Gardening: April Showers Bring May Flowers Reviews Beautiful Susi Gregg Fowler Pictures by Jim Fowler    Uncle George teaches his nephew how to plant seeds and to make his surroundings "beautiful." Soon after the seeds are planted, Uncle George becomes ill and has to go to the hospital. His nephew thinks of Uncle George every time he checks the progress that his seeds have made. When Uncle George finally comes home, he looks different and the nephew learns that he is dying. The nephew finds strength in the power of nature to renew itself as Uncle George lives long enough to harvest the flowers that the two have planted together. An empathic approach for children facing the loss of a loved one. 1998, Greenwillow, Ages 5 to 8, $15.00. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger The Crystal Garden Vicki Grove    Eliza is tired of being unpopular at school. When her mom decides to move in with her musician boyfriend in a small town hundreds of miles away from her home, she decides to create a new life for herself. Unfortunately, the first friend she makes is Deidre, a loner, whose family has many problems. Just as Eliza is beginning to be accepted by the popular girls at her new school, she must decide between her new status or helping Deidre during a serious family emergency. This interesting book hits on many issues young women face growing up. 1995, Putnam and Grosset Group, Ages 10 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Rebecca Joseph Enchantment in the Garden Shirley Hughes    Enchantment in the Garden is a romantic picture book fantasy that will appeal to children who are lonely (as who isn’t sometimes) or who think their toys or imaginary friends can come to life (as who doesn’t sometimes). The story shows us rich, neglected Valerie, who walks in a beautiful Roman garden with her governess every day. One day, while her governess naps, Valerie goes to her favorite fountain, and talks to her favorite sculpture, a boy whom she names "Cherubino." The boy is riding on a dolphin. The next day, the dolphin is still there, but Cherubino has disappeared. Where did he go? And what will become of him, and of Valerie? This is a haunting book whose lovely ending will stay with readers who don’t let the picture book format put them off. 1997, Lothrop, Ages 7 to 11, $18.00. Reviewer: Judy Silverman The Forgotten Garden Caroline Repchuck Illustrated by Ian Andrew    This is a fantasy for adults as well as children, in picture-book form. An old man comes to an even older garden, and with his garden shears begins to transform it. "He freed a fox from a fir....a stallion from a spruce." The garden begins to come alive, as animals, people, and plants appear as if by magic—and suddenly the old man is no longer alone. Charming and beautifully illustrated. 1997, Millbrook, Ages 5 to 8, $14.95. Reviewer: Judy Silverman Garden Julie Lacome    Fingerwiggle Board Books come with cleverly designed holes that become openings for puppetry fun. Parent fingers will probably be primary puppets for very young babies, but it won’t take long before little toddler fingers find their way into these enticing holes. Lacome’s book brings garden creatures (butterfly, spider, worm, mouse and more) alive for babies in an imaginative way. 1995, Candlewick, Ages 6 mo. to 3 years, $5.95. Reviewer: Susie Wilde Garden Robert Maass    Busy kids digging in the dirt, planting seeds and pulling weeds fill the pages of this photo-essay. Gardens can be peaceful contemplative places where flowers and greenery abound or they can be a tiny spot of color that blooms at a certain time of year. Kids learn about planting seeds, bulbs, and the functions of compost and earthworms and he pleasure of seeing the product of their labors—flowers, fruits and vegetables. It is all beautifully depicted in full-color photographs by Maass. 1998, Holt, Ages 4 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Charles Wyman Grow It Again  Elizabeth Macleod Illustrations by Caroline Price    A unique addition to container gardening books for kids, all the plants are something they just ate out of their kitchen. Eat the bottom of the carrot and plant the top. Do the same with turnips, pineapples, apples seeds, mango seeds, sesame seeds, etc. Plus, there are recipes for making simple foods from the plants you grow, suggestions for decorating the pots, jokes, trivia and suggestions for keeping the plants healthy. Kids who are interested in the plant world will find engaging activities to try, and they will have fun doing it. 1999, Kids Can, Ages 5 to 10, $5.95. Reviewer: Barbara Youngblood ISBN: 1-55074-558-1 The Kids Can Press Jumbo Book of Gardening  Karyn Morris Illustrated by Jane Kurisu    If you know a kid who would like to create a wildlife garden that is filled with birds, bees and butterflies, or one who wants to grow vegetables or perhaps flowers indigineous to the area in which he or she lives, then this book is the ideal gift. It starts with the basics—soil, mulch, garden location, and creating a garden bed. The steps are easy to understand, and the illustrations clarify and add a bit of humor. There are checklists, tips about growing plants, and suggestions to help control pests. In addition to learning about plants, kids will get a better understanding of the simbiotic relationship between certain plants and animals such as the Karber blue butterfly, which need the wild lupine to survive. 2000, Kids Can, Ages 8 up, $14.