A Mighty Girl's top children's books celebrating spring and the joys of gardening!
With warmer weather comes the first hint of the glorious green world to come! Soon, there will be a spring world to explore, flowers and vegetables to plant, and lots more. And what better way to build anticipation for all the joys of spring and the world in bloom than with a few fun spring and gardening-themed stories!
The Mighty Girls in these stories love to stomp in spring showers, dig in the dirt, and otherwise enjoy everything that spring has to offer. Along the way, they have fun with their friends and family, and celebrate the beauty that comes with a world that's being reborn.
A Time of Growth: Books About Spring
Before the seeds get planted and shoots start to grow, spring has to come! These books celebrate the transformation that comes with this special time of year.
Baby Loves Spring
Baby Loves Spring
Now that spring is here, there are so many things for Baby to explore! On a walk outside, this curious baby finds all sorts of surprises, from baby robins to frogs in puddles to wriggly worms. This colorful and sturdy board book is the perfect read for little ones, with plenty of fun flaps to add interactive fun. Karen Katz's vibrant collage illustrations provide the perfect counterpoint to this cheerful story celebrating the season.
Spring Board Book
Spring Board Book
One of a series of classic wordless books about the seasons by author/illustrator Gerda Muller, this board book captures all the special activities that come with the season of spring. Artful, detailed pictures show children playing with newborn lambs, watching baby birds, painting Easter eggs, and sowing seeds, kids will enjoy the opportunities for creativity that come from the wordless format. Parents who enjoy this volume can also get the books for Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
The Listening Walk
The Listening Walk
This little girl and her father are going on a listening walk: a silent walk where they will discover all the sounds of the world around them. As they move through the neighborhood, they hear everything from buses to bees, from woodpeckers to lawn mowers, and on the way, the girl develops a new appreciation for all the activity of her community in spring. Paul Showers' quiet, contemplative story has been updated with full-color illustrations by Aliki, ready to introduce a new generation to this charming book.
First Notes of Spring
First Notes of Spring
Juniper the badger is a musician, and she desperately wants to be a percussionist in the First Notes of Spring, the orchestra that melts winter away! She's been practicing her rhythms, and she can make the loudest BOOMEY BOOM BOOM! But when she auditions, her drumming overshadows the quieter instruments. Heartbroken, Juniper is convinced she's a failure... until she realizes that her loud percussion fits in perfectly with a woodpecker’s "tap-a-tap," a beaver’s "clap-a-clap," and a rabbit’s "thumpity thump." Before long, they declare themselves the First BEATS of Spring — and discover that their music has its own place in the season! This charming picture book about following your own beat is also a celebration of the transition from winter to spring.
Farfallina & Marcel
Farfallina & Marcel
Little caterpillar Farfallina and fuzzy gosling Marcel are the best of friends; they do everything together. But one day, as fall approaches, everything starts to change. Farfallina suddenly feels the urge to curl up on a tree branch and rest, while Marcel's baby fluff starts falling out, to be replaced by new, adult feathers. When spring finally comes, and Farfallina emerges as a butterfly, the pair are completely different — so different that they don't recognize one another! Instead, they form a new friendship that becomes all the richer when they realize that it's actually an old one. This joyful and serene story celebrates the renewal that comes with the changing of the seasons.
Uni Brings Spring
Uni Brings Spring
Fans of Uni the Unicorn rejoice — Uni is back, and this time she is enjoying all the pleasures of spring! Uni has been waiting through a long winter, and now the days are finally warmer again. As Uni ventures into the forest, friends emerge: Robin has flown back from the south and is making a nest, while Turtle has come out of the mud to bask on a warm rock. But unicorns can fix things with their horns; will Uni be able to restore all the signs of spring? This level 2 book from the Step Into Reading series uses basic vocabulary and short sentences, making it perfect for emerging reader Uni fans to read as their first book.
Hello, Rain!
Hello, Rain!
