Books

Gardens

Appelt, Kathi, Watermelon Day, Henry Holt, 1996. (K-3)

There's a watermelon growing in the corner of the patch where the fence posts meet, and Jesse is waiting for it. Waiting for it to fill up with the cool summer rain and the hot summer sun. Waiting until at last it is ripe and ready for eating. Waiting until it is ready for her family's annual Watermelon day.

Azarian, Mary, A Gardener's Alphabet, Houghton Mifflin, 2000 (preK-4)

Alphabet book celebrating the simple joys of gardening through woodcuts.

Barry, Frances, Big Yellow Sunflower, Candlewick, 2009. (Grades PreK-3)

The petal-like pages open into a larger-than-life sunflower. With each page, a worm, a bee, a bird and other creatures watch as a seed germinates and grows in to a tall plant topped with a big bloom.

Bauer, Joan, Squashed, Puffin, 2001. (Young Adult)

If only Ellie's potentially prize-winning pumpkin would gain 200 more pounds in time for the Rock River Pumpkin Weigh-In, and if only Ellie could lose 20 or so pounds herself, her life might be perfect. Well, at least it would be perfect enough to give her the courage to make friends with Wes - the cute new guy at school. She's well on her way to winning big on all counts when frost and pumpkin thieves begin to attack! The thing is, Ellie has the sass, humor, and smarts to be a winner - whether or not her pumpkin breaks the scales ... if only she would realize it.

Bjork, Christina, Linnea in Monet's Garden, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 1991. (Grades 4-7)

Linnea has visited Claude Monet's garden! In Paris, she got to see many of his actual paintings. Now she understands what it means for a painter to be called an Impressionist. This innovative art book for children contains full-color photos of many of Monet's famous paintings.

Brown, Peter, The Curious Garden, Little, Brown, 2009. (Grades Prek-2)

One rainy day, Liam sights a stairway leading up to an elevated train track, and climbs it, discovering a patch of wildflowers and plants struggling to survive amid the tracks. Liam is determined to turn this mangy growth into a garden, but first he must turn himself into a gardener. He prepares for spring by readig gardening books and gathers the tools and skills to bring his secret garden to full bloom. As the garden blooms and spreads along the track, Brown depicts its progress with the bright Technicolor palette of the Land of Oz. The sky glows a glorious blue, and verdant moss and dazzling wildflowers, the product of Liam’s tender gardening, expand into the city, nature’s nature turning out to be as adventurous as the boy’s. Moss and ivy warm high-rises and wildflowers decorate sidewalk cracks, as all variety of gardens and greenery begin to take root in the city, along with a fleet of budding gardeners, truly transforming it into an Emerald City that is oasis, playground and canvas.

Bunting, Eve, and Greg Shed, Dandelions, Harcourt Brace, 1995. (Grades K-4)

Zoe and her family have traveled by covered wagon from Illinois to the Nebraska Territory. On a trip to town with her father for supplies, Zoe spots a mass of dandelions and realizes that the flowers are much like her family - they may be out of their element on the prairie, but they will survive and bloom in their new land.

Burnie, David, Plant, Eyewitness Books, Knopf, 1999. (Grades 4-7)

Here is a an original and exciting new look at the fascinating natural world of plants. Stunning real-life photographs of flowers, fruits, seeds, leaves and more offer a unique "eyewitness" view of the natural history of plant anatomy and growth. See the biggest flower in the world, where a seed develops, what the inside of a plant stem looks like, how a flower attracts insects, what a plant's reproductive organs look like, and how a dandelion spreads its seeds. Learn how plants defend themselves, why flowers are brightly colored, how a plant can climb, why some plants feed on insects, and why some plants have no seeds. Discover why some plants have spines and stingers, what plants looked like millions of years ago, how plants survive in the desert, how plants turn sunlight into energy, and much, much more.

Byars, Betsy, McMummy, Viking, 1993. (Grades 4-7)

Mozie has a problem - he looks too innocent to be believed, so no one takes him seriously. His part-time job watering plants in a brilliant, eccentric professor's greenhouse takes a somewhat sinister turn when he is mysteriously attracted to a giant, humming pea pod. Although he jokingly christens the pod McMummy, Mozie quickly stops laughing when he can't get anyone to believe that he may be in real danger. With the help of a beauty queen named Valvoline and the support of his best friend, Batty, Mozie follows his instincts and his heart through a wild chase, a sad end, and finally a hopeful beginning.

Cherry, Lynne, How Groundhog's Garden Grew, Blue Sky, 2003, (K-2)

Groundhog loves to eat fresh veggies from his neighbor's garden until a friend teaches him to plant his own garden.