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot A Kid's Guide to How Vegetables Grow  Patricia Ayers    When you eat vegetables, you may be eating the root, stem, leaves, flower or seeds of a particular plant. While most of these parts may be obvious—potatoes are roots, celery is the stem, spinach is the leaf—others are not—sweet corn and peas are the seeds of their respective plants. A real variety of fruits and vegetables are presented in this volume with the words in bold defined in the glossary. There are projects for science classes that include instructions for creating a vegetable garden and the text stresses the importance if soil preparation, nutrients, watering, sunlight and the length of time required to grow and harvest various vegetables. There is an index but limited references to web sites. 2000, Rosen, Ages 7 to 9, $??. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot ISBN: 0-82395461-7 Look Once Look Again In the Garden  David M. Schwartz Photographs by Dwight Kuhn    Clever pairs of photographs show an unfamiliar and then the familiar view of many common garden plants and animals. Look once at a close-up photo of something that appears to be a strange insect. It is an eye that cannot see! Look again at a potato. The eyes are buds. Look again at peas in a pod. Look once at an orange shell with black polka dots. Look again at a ladybug that will eat insect pests in a garden. Look again at a ripe strawberry dangling from the vine. A quiz at the end of the books helps children make sure they remember what they have learned. A helpful glossary is also provided. Part of the "Look Once, Look Again" series. 1999, Gareth Stevens, Ages 4 to 7, $19.93. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot ISBN: 0-8368-2242-0 The Magic Hill  A.A. Milne Illustrated by Isabel Bodor Brown    Perhaps you’ve heard about a neighbor who can grow masses of lovely flowers because of a ‘green thumb’...but have you ever heard of someone doing the same thing with their feet? Here is a charming, old-fashioned tale that will delight little girls. Written by the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh in 1925, this story is newly rediscovered and newly illustrated by Isabel Bodor Brown. Our heroine, Princess Daffodil, is given a most unusual christening gift by her fairy godmother, Mumruffin, because of her unusual flower-name. Wherever Daffodil walks, flowers will grow. Soon the Queen’s tidy garden paths are overgrown! Trying to restore order, the King orders his daughter to stay off the paths and play only in the flower beds. Will the lonely princess ever again be able to run, laugh and play freely with the other children? The answer lies on the Magic Hill. Ms. Brown’s dainty, cheerful watercolor illustrations pay faithful tribute to a timeless tale. 2000, Dutton Children’s Books/Penguin Putnam, Ages 6 to 10, $14.99. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree ISBN: 0-525-46147-7 My Backyard Garden Carol Lerner    This book guides the beginning gardener from setting up his garden in late winter through the harvest in the fall. In addition to offering general information on gardens, two specific gardens are followed through each month. The book includes diagrams and descriptions of common pests and weeds, as well as suggestions for handling them. The book also covers such topics as selecting plants for your garden, harvesting recommended plants, and storing the harvest. Detailed drawings add to both the appeal and the usefulness of the book. Not intended to serve as the lone resource of a child gardener, the book will not replace the expert advice of a parent or other experienced gardener. However, it is a good general resource to help a child understand the skills needed for gardening. 1998, Morrow Junior Books, Ages 10 to 14, $16.00. Reviewer: Karen Porter My First Garden  Tomek Bogacki    A man's nostalgic journey to his childhood home where he recalls making something beautiful out of nothing is vividly recalled in this quiet story. As the train pulls into the station he remembers the street, the house, and friends of his youth but what he can most accurately remember is the colorful garden he planted and cultivated. As a garden has cycle of its own, so to does the story. When the man descends from the train, his son is waiting. Together they walk home and talk of the garden the boy will make. This introspective, pastoral story with what appears to be a European setting has more adult than child appeal. The soft illustrations have bright accents of red and the author plays with the circuler theme often placing the text in circles. A parent or grandparent could use this as a discussion starter based on their own childhood memories. 2000, Frances Foster Books, Ages 6 to 8, $16.00. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey ISBN: 0-374-32518-9 My Indoor Garden  Carol Lerner    Those gloomy months of winter can be brightened up with a little hard work and dedication to an indoor garden. Growing houseplants successfully takes an understanding of the individual plants. Lerner explains that plants need the basics of light, temperature and humidity to grow indoors. She also explains what fertilizers are, how to use them, and how to properly water houseplants. One of the first signs to look for in a sick plant is pests. Her illustrations show several common bugs that could be causing illness and explains how to get rid of them. The back section of the book concentrates on growing your own plants. There are instructions on how to start plants from seed, and how to successfully propagate houseplants. The watercolor illustrations are colorful and add to the usefulness of the text. There is also a section about common houseplants that lists what type of light and special care they need. The index of plant names and a table of contents allow quick access to individual sections of the