"The air is full of waiting. The sky is full of breeze. The trees gust and billow. All before it rains." When the raindrops start to fall on this little girl's house, she's thrilled: it's time to get on her rain gear and head outside! The rain makes flowers bloom and creates puddles for jumping in, and she's amazed that so many people hurry home "when the sky is an adventure." She admires the colorful umbrellas and the many shapes of the raindrops... and when she's done, a rainy day is the perfect time to curl up at home with a book and hot chocolate! Acclaimed author Kyo Maclear and printmaker Chris Turnham team up for a celebration of rainy days that will remind you that all weather is beautiful in its own way.
Finding Wild
Finding Wild
Two friends set out to discover the natural world together in this exquisite picture book. When the girl and boy get off the subway, they set out on a journey through meadows, mountains, and thick forests, finding beauty both obvious and subtle everywhere they look. But when they return home to the city, they make a remarkable discovery: wild cannot be contained, even among skyscrapers and asphalt. This lyrical story encourages everyone — even city dwellers — to see, and revel in, the wild around them.
Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up
Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up
This little girl is heading out into the garden with her father and little sister on a day that's warmer than most recent days have been. The changes they see are amazing: birds are singing, bees are buzzing, and even the ground smells different. "Spring's a busy time," their father tells them. And just as all the animals are busy waking up and getting ready for warmer days, the family is busy too, clearing the ground and getting ready to plant the first seeds of the season! Colorful illustrations depict the father and daughters exploring all the changes in their garden, as the father explains how the changing season prompts plants and animals to prepare for the year. With extra information at the back about the science of spring, this is a delightful introduction to the joys of the changing season!
Sakura's Cherry Blossoms
Sakura's Cherry Blossoms
When Sakura's dad gets a new job in America, Sakura struggles with culture clash and learning a new language, but most of all she misses her beloved grandmother, Obaachan, who used to picnic with her under the cherry trees. Slowly, though, she makes a new friend and starts to settle in... until Obaachan gets sick, and the family has to fly back to Japan to say goodbye. When she gets home, her friend Luke tells her she'll get a surprise in the spring — and Sakura is delighted to see the cherry trees that bloom in her own neighborhood, bringing warm memories and special time with new friends. This warmhearted, thoughtful story celebrates the healing power of friendship and the beauty of spring.
Patience, Miyuki
Patience, Miyuki
Miyuki is up early today: it's spring, and she wants to see all the sights! And of course, Grandfather has to come along. But when Miyuki discovers one little flower bud hasn't opened yet, she's worried: it must need water! Grandfather urges her, "Patience, Miyuki," but she just can't wait, and heads off on a quest to find the purest water for the little flower. She meets strange and marvelous creatures — some of which also urge patience! — until she finally exhausts herself at the end of a long day. And the next morning, Grandfather shows her something special which reminds her that Nature grows on its own timeline. The author-illustrator pair behind the critically acclaimed Time for Bed, Miyuki return for another magically illustrated story about family, love, and the wisdom of nature. Miyuki returns again in Thank You, Miyuki.
Sprouts and Blossoms: Books About Gardening
Whether you grow a vibrant flower garden or a vegetable garden full of delicious things to eat, spring is the time that everything begins! These books celebrate the joys, challenges, and satisfaction that come from seeing your garden grow.
The Little Gardener
The Little Gardener
Shovel. Pail. Rake. Hoe. Tiny seeds in a row. Compost, water. Rain. Sun. Seeds sprout, one by one. It takes work and care to grow a beautiful garden! With this lift-the-flap board book, budding gardeners will learn all about the tools and techniques they need to help the plants in their care, from watering to weeding to getting rid of pests. At the end, the little girl in the story gets to enjoy her first harvest, including a basket of carrots! Colorful illustrations and fun surprises under every flap make this an appealing and inspiring book for toddlers and preschoolers.
Lola Plants A Garden
Lola Plants A Garden
Fans of Lola at the Library will love getting to see Lola put her reading skills to good use: planning her new garden! After reading a book of garden poetry, Lola sets out to research what plants will grow best and how to prepare her plot. Then she and her mother plant the seeds, water, and wait to see what happens... This sweet story celebrates the excitement of planting your first garden, as well as the power that comes from reading.