Cole, Henry, Jack's Garden, Harper Trophy, 1997. (K-4)

A cumulative story that traces a little boy's backyard flower garden from tilling the soil to enjoying the blossoms. The text catalogs the process in a take-off on "This Is the House That Jack Built." As the garden takes shape, readers see seedlings sprout and bud, flowers open, insects and birds visit and, at last, a lovely garden in full bloom. Each double-page spread is done in soft colored pencils on various colored background. The borders contain detailed labeled drawings of tools, insects, birds, eggs, and, of course, flowers. Instructions for starting a garden complete the presentation.

Creasy, Rosalind, Blue Potatoes, Orange Tomatoes, Sierra Club, 1994. (Grades K-3)

An introduction to organic gardening explains how to grow a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables in unexpected colors, outlining simple guidelines for planning, planting, caring for, and troubleshooting a rainbow garden.

DePaola, Tomie, The Legend of the Poinsettia, Putnam, 1994. (Grades K-3)

Called la flor de la Nochebuena - the flower of the Holy Night - in Mexico, the poinsettia blooms at Christmastime, the symbol of a little girl's unselfish gift to the Christ Child. With illustrations that capture the brilliant colors of Mexico as well as the magic and excitement of the season, Tomie dePaola imbues the tale with his own special feeling for Christmas.

Eclare, Melanie, A Harvest of Color: Growing a Vegetable Garden, Ragged Bears, 2002. (Grades K-3)

A group of neighborhood children transforms a bare patch of earth into a vegetable garden, and in so doing, they learn how to plant in straight rows, how to thin seedlings, and how to cope with slugs and worms. They make notes on their efforts and compile useful lists of gardening tips. The result is a colorful, graphic scrapbook-diary-photo album.

Fleischman, Paul, and Judy Pederson, Seedfolks, HarperCollins, 1997. (Grades 4-7)

Using multiple voices, Fleischman takes readers to a modern inner-city neighborhood. where bit by bit the handful of lima beans an immigrant child plants in an empty lot blossoms into a community garden, tended by a notably diverse group of local residents. Toughened by the experience of putting her children through public school, Leona spends several days relentlessly bullying her way into government offices to get the lot's trash hauled away; others address the lack of readily available water, as well as problems with vandals and midnight dumpers; and though decades of waging peace on a small scale have made Sam an expert diplomat, he's unable to prevent racial and ethnic borders from forming. Still, the garden becomes a place where wounds heal, friendships form, and seeds of change are sown.

Gardiner, John R., and Marc Simont, Top Secret, Little, Brown & Co., 1999. (Grades 4-7)

Despite the disapproval of his parents and his formidable science teacher, nine-year-old Allen determines to do his science project on human photosynthesis.

Garland, Sherry, The Lotus Seed, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1993. (Grades K-3)

"My grandmother saw the emperor cry the day he lost his golden dragon throne," begins a young Vietnamese-American, whose narrative tells how the girl took a seed from the Imperial garden to remember the emperor by, then kept it as a talisman of hope through all the events of her life - marriage, raising her children alone after her husband went to war, crossing the sea in a flimsy boat, making a new life in America. When her little grandson takes the seed and plants it without remembering where, ``BÉ'' is deeply distressed. But the seed isn't lost - it comes up and blooms in the spring.

Hall, Zoe, The Surprise Garden, Scholastic, 1998.

Three children are given seeds for a surprise garden. In time, there is a beautiful garden full of peas, beans, squash, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, watermelon, and a sunflower. The colorful collages are pleasing and lively. The last page identifies all the seeds.

Hershey, Rebecca, Ready, Set, Grow! A Kid's Guide to Gardening, Goodyear, 1995. (Grades K-6)

From plant tips, garden riddles, crafts from the garden, a personal garden journal and garden puzzles and activities, there's something for everyone.

Lovejoy Sharon, Sunflower Houses, Interweave, 1991.

Celebrate the lore of the garden and the joys of interacting with nature. Filled with cozy recollections and garden poems, a plant abecedarium and the charm of pansies, how to grow a zucchini "fish" in a bottle and why every garden needs a swing, this unique miscellany insures that the memorable outdoor experiences of childhood will be passed on from one generation to the next. Illustrating the book throughout are the author's warm and appealing watercolors of a life in gardening remembered.

Macken, JoAnn Early, Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move, Holiday House. (Grades PreK-4)

Dandelion seeds drift on a breeze like parachutes. Coconuts plot into the ocean and sail away on waves. Burdock seeds stick to socks, sleeves and bunny fur.

Martin, Jacqueline Briggs, and Alec Gillman, The Green Truck Garden Giveaway: A Neighborhood Story and Almanac, Simon and Schuster, 1996. (Grades K-3)

Two strangers drive their green pickup truck down Second Street, giving away almanacs and planting small gardens for reluctant neighbors. As time goes by, the gardens thrive and so do the neighbors, who begin to share their harvest of produce and happiness with others. Throughout the book, informative sidebars tell readers about topics related to the story: why medieval insomniacs ate lettuce, what to plant in order to attract butterflies, and how to make sprays that repel insects from plants.

