If your child is a budding gardener
Alison’s Zinnia
Author: Anita Lobel
Illustrator: Anita Lobel
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Recommended Age Range: 4 to 8
Alison’s Zinnia combines flowers and friendship as children “wander” through an alphabetical garden. While common plants abound, such as roses and tulips, others – less well known – including lady’s slipper and jack-in-the-pulpit, are also introduced. Beautiful paintings accompany the text.
Awards: Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)
Grandpa Green
Author: Lane Smith
Illustrator: Lane Smith
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Recommended Age Range: 5 to 9
Website
As a young boy wanders through his great-grandfather’s garden of topiary memories, he discovers the story of his long and full life. With wonder, joy, humor, and a touch of sadness, this story reminds us that the greatest treasures are not only those we make, but those we share.
Awards: Caldecott Honor Book; A New York Times Best Illustrated Book; A Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book; Silver Medal, Society of Illustrators; An Amazon Best Book; Kansas City Star Top 100 Books; A Barnes & Noble Best Book; A School Library Journal Best Book; Seven Impossible Things Top Ten; A Time Out New York Kids Best Book; Junior Library Guild Selection
Miss Rumphius
Author: Barbara Cooney
Illustrator: Barbara Cooney
Publisher: Viking Press
Recommended Age Range: 5 to 8
Miss Rumphius is a unique story with a wonderful message: Live your dreams and don’t forget to make the world a more beautiful place. These words, told to Miss Rumphius by her grandfather at a young age, lead to a life spent climbing mountains and traveling the world. Yet, when her health turns and she must slow down, she discovers how to contribute beauty to the world – one lupine flower at a time. A perennial favorite. ☺
Awards: American Book Award Winner
Sidewalk Flowers
Author: JonArno Lawson
Illustrator: Sydney Smith
Publisher: Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press
Recommended Age Range: 4 to 7
Website
Sidewalk Flowers is a wordless picture book that follows the kindness of one little girl’s generosity. Through the beauty of flowers, each “bouquet” shared reveals an act of kindness that is both inspiring and heartwarming. Simply stunning.
Awards: Winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Illustrated Books 2015; A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year 2015; Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books of 2015
The Curious Garden
Author: Peter Brown
Illustrator: Peter Brown
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Recommended Age Range: 3 to 6
Website
A beautifully illustrated book, this story shows a “dreary” city become something wonderful when a little boy decides to tend to a tiny garden. As the garden grows, so does the city’s beauty, and the interest of those “budding” gardeners around him. A captivating and timeless story.
Awards: E.B. White Read-Aloud Picture Book Award (2010); Children’s Choice Illustrator of the Year Award (2010); An ALA Notable Children’s Book (2010); A Green Earth Book Award Honor
The Gardener
Author: Sarah Stewart
Illustrator: David Small
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Recommended Age Range: 4 to 7
Website
The Gardener provides a glimpse into the Great Depression through a young girl’s letters. Going to live with an uncle she’s never met, Lydia’s life in the country – including her beloved gardening – seems lost. Yet, with her grandmother’s gift of seeds an idea begins to grow, and Lydia learns that what we sow, with love and care, makes everything more beautiful.
Awards: Caldecott Honor Book for 1998; Christopher Award; ABBY Award Honor Book, 1997; American Library Association Notable Children’s Book for 1997; Publishers Weekly, Cuffies, tie for first place for picture book; Friends of American Writers (Chicago), First Place Juvenile Literary Award, 1997; An IRA Teachers’ Choice; A New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book; A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; A Bulletin Blue
Ribbon Book
The Night Gardener
Author: The Fan Brothers
Illustrator: The Fan Brothers
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Recommended Age Range: 4 to 8
Website
Awards: ALA Notable Children’s Books; ILA Teachers’ Choices; Keystone to Reading Book Award Master List (PA); CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book; Irma S. Black Award (Bank Street); Monarch Award Master List (IL); Zena Sutherland Award (University of Chicago Laboratory Schools); MN Wanda Gag Read Aloud Honor Book; Cybils Award Finalist; NCTE Charlotte Huck Outstanding Fiction Honor Title; WI State Reading Association’s Reading List; Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature Best Multicultural Books List; A Best Book for Kids & Teens; Heather’s Pick – Children; New York Public Library Best Books for Kids; Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Winner; Growing Good Kids Excellence in Children’s Literature Award; Star of the North Picture Book Award