My Garden
My Garden
This little girl loves helping her mother in the garden, but in the garden of her dreams, the rabbits don't eat the lettuce — because they're made of chocolate — and jellybeans grow on bushes like berries! As her imagination truly takes flight, she pictures umbrellas leaping out of the ground just in time to protect you from the spring rain and tomatoes that are as big as beach balls." A subtle shift back to reality at the end will have kids giggling and imagining their own miraculous gardens.
Up, Down, and Around
Up, Down, and Around
Seeds fall down, corn grows up... and around the garden, life is everywhere! In this cheerful story, the garden is a bustling place, from the ants digging through the dirt to the bees and birds flying overhead — and, naturally, to the kids running around while they play. Simple rhyming text and colorful illustrations make this perfect for reading to younger kids, and allow them to see that gardens aren't always peaceful, contemplative spots: they're also bursting with energy.
Peppa Pig and the Vegetable Garden
Peppa Pig and the Vegetable Garden
Fans of Peppa Pig will love this funny book, in which Peppa and George get to help Grandpa Pig in the garden. Together, they learn that plants grow from seeds, which are hiding in surprising places — even inside the apple that falls on Grandpa's head! As they help, Peppa and George shoo away birds and snails, imitate worms and butterflies, and finally, gather the ingredients for a fresh salad and a delicious pie. Full of laughter and spirit, kids will love learning more about every detail.
Zinnia's Flower Garden
Zinnia's Flower Garden
Now that spring is here, Zinnia can finally plant her flower garden! But there's far more to gardening than just planting seeds, so kids will follow along as Zinnia and her cat and dog companions water, weed, and patiently wait for the first sprouts. Monica Wellington's colorful illustrations capture attention, and her carefully chosen sidebars about everything from types of clouds to the life cycle of the butterfly to money and math add plenty of interest. Rounding off the book is a great page of tips for growing your own flowers.
Flower Garden
Flower Garden
This beautiful book tells the story of a little girl and her dad as they plan a birthday surprise for her mom: a garden of beautiful flowers. Readers go along for the ride as the girl and her dad travel through an urban landscape to buy a window box, then return home to plant the flowers, light the candles on the cake, and be ready to surprise her mother as she opens the door! A wonderful celebration of family, this story is perfectly complimented by the warm and lush illustrations that show you don't have to have acres of space to have a beautiful garden.
A Perfect Day for Digging
A Perfect Day for Digging
Nell and her dog Rusty have been waiting for that special day when trees unfreeze, grass starts to turn green, and she finally gets to dig in the dirt to plant her pansies! But as far as her neighbor Norman is concerned, the dirt and the mess is just downright disgusting. Then Nell starts digging up unexpected treasures — a marble, Norman's lost toy dinosaur, even part of a tiny china doll. Norman's curiosity is piqued, and soon, he can't resist rolling up his own sleeves and discovering the joy of digging! This delightful story will get your kids ready to start their own excavations.
Grandma Lena's Big Ol' Turnip
Grandma Lena's Big Ol' Turnip
Grandma Lena takes good care of her veggie garden, but one year, even she outdoes herself and grows a massive turnip! But when the time comes to pull it, Grandma Lena can't make it budge. Even with help from Grandpa, Uncle Izzy, and even the family dog, that turnip doesn't move an inch... until Baby Pearl adds one last bit of oomph to the family's pull. This retelling of a Russian folk tale seems perfectly at home in a modern setting, and makes a great starting point for talking about seeds, farming, and where our food comes from.
Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes
Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes
The little yellow pear tomatoes in this little girl's garden aren't just a delicious snack: they're also a symbol of how all of us — and all of the world — are connected. In rhyming verse, she contemplates how everyone brings something to the tomatoes, including herself: "because if I didn't love eating them / so much, my daddy wouldn't plant them!" Inspired by Zen teachings, this book also shows kids the importance of "not-a-tomato" things like earthworms, bees, water, and sunshine.