McMillan, Bruce, Growing Colors, HarperTrophy, 1994. (PreK-2)

A vibrant introduction to the beauty of colors in nature. Fourteen vegetables and fruits are dramatically visualized with full-page photographs, accompanied by a color word, as well as a glimpse of how the vegetables grow. A final listing of the colors and the names of the fruits and vegetables is a valuable resource.

Miller, Susanna, and John Yates, Beans and Peas, Carolrhoda, 1990.

Describes beans and peas, the history of their cultivation and use, and their role in industry and diet. Includes some recipes.

Noyes, Deborah, and Bagram Ibatoulline, Hana in the Time of Tulips, Candlewick, 2005. (Grades K-5)

Rembrandt-inspired illustrations and text tell the story of tulip fever's impact on a Dutch family.

Richards, Jean, A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds, Millbrook, 2003. (Preschool)

Introduction to seeds, their purpose, and growth. On each page, one or two short lines of text appear beneath a large illustration. Can be used as a read-aloud discussion starter, a prelude to planting seeds and observing their growth, or in preparation for dissecting fruits and vegetables in order to find the seeds inside. Two final pages in question-and-answer format offer more tidbits of information about seeds. Tiny silhouette people and suitcases parading across the bottom of the pages visually emphasize the suitcase theme.

Robbins, Ken, A Flower Grows, Dial, 1990. (Grades PreK-2)

Beautiful hand-tinted photographs depict the planting, growth, and wilting of an Apple Blossom amaryllis. Simple, straightforward prose accompanies the pictures and describes the process. Almost all the double-page spreads have two photographs, one large and one small, with a series of four full-page portraits to show the flower at the height of its blooming. An "Author's Note" gives more details on how to grow bulbs.

Schaefer, Lola M., Pick, Pull, and Snap: Where Once a Flower Bloomed, Greenwillow, 2003 (Grades K-2)

Fold-out pages show how raspberries, corn and other foods grow, as plants make blooms, seeds and fruit.

Souza, DM, Freaky Flowers, Franklin Watts, 2002. (Grades 4-7)

The book begins with a short course in botany that stresses vocabulary and processes. Subsequent chapters discuss different ways plants attract pollinators through colors, odors, and habitats. The last chapter acts as a warning that many plants are endangered because their pollinators are threatened, emphasizing the balance of nature. Small sidebars offer interesting bits of trivia about similar plants.

Stevens, Janet, Tops & Bottoms, Harcourt Brace, 1995. (K-4)

Hoping to rise above his level of poverty, clever Hare strikes a deal with a rich and lazy bear in which Bear will contribute the land while Hare will provide the labor for a profitable harvest.

Stewart, Sarah, and David Small, The Gardener, Farrar, 1997. (K-3)

Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds to the city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle. There she initiates a gradual transformation, bit by bit brightening the shop and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece - an ambitious rooftop garden - which she hopes will make even Uncle Jim smile.

Walpole, Brenda, Let's Grow It! Silver Dolphin, 1998. (Grades 3-6)

Grow giant pumpkins, prickly cacti and brightly colored sunflowers. Produce delicious salad plates and learn how to create new plants from cuttings.Packed with great ideas and projects, this book also includes special tools and equipment to get you started right away.

White, Linda, and Megan Lloyd, Too Many Pumpkins, Holiday House, 1996. (Grades K-3)

Rebecca Estelle hates pumpkins. As a poor child, she ate them all the time. The last thing she wants to do is grow them; but a huge pumpkin falls off a truck, spilling its seeds, and the next fall, she has pumpkins. Lots of them. The fun comes in watching this sprightly woman deal with her orange nemesis. She decides she'd better bake, and so she does until her kitchen is packed with pumpkin pies, bread, puddings, muffins--then she has to get the goodies out of her house. She carves the rest of the pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns that light the way for the neighbors. Soon everything is gone except for a few pumpkin seeds, which Rebecca Estelle decides to plant after all.

Wiesner, David, June 29, 1999, Clarion, Houghton Mifflin, 1992. (Grades K-3)

On June 29, 1999, curious things start to happen all over America. A hiker in Montana finds giant turnips in the Rocky Mountains. "Cucumbers circle Kalamazoo. Lima beans loom over Levittown. Artichokes advance on Anchorage." TV news channels announce that arugula has covered Ashtabula, which puzzles Holly, because arugula is not part of her experiment. In fact, she is forced to conclude that none of the enlarged specimen sightings are a result of her initial seedling launch. Where did the giant vegetables come from then?

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Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Oklahoma State Department of Educaiton.