Though we live in Chicago, each year we have been excited to try to grow some of our own vegetables in our back yard. We have tried container gardening and have found the best results in our raised bed. We are also proud to live in a neighborhood where community gardens are plentiful! These books are awesome for learning about gardens for kids of all ages!
Little Yellow Bee by Ginger Swift is a darling lift-the-flap book that follows a bee around its garden. I love this one because the flaps are thick and sturdy with a wide channel between the flap and the book so little fingers can easily manipulate them. The images are adorable and the words rhyme- perfect for helping our youngest readers develop word sounds!
Recommended for NB – 2
Harlem Grown byTony Hillery and illustrated by Jessie Hartland is the incredible true story of how one community turned an empty lot in Harlem into a flourishing community garden that helps to feed the neighborhood. Tony Hillery and the kids from PS 175 and other community members worked to clear the lot, build the garden beds, and plant seeds and tend to them. Eventually the garden began to produce food! The kids learned about growing food and healthy cooking, along with perseverance and empowerment. Now Harlem Grown is an incredible organization that supports community gardening in Harlem, producing thousands of pounds of food that goes directly to the kids and families in the community.
My kids were thrilled to hear about how Mr.Tony and the kids at the elementary school were able to bring their idea to fruition and make such a big impact!
Diane C Mullen and Oriol Vidal’s One Litlte Lot uses a counting structure to show readers how to create flourishing urban garden from an empty lot. It also infuses the importance of bees to keeping gardens growing, which I was grateful for because my kids are super scared of bees. My youngest kid liked that the words are a little simpler and she could “read” the counting words. My older kid liked the story as well as finding all the cool details in the images.
Recommended for ages 3 – 8
Emma Guiliani’s In the Garden is a HUGE interactive book- it’s 11.4 x 16.1 inches, which delighted both of my kids. It’s full of information about how to care for a garden year-round, each page spread focusing on a different seasons. There are tons of flaps to lift to learn more about specific plants, tools, what’s inside a bud, and so on. I even found myself noting a few new ideas for our own garden!
Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Do you have a garden? I’d love to hear in the comments below and hope these books make good companions to your gardening experience this spring. The links above go to my Bookshop page where you can find lots of lists of books we love. These are in our “Books about Nature” list. If you purchase any from my page I’ll make a small commission- thanks for your support!