Butterfly Park
Butterfly Park
When this little girl moves from a rural home to a new city, she's thrilled to discover a place called Butterfly Park... except behind the gates, there are no butterflies. As she makes friends with kids in the neighborhood, they all try catching butterflies and releasing them in the park, but the butterflies just fly away. Then the girl realizes that the butterflies need flowers to tempt them to stay, and soon, she's recruited the whole community to help plant butterfly-friendly plants so they can all enjoy Butterfly Park together. Elly MacKay's incredible lightbox diorama illustrations, made from painted paper, steal the show in this exquisite book, which even includes a poster of plants to make your own butterfly garden.
The Ugly Vegetables
The Ugly Vegetables
When this little girl sets out to help her mother plant their garden in the spring, she can't help but compare their plants to the beautiful flowers their neighbors are growing. Why do her friends all get to grow colorful blossoms while she has to help tend a boring vegetable patch? But her mother assures her that "these are better than flowers," and when harvest time comes — and her mother starts cooking up a huge pot of vegetable soup — those ugly Chinese vegetables draw the whole neighborhood together, eager for a taste. Lin's story is now available in a new anniversary edition, and comes with a guide for the pronunciation of Chinese vegetable names and a recipe for Ugly Vegetable Soup.
City Green
City Green
The vacant lot where a condemned building was demolished looks strange to Marcy; “like a big smile with one tooth missing.” Then Marcy has a flash of inspiration: instead of growing flowers in coffee cans, she and Miss Rosa will plant a garden in the vacant lot this year. There are plenty of doubters, but once Marcy and Miss Rosa start their garden, it’s amazing how it brightens the neighborhood and brings all their neighbors together. This lovely story of greening city life and the power of community action is sure to inspire children to think about how to brighten up their own community!
The Bee Tree
The Bee Tree
When Mary Ellen gets bored and frustrated with her assigned reading, Grandpa decides to give her a little hands-on learning by taking her on a hunt for a bee tree. In a garden full of flowers, he carefully catches a few bees in a jar, explaining that the bees will lead them back to their hive. Their merry chase takes them past many landmarks — and attracts the attention of half the town! — before they find the tree and Grandpa carefully pulls just enough honey for them to enjoy. This fun, boisterous story includes valuable messages about respect for the natural world, as well as about the need for persistence to achieve sweet rewards.
The Bear's Garden
The Bear's Garden
A little girl imagines a beautiful garden that starts with a single seed — and a stuffed bear — in this picture book inspired by the Pacific Street Brooklyn Bear’s Community Garden in Brooklyn, New York. Outside her window, there's a vacant lot that she envisions as "a place to grow, a play to play, and a place to love." She starts by planting one seed in a can, which she tends with her beloved stuffed panda. When the can topples and the seedling roots in the lot below, she carefully oversees its growth. The girl has to leave for a while, and leaves her bear to supervise... and when she returns, the community has come together to create something amazing! This charming picture book celebrates the joy of working together to create beauty in surprising places.
Luna's Green Pet
Luna's Green Pet
Luna loves animals, but in her apartment building, the rule is NO PETS — not even a goldfish. Her friends suggest ideas like a pet rock or an ant farm, but none of them speak to Luna. Then, she finds a wilted plant in the trash can, who she names Stephanie (for Stephanotis floribunda, its scientific name.) Luna's friends aren't sure that Stephanie is a great pet, but Luna discovers Stephanie is still a great companion for wagon rides and bedtime stories! And it turns out that, thanks to Luna's green thumb, Stephanie not only thrives, but blooms... literally. This charming story of a plant-loving girl includes information about growing your own "Stephanie" in the back matter.
Sweet Pea Summer
Sweet Pea Summer
This little girl's mother is in the hospital, so she's staying with her grandparents — but she can't enjoy the visit when she's missing (and worrying about) her mom. So Grandpa gently encourages her to come out and help in his garden, which is full of vegetables, flowers, and other living things. He even lets her take care of his sweet peas, and suggests that she might be able to enter them in a flower show. When the flowers wilt, she's dedicates herself to finding out why, and successfully solves the problem. Her flowers look beautiful at the show... just in time for her parents to arrive and enjoy them with her! This warm story, with its gentle message about the healing power of time and the joy to be found in growing a garden, will remind kids that there is hope even in the toughest times.