book. 1999, Morrow, Ages 10 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Melissa A. Caudill ISBN: 0-688-14753-4 ISBN: 0-688-14754-2 Patty’s Pumpkin Patch  Teri Sloat    Throughout the year, Patty’s garden is a busy place. As she plows, plants and weeds her garden, many animals come to visit and keep her company. An alphabet with upper and lower case letters and an appropriate item from the pumpkin patch are featured on each page below the rhyming text. Vibrant, detailed artwork adds country charm to this wonderful book. A great story to share before visiting a favorite pumpkin patch in the fall. 1999, Putnam, Ages 2 to 5, $15.99. Reviewer: Sharon Tolle ISBN: 0-399-23010-6 Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots: Gardening Together with Children  Sharon Lovejoy    Talk about a powerhouse book on gardening, this is it. From the "Top 20 Plants for Kids" to specialized gardens like the Moon Garden, Giant Garden, or Zuni Garden, a wealth of information is presented to the reader. Several short vignettes and poems about gardening are found throughout each chapter. Ideas that can be achieved in small spaces are quite fun and challenging. I think I’ll try the Flower Maze myself next summer. What fun! 1999, Workman, Ages 6 up, $13.95. Reviewer: Barbara Youngblood ISBN: 0-7611-1056-9 Surprise Garden Zoe Hall Illustrations by Shari Halpern    The youngsters have gathered to loosen the soil and do some planting. The seeds are different sizes and shapes, but the kids don't know what will sprout, because it is a surprise garden. The seeds are sown, watered and soon peas, beans and squash start appearing. All summer long the garden provides a variety of vegetables and even a delicious watermelon or two. Halpern's bright, bold collage illustrations are just right for this backyard garden party. Kids will probably want a surprise garden of their own after enjoying this delightful book. 1998, BlueSky/Scholastic, Ages 3 to 7, $15.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot Tiny Green Thumbs  C. Z. Guest Illustrations by Loretta Krupinski    When Tiny Bun and his friend Little Mouse decide to plant a garden, they have all the equipment but none of the expertise. Granny Bun, Tiny Bun’s grandmother, is glad to start them on their first garden. Interspersed with the story are illustrated instructions for digging, planting seeds, watering and weeding. The steps are laid out so simply: "Starting your garden" and "Getting the soil ready" progress to "Caring for your garden." Krupinski’s gouache and colored pencil illustrations tempt beginning gardeners with lavish decorative borders plump with hidden vegetables. How-to diagrams showing Tiny Bun digging in the dirt or Little Mouse watering the plants will make small listeners jump up and follow suit no matter the weather. Tiny Bun and his guests finish with a feast of home grown vegetables which will definitely propel young readers to the nearest garden store. 2000, Hyperion, Ages 4 to 7, $15.99. Reviewer: Martha Shaw ISBN: 0-7868-0516-1 Tops & Bottoms  Adapted by Janet Stevens Illustrated by Janet Stevens    Hare's hungry family forces him to use his wits in order to feed them. Playing Bear like a violin, Hare suggests that if Bear donates the land, Hare will do the work and they'll split the crop. Bear must choose. Whether Bear chooses tops or bottoms, he'll lose, as Hare is in control and doing all the work. The facial expressions of the animals are delightful and the fact that the book opens vertically allows us to view all the action simultaneously. A Caldecott Honor Book, 1996. 1995, Harcourt, Ages 4 to 8, $15.00. Jan Lieberman The Ugly Vegetables  Grace Lin    A young girl is excited, because she is helping her mother plant a garden in the spring, but she is not happy with what is being planted. All the other neighbors are planning to raise pretty flowers, but her mom is planting "ugly" vegetables. They are Chinese vegetables, which are all lumpy and hairy and not very nice to look a—but they taste great, as the girl finds out when her mother harvests the garden and makes a delicious soup. The neighbors smell the wonderful aroma and bring the girl and her family lovely flowers from their gardens in exchange for a taste of the mouth-watering soup. Finally, all the neighbors sit down to a wonderful dinner together. The following spring, everyone in the neighborhood plants pretty flowers and Chinese vegetables. At the very end of the book, readers will find an "ugly vegetable" glossary and the recipe for Ugly Vegetable Soup. This is a great book to help defuse kids’ anxiety about differences of any kind. 1999, Talewinds, Ages 4 to 9, $15.95. Reviewer: Joni Lucas ISBN: 0-88106-336-3 What's This?  Caroline Mockford    In this story of the rhythms of life, a little girl and a bird find a seed. They plant it in the spring wondering what it will be. The girl, her cat and the bird anxiously watch as the seed grows into a beautiful sunflower. They pay homage to it until it hangs low with seeds. In the fall the little girl takes the seedhead to her classroom where her teacher shakes the seeds loose and stores them. In the spring, the children in her class plant those seeds and begin the cycle again. The boldly colored paintings in a primary style add charm to this tale of "everything that goes around, comes around" which young children adore. There's a page at the end defining some terms about growing plants. 2000, Barefoot Books, Ages 3 to 6, $15.95. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger ISBN: 1-84148-018-5 To stay up to date on new books on this topic, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here. Updated 6/17/2008