Gardening with Kids at Home

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  • 1.  Books in the Garden?

    Posted 02-03-2026 12:46:00 AM

    I'm working on ways to make gardening at home with kids even more meaningful and find story