Miss Rumphius
Miss Rumphius
As a child, Alice Rumphius wanted to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and make the world a more beautiful place — and while she manages the first two, her third dream seems ever elusive! It's not until she remembers her love of wildflowers that she finds her purpose: planting lupines along the coast of Maine. One of School Library Journal's Top 100 Picture Books, this modern classic about a woman who helps spread the beauty of nature is sure to have your children looking for their own local wildflowers to tend.
Gwendolyn's Pet Garden
Gwendolyn's Pet Garden
Gwendolyn dreams of having a pet — ANY pet. But her parents have allergies to many, and are reluctant to add any animal to the family. So instead, they present her with a garden bed... or "a box of dirt" in Gwendolyn's eyes. But where she smells swampy earth, her parents smell possibilities, and they encourage her to see just what could happen if she gives it a chance. With a little research and some tender loving care, it's not long before Gwendolyn's garden is full of lush growth... and she realizes that, while it may not be the pet she imagined, "it was alive, and Gwendolyn could talk to it, care for it, and watch it grow." This charming and wry story celebrates the joys of growing your very own "pet garden."
The Little Green Girl
The Little Green Girl
Devoted gardener Mr. Aster likes his routine to be just so, but when a Little Green Girl — a seedling — arrives on the wind, he's still quick to offer his care. As the Little Green Girl grows, Mr. Aster tells her about their "world" within the garden, but it's not long before birds and other animals tell her about other places to explore outside its gates. At first, Mr. Aster tries to curtail her wanderlust, even trimming the vines that reach for freedom. But when she finally convinces him to follow her lead, this unique father-daughter pair discover the joys of travel and the unknown — together. A charming story full of lushly green illustrations celebrates gardens, home, and broadening your horizons.
What Grew in Larry's Garden
What Grew in Larry's Garden
Grace's neighbor Larry has an amazing garden, and she loves working with him side by side! As they water, weed, and prune, his vegetables grow thick and lush — and Larry tells Grace about his plans for some special tomato plants, which he will take to students at his school to teach them about growing vegetables and giving back to their neighbors. But when a neighbor builds a high fence to feel safer, the garden is plunged into darkness. Fortunately, Larry and Grace's motto, "We can figure this out," gives them the resilience to find a solution. Inspired by real-life teacher Larry Zacharko, whose tomato project helped at-risk youth, this is a celebration of how kindness helps whole communities grow.
The Balcony
The Balcony
In this elegant picture book, a girl who lives in the country faces a big change when her mother gets a job offer that requires moving to the city. She is sad to leave behind the hills where she used to play, but she brings along a bit of home: some seeds in a pot. Soon, gorgeous tendrils of greenery twine around their balcony, bringing joy to the family — and helping them meet some new friends! This charming wordless picture book celebrates the joy of gardening and reminds young readers that they can flourish wherever they go.
Kate, Who Tamed the Wind
Kate, Who Tamed the Wind
Kate is playing hopscotch when she hears a cry of frustration from the bare hilltop near her town. The wind there is powerful, and the man who lives there can't escape it. Kate knows the solution: planting trees! Over years — enough years that Kate becomes a teenager and the man's beard goes grey — Kate plants trees over the steep hill, tends them, and helps them grow. Finally, the trees are tall enough that Kate can truly claim to have tamed the wind. This thoughtful story about a resourceful, determined Mighty Girl shares an important message, both about the role that trees play in making our spaces healthier and more comfortable, and about the need for long-term planning and action to keep our world green.
Grow Happy
Grow Happy
Kiko loves to garden, and she knows that, for her garden to grow, it needs care: seeds, soil, water, and sunshine, all in the right time and the right amounts, create the lush growth she treasures. In the same way, Kiko says, her happiness needs tending too! When she has hard or overwhelming feelings, that's a sign that she need care — from herself or someone else — so she makes good choices to ensure she can thrive. This unique introduction to positive psychology and choice theory, kids develop an appreciation for what it means to be a good caretaker of both plants and feelings!
In My Garden
In My Garden
Charlotte Zolotow's beloved picture book In My Garden gets an elegant update with illustrations from Philip Stead! In Zolotow's text, a girl contemplates what she loves best about her garden during each of the four seasons, from birdwatching to planting flowers to playing in the snow. Alongside her, Stead illustrates an adult woman — perhaps a relative or an intergenerational friend — who helps encourage the girl's love of the outdoors. In the end, the garden is more than just a place to play; it's a special space that helps bind them together. It's a beautiful reimagining of a modern classic.
Miss Maple's Seeds
Miss Maple's Seeds
During the summer, Miss Maple diligently searches the world around her, looking for seeds who haven't found a place to sprout. Together, they explore places where the seeds might grow, and she cares for them through the fall and the long, cold winter, reminding them, "Take care, my little ones, for the world is big and you are small." But when the winter is over, she is ready to let them go... because in rich earth and warm sun, they won't be small for long! This beautiful celebration of caretaking and the miracle of nature's growth is exquisitely illustrated; kids will particularly linger over a spread of drawings of a wide variety of seeds, from tiny raspberry pips to acorns.
Grandma's Gardens
Grandma's Gardens
When Hillary Rodham Clinton was a child, her mother, Dorothy, taught her to love gardening. When Chelsea Clinton was born, she joined her mother and grandmother in the garden, too. Now, in this sweet, gentle picture book, the mother-daughter pair remember Grandma Dorothy and the lessons she taught in alternating text. Sometimes, they think about the things gardens provide, like good food to eat and flowers to enjoy; other times, they recall special moments, like the first time helping tend beloved azaleas. Most importantly, they highlight how sharing something special with the people you love is a powerful way to bring generations together. This lovely picture book celebrates family traditions and the love between grandmother, mother, and daughter.
Maxine and the Greatest Garden Ever
Maxine and the Greatest Garden Ever
STEM-loving Maxine and her artistic friend Leo are going to make the Greatest Garden Ever! Of course, their approaches are a little different: Maxine carefully drafts a blueprint, while Leo draws a vibrantly colored diagram. Together, they manage to create exactly what they were dreaming of... until pests and critters start making their way in. When the two friends' "critter-creeping, laser-tripping, disco-ball-blinking, tuba-tooting… SUPER SPECTACULAR SCARECROW" annoys neighbors more than the pests, the friends get frustrated and start blaming each other for the failure. Fortunately, their friendship is strong enough to get through it, helping them realize that compromise should rule the day — because "it takes a long time to grow a garden… but even longer to grow a friend."
The Gardener
The Gardener
The Depression has made money tight, so Lydia Grace Finch is sent to the city to stay with her cantankerous Uncle Jim as a way to ease her family's burdens. When she comes, though, she brings something unusual: a suitcase full of seeds. With them, she brightens Uncle Jim's bakery and delights neighbors with the bright flowers she grows. But her masterpiece — one she hopes might even get a smile from Uncle Jim — is an ambitious rooftop garden, full of blooms. Lydia Grace tells her story in a series of letters, which give kids a window into how she's feeling, and kids will enjoy seeing how her simple but powerful good deed transforms those around her.
Florette
Florette
When Mae and her family move from the countryside, she mourns the loss of all the growing things that surrounded her old home: "There was no room among the crowded buildings for apple trees and daffodils," she thinks. But when she and her mother go exploring, she discovers a florist shop called Florette with a window full of lush, green, beautiful plants. Full of inspiration, Mae starts her own little garden, and as it grows, it draws in new friends and helps Mae find her place in her new city. Packed with glorious illustrations of greenery, this delightful picture book celebrates the power of gardens to make a place feel like home.
Anywhere Farm
Anywhere Farm
A farm doesn't have to be a giant expanse, with row upon row of plants and rolling pastures full of animals; a farm can be anywhere that a caring person — or community — plants a seed and tends the resulting crop. In this rhyming story author Phyllis Root provides factual information about how plants grow alongside plenty of inspiration for starting your own farm — in anything from a window box to an old boot! G. Brian Karas' illustrations depict a diverse and vibrant group of young people working together to make their own "anywhere farms" a reality.
Zee Grows a Tree
Zee Grows a Tree
The same day that Zee Cooper is born, a little Douglas fir breaks through the soil at her family's Christmas tree farm. And it soon turns out that the girl and the tree grow in parallel ways! Just as Zee goes to preschool, the tree is ready to move from the nursery to the beds outdoors. On her fourth birthday, both Zee and the tree are shorter than their peers... and then they both have growth spurts! All the while, Zee works side by side with her parents, helping protect and care for her tree... until, on her 8th birthday, it's finally tall enough to be a Christmas tree. With plenty of fascinating facts about trees — including back matter about ways to enjoy a tree for the holidays without cutting one down — this charming story will inspire kids to see the connection between themselves and the trees around them.
Mrs. Spitzer's Garden
Mrs. Spitzer's Garden
Every year, the principal brings Mrs. Spitzer a packet of seeds, and inside her cheerful classroom, she gets to work! She tends the soil, plants and waters, and fends off weeds. Some sprouts, she finds, grow quickly, while others are slower, but they're all special and she devotes time and care to every one. This sweet metaphorical story about the similarities between a good gardener tending a plot and a kind teacher tending a classroom includes clever details — including a "crop" at the end of the year full of kids' drawings of flowers, animals, and pumpkins. Soon-to-be kindergarteners will particularly appreciate this gentle story.
Don't Eat The Bluebonnets
Don't Eat The Bluebonnets
Sue Ellen is a cow with a mind of her own who follows her own beat. She loves to sniff, lick, and taste the colorful bluebonnets. But Max the Longhorn cautions her: "The bluebonnets will not come back next year if you eat them." Sue Ellen can't resist, though, so she scarfs them all down... and sure enough, next spring, there are no bluebonnets to be found. Sue Ellen tries a number of unsuccessful attempts to regrow the bluebonnets and cover up her mistake, but in the end, she'll learn that when you make a mistake, the best thing to do is to fix it. Kids will giggle at Sue Ellen's shocking spring discovery, while also learning about the importance of taking personal responsibility for their actions.
Wanda's Roses
Wanda's Roses
When Wanda stumbles across a bare thornbush in the vacant lot, she becomes convinced that it's a rosebush — and that all it needs is some tender loving care to bloom again. She implores her neighbors for help, and they do... but each of them cautions her that her bush isn't going to flower like she thinks. Then in June she invites all of them to a tea party in the "rose garden", and not only are they delighted by Wanda's innovative solution, but each neighbor brings a flowering rosebush so that the lot really can be full of roses. This sweet story about the power of faith celebrates how a community can rally around one Mighty Girl's big dreams.
Sugarbush Spring
Sugarbush Spring
Maple syrup and sugar — and time outdoors to make it — is a little-known pleasure that comes with the first days of spring! In this charming, timeless story, Marsha Wilson Chall shows how, once the snow starts to melt, it's time to tap the trees, prepare the bottles, and simmer the syrup, all while enjoying special treats and stories that only come with sugaring time. Full of intriguing details about the traditional bucket-drop method of gathering sap, the warm, inviting illustrations and engaging text will leave kids savoring their next taste of maple syrup... or maybe asking for a visit to the sugarbush.
Diana's White House Garden
Diana's White House Garden
It's World War II, and Diana — the daughter of Harry Hopkins, President Roosevelt's chief advisor — desperately wants to help the war effort. Her initial efforts, though, aren't as helpful as she would have liked! The the President decides that Diana has a very special way she can support the country after all: by growing a Victory Garden of vegetables and encouraging the rest of the country to turn lawns and flower gardens into crops of food! Kids will be fascinated to hear how Diana's original garden inspired a movement that continues today — and even still has a White House connection thanks to Michelle Obama's healthy eating initiatives.
All from a Walnut
All from a Walnut
Emilia is surprised one morning when she finds a single walnut on her nightstand. To her delight, Grandpa tells her a story about a walnut he picked from a tree near his boyhood home; he carried it in a pocket, rooted it in a pot, and then brought it with him to the new place that he would call home. When he had a daughter, Emilia's mother, she planted her own walnut. Now, it's Emilia's turn, and he shows her how to care for her little tree... even as he starts slowing down more and more. When Emilia has to say goodbye to Grandpa, her little sapling looks droopy and sad, just like she feels, but thanks to her grandfather's advice, the tree will always be there as a reminder that the people we love are always with us, even after they die. This gentle story is a celebration of growing things and the power of family legacy.
Rose's Garden
Rose's Garden
After traveling the world in a fantastic teapot, Rose has decided to put down roots — figuratively and literally! She settles in a bustling city and starts planting seeds in a neglected corner, patiently waiting through rain, cold, and snow for the beautiful growth she knows is coming. As word spreads about her incredible plan, children come bearing bright paper flowers, which add color to her garden until the plants can burst through the earth. Author-illustrator Peter H. Reynolds dedicates this sweet fable to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, the matriarch of the Kennedy family and the namesake of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, a series of gardens, plazas, and tree-lined promenades.
How Does My Garden Grow?
How Does My Garden Grow?
Sophie lives in the city, and to her, vegetables come from the supermarket. Then she goes to her grandparents' home in the country, and learns there's a lot more to it than that! Over the seasons, Sophie follows her grandfather and learns about mulching onions, eating flowers, catching beetles, and more. From digging the rows to picking the veggies to composting the scraps, there's lots to be done — and when winter comes and Sophie has to go home, her grandfather has one final surprise. Gerda Miller's informative and interesting story makes an excellent option for kids who enjoyed her wordless seasonal board books but are old enough to want to know even more.
The Good Garden: How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough
The Good Garden: How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough
11-year-old Maria Luz is worried: her family lives on a small farm, and this year's crop is so poor that they may not have enough to eat. When her father has to leave to find work, Maria is put in charge of the garden, and a new teacher shows her sustainable farming practices like terracing and using compost. And once she shares the information with her neighbors, her community is transformed! Realistic portrayals of the obstacles facing subsistence farmers — including predatory middlemen who take advantage of desperation to claim most of the profit — make this a revelatory book for young readers, while still capturing the power of gardening and farming to improve people's lives.
The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden
After Mary Lennox is orphaned by a cholera epidemic, she goes to live on her uncle's Yorkshire estate. Lonely and sad, she's left alone to explore, eventually meeting the high-spirited Dickon and her sickly and imperious cousin Colin. Then she discovers the greatest treasure of all: a locked, walled garden, overgrown and desperately in need of tending. And as she, Dickon, and Colin start caring for the garden, a remarkable thing happens: Mary and Colin start to bloom too. This classic novel, full of beauty and emotion, is sure to inspire your Mighty Girl as it has inspired generations of others.
Seedfolks
Seedfolks
In this struggling neighborhood, the rat-filled vacant lot is just another sign of how difficult life is — until the day one girl clears a small space and plants some beans. Soon, other people are seeing promise in the dirt: Curtis thinks he can win back Lateesha's heart with some home-grown tomatoes, while Virgil's dad imagines making a fortune growing lettuce. Even 16-year-old, pregnant Maricela begins to see the chance for a future. Thirteen different voices come together in this remarkable novel that shows the power of a garden to grow something more beautiful that vegetables or flowers: hope.
Additional Recommended Resources
- For more books about the joys of gardening, visit our Food & Gardening Collection.
- For books about Mighty Girls who enjoy the beauty of the natural world, visit our Nature Collection.
- For a selection of toys and tools to get your own Mighty Girl digging in the garden, visit our Gardening Toy Collection.
