy. Like its inspiration, "Rose's Garden" celebrates the sharing of natural beauty and the true spirit of community. Faith to overcome disappointment and endless obstacles is the true strength that builds communities, nations, and beautiful flower gardens such as Rose's greenway. Although Rose's teapot collection of beautiful flower seeds from her travels around the world are depleted by hungry birds before she can plant them, she still manages to plant a few. Joined with the beautiful paper flowers that are gradually given to her for her beautiful garden by children from many corners of the globe, her flowerbed eventually produces its first real blooms after many setbacks and delays. The charming watercolor and ink illustrations beautifully illuminate the gradual transition from Rose's gray everyday city world to the colorful, blooming reality of her perfumed garden. "Rose's Garden" is a must to share with children of all ages. The Picturebook Shelf..., Candlewick Press, $15.99. Ages 4+. Reviewer: Midwest Book Review (Children's Bookwatch, January 2010).
ISBN: 9780763646417
Water, Weed, and Wait
Edith Hope Fine and Angela Demos Halpin
Illustrated by Colleen Madden
An elementary classroom inspired by Ms. Marigold, a local "garden lady" volunteer, decides to plant a school garden. Ms. Marigold helps the students select a space during recess although the students feel their neighbor, grouchy Mr. Barkley, may object. Following selection of the site including a big cleanup, Ms Marigold leads the students through the steps necessary to make the garden a success. Students, volunteers, parents and community businesses all work together to get the project going. Even Mr. Barkley gets involved. The students work diligently to "water, weed and wait" and are rewarded with loads of flowers and veggies. They celebrate by inviting the community to a tasting party. The colorfully illustrated story idealistically portrays the worthwhile project of creating a school garden. The story is encouraging to those that may not have ever had gardening experiences. Suggestions and online resources as well as photos of actual school gardens are included at the end of the story. 2010, Tricycle Press, $15.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781582463209
Who's in the Garden?
Phillis Gershator
Illustrated by Jill McDonald
A garden of delights is presented to the very youngest children in this exuberant peek-a-boo board book. Each page spread features an adorable backyard creature against a backdrop of whimsical illustrations. A brother and sister are tending this garden surrounded by a white picket fence. But the fence does not keep out an assortment of rabbits, frogs, bees, butterflies, crows, squirrels and other backyard animals and insects. The children do not seem to mind at all. Their flowers and vegetables are coming along nicely, despite moles digging underneath and birds flying overhead. The clever rhyme and vivid colors are sure to elicit smiles and wonder from the target age group. An excellent learning feature is the association children will make between the animals and the sounds they make, or the actions they perform. For example, crows pecking, bees buzzing and frogs leaping. This title is a great gift for new parents seeking to start a library for their child. This reviewer also imagines elementary school age children reading this book for fun to their younger siblings. 2010, Barefoot Books, $14.99. Ages 1 to 3. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati, J.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781846864032
Your Food
Sally Hewitt
Yes, the world is getting smaller, and by that, I mean you can go just about anywhere in a relatively short amount of time. There are, however, some negative effects of this. When it is winter in the U.S., fruits are abundant in South America and can be quickly shipped to these markets. Bananas, grapes, strawberries, and the like are now available all year long. The transportation and packaging of these foods require energy, and much of it is non-renewable. In some areas of the world, local farmers may be put out of business by big companies growing foods for export. The text challenges readers to think about where food comes from and the impact that the international movement of produce has on the environment. There are calls for action. For example, Hewitt suggests that readers write letters to persuade their school to buy local produce. Some of the other suggestions may be difficult for students to implement; advocating a school store that sells healthy snacks or creating a school garden would require actions by others in authority. One action that could be undertaken is for readers to research how far foods have traveled. Many of the examples are projects undertaken by schools in lesser developed countries. Kids learn that they can create mini gardens, build compost heaps, and buy products with the Fair-trade logo. The major concluding activity encourages readers to learn about foods grown locally and to select recipes that use those ingredients. Each title in the series closes with a glossary, a list of approximately six appropriate websites, and an index. This is a well-written and informative series. 2009, Crabtree, $26.60 and $8.95. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780778740995
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2007
Updated 5/25/11
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