Reading list

Here is a list of some of our favorite and most inspiring garden books:

How to Grow a School Garden  Arden Bucklin-Sporer and Rachel Kathleen Pringle

Teaching Kids to Love the Earth  Marina Lachecki Herman

 Down and Dirty:  Fun and Funky Projects to Get You Gardening  Ellen Zachos

CHILDREN’S BOOKS by subject:

SEEDS

One Bean by Anne Rockwell, preschool – K, covers the growth of a bean seed, great introductory book

The Tiny Seed Eric Carle

From Seed to Plant  Gail Gibbons

Dandelion Adventures by L. Paticia Kite Pre-K through 1st, follows dandelion seeds

Oh Say Can You Seed? By Bonnie Worth, Cat in the Hat book about seeds and plants for 2^nd – 5^th grade.

Seeds by Ken Robbins – outstanding photos of seeds of all kinds and how they travel ages 4 – 8

TREES

This Tree Counts  Alison Formento – pre-K/K, insects, animals and trees

The Earth and I Frank Asch great book Pre-K-1st about our relationship with the planet

A Grand Old Tree  wonderful book about trees and the seasons K – 2nd

SOIL

A Handful of Dirt  Raymond Bial:  grades 3-5, covers what soil is, animals that live in it, composting

Dirt by Steve Tomecek EXCELLENT for K – 2^nd graders covers soil and earthworms

BENEFICIAL INSECTS

The Insect Detective by Steve Voake

Garden Wigglers Earthworms in Your Backyard by Nancy Loewen, outstanding K – 2

Flying Colors by Nancy Loewen K-2, butterflies and metamorphosis

Dancing Dragons Nancy Loewen K-2, dragonflies and metamorphosis

It’s a Butterfly’s Life Irene Kelly , covers metamorphosis and importance of butterflies

GARDENING

Growing a Rainbow Lois Ehlert

My Garden  Kevin Henkes

Growing Vegetable Soup  Lois Ehlert

Water, Weed and Wait by Edith Hope Fine

In the Garden With Dr. Carver – talks about how everything in nature is connected. 1^st – 4^th

The Little Plant Doctor A Story about George Washington Carver by Jean Marzollo 1^st -3^rd grade

BIRDS

Projects for the Birder’s Garden by Fern Marshall Bradley and the editors of Yankee Magazine: outstanding and informative, great ideas for houses, how to bring birds to your yard.

SEASONS

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf Lois Ehlert

A Grand Old Tree

Pie in the Sky Lois Ehlert

COMPOSTING/RECYCLING:

Garbage Helps Our Garden Grow by Linda Glaser:  Great intro book to composting, Pre-K to K.

Compost! By Linda Glaser K – 1

Why Should I Recycle?  Mike Gordon – great intro book for pre-k – 1st

What Can We Do About Trash and Recycling? By Lorijo Metz

Bag in the Wind Ted Kooser  follows a plastic bag through different lives

What’s the Point of Being Green?  Jacqui Bailey

365 Ways To Live Green for Kids by Sheri Amsel – tips on being green

Worms Eat Our Garbage Mary Appelhof classroom activates involving worm bin

Composting Nature’s Recyclers by Robin Koontz grades 1-4, great intro to different forms of natural composting

HISTORY

First Garden The White House Garden by Robbin Gourley  – the history of the White House Garden as well as its current state led by Michelle Obama