Picture Books

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris van Allsburg

(Children + PZ7.V266 Gar)

When the dog he is caring for runs away from Alan into the forbidden garden of a retired dog-hating magician, a spell seems to be cast over the contrary dog.

The Pea Blossom by Amy Lowry Poole

(Children + PZ8.P795 Pe 2005)

In a garden near Beijing, five peas in a shell grow and wait to discover what fate has in store for them.

The Turnip by Jan Brett

(Children Picture Book + BRETT)

Badger Girl is delighted to find the biggest turnip she has ever seen growing in her vegetable garden, but when the time comes to harvest the giant root, she is unable to pull it up without help from family and friends.

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting

(Children Picture Book BUNTI)

Helped by her father, a young girl prepares a flower garden as a birthday surprise for her mother.

The Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers

(Children Picture Book Lg FAN)

“One day, William discovers that the tree outside his window has been sculpted into a wise owl. In the following days, more topiaries appear, and each one is more beautiful than the last. Soon, William’s gray little town is full of color and life. And though the mysterious night gardener disappears as suddenly as he appeared, William—and his town—are changed forever.” — Provided by publisher.

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming; illustrated by G. Brian Karas

(Children Picture Book + FLEMI)

After planting the garden he has dreamed of for years, Mr. McGreely tries to find a way to keep some persistent bunnies from eating all his vegetables.

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano; illustrated by Erin Stead

(Children Picture Book + FOGLI)

Simple text reveals the anticipation of a boy who, having planted seeds while everything around is brown, fears that something has gone wrong until, at last, the world turns green.

Round the Garden by Omri Glaser; illustrated by Byron Glaser

(Children Picture Book GLAS)

Traces the journey of a tear as it falls to the ground, evaporates, reappears as rain, and waters a garden to make an onion grow to produce more tears.

Flora’s Surprise by Deb Gliori

(Children Picture Book + GLIOR)

Flora, a young rabbit, tries to grow a house by planting a brick.

My Garden by Kevin Henkes

(Children Picture Book + HENKE)

After helping her mother weed, water, and chase the rabbits from their garden, a young girl imagines her dream garden complete with jellybean bushes, chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes the size of beach balls.

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss; illustrated by Crockett Johnson

(Children Picture Book KRAUS)

Despite everyone’s dire predictions, a little boy has faith in the carrot he plants.

The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen; illustrated by Irene Luxbacher

(Children Picture Book LARSE)

In an apartment too small for a garden to grow, Theo and her grandfather paint one instead.

The Greenling by Levi Pinfold

(Children Picture Book + PINFO)

Mr. Barleycorn picks a green baby growing on his land, unleashing the incredible power of nature. When zucchinis flower in the kitchen and carrots sprout out of their television, Mr. Barleycorn’s wife insists that the Greenling has to go. But the bounty and beauty of nature have a strange power—the power to bring a whole community together.

Fox’s Garden by Princesse Camcam

(Children Picture Book PRINC)

“One snowy night, a fox loses its way, entering a village. Chased away by the grown ups, Fox takes shelter in a greenhouse. A little boy sees this from his window. Without hesitating, he brings a basket of food to the greenhouse, where he leaves it for the fox. His gift is noticed and the night becomes a garden of new life, nourished by compassion and kindness. Princesse Camcam’s cut-paper illustrations, along with the beautiful lighting of the sets she creates, make the experience of looking at these illustrations both touching and transcendent. Their beauty and essential simplicity reflect the beauty of the story. The reader is left charmed by the fox and the child and thoughtful about the emotional lives of both humans and other creatures.” — Provided by publisher.

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

(Children Picture Book SMITH)

A child explores the ordinary life of his extraordinary great-grandfather, as expressed in his topiary garden.

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

(Children Picture Book + STEWA)

A series of letters relating what happens when, after her father loses his job, Lydia Grace goes to live with her Uncle Jim in the city but takes her love for gardening with her.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington

(Children Picture Book TITHE)

Jamie plants a pumpkin seed and, after watching it grow, carves it, and saves some seeds to plant in the spring.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

(Children PZ10.3.P47 Tap 27)

A mischievous rabbit encounters trouble in a farmer’s garden.

Beginning Readers

Biscuit in the Garden by Alyssa Satin Capucilli; illustrated by Pat Schories

Children Picture Book CAPUC

Biscuit the puppy is eager to see the plants and make friends with the animals in the garden.

Chapter Books

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

(Children PZ7.A931 Ni 2014)

Irish orphans Molly, fourteen, and Kip, ten, travel to England to work as servants in a crumbling manor house where nothing is quite what it seems to be, and soon the siblings are confronted by a mysterious stranger and secrets of the cursed house.

Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Björk; illustrated by Lena Anderson

(Children PZ7.B52855 Lin 1987)

A young girl learns about Monet and Impressionist art through a trip to Paris.

The Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston

(Children PZ7.B6497 Ch)

Ghostly children haunt a manor in an overgrown garden in the English countryside.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett; pictures by Tasha Tudor

(Children PZ7.B934 Se)

When bratty orphan Mary Lennox arrives at her uncle’s English manor, she and her sickly cousin Colin undergo change for the better through restoring an abandoned garden.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischma ; illustrations by Judy Pederson

(Children PZ7.F5991 Se 1997)

One by one, a number of people of varying ages and backgrounds transform a trash-filled inner-city lot into a productive and beautiful garden, and in doing so, the gardeners are themselves transformed.

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Peace

(Children PZ7.P3145 To)

Quarantined in his aunt and uncle’s home, part of what was once a country house, Tom slips back in time and finds a friend.

Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane by P.L. Travers

(Children PZ7.T689 Masn 1982)

Mary Poppins takes her charges to the Herb Garden in a park in London for a night of magic on Midsummer’s Eve.

The Dog in the Tapestry Garden by Dorothy Pulis Lathrop

(Children PZ8.L348 Do)

A lonely greyhound jumps into the old tapestry hanging on the wall to play with a little white dog woven into its garden.

Informational

Wings, Worms, and Wonder: A Guide for Creatively Integrating Gardening and Outdoor Learning into Children’s Lives by Kelly Johnson

(Children + SB324 .J64 2012)

So you have a garden, but now what do you do with it? Peppered with anecdotes and friendly advice, while based in research and experience, Wings, Worms, and Wonder answers this question. Above and beyond gardening guidance on topics such as composting and organic pest control, it gives adults the tools to reconnect themselves and the children in their lives to the natural world through holistic gardening experiences. It will ignite your confidence to create outdoor learning experiences that nurture both wonder and ecological literacy. Overflowing with tips for successfully gardening with children in school and community settings, as well as including 36 child tested lesson plans, you’ll find everything you need to seamlessly integrate gardening into both elementary curricula and daily life. Rooted in scientific and arts based Nature-Study and progressive education models, this guide is invaluable for anyone wanting to grow a thriving children’s gardening program. This book will inspire and equip you to sprout a happier, healthier generation of children! — Provided by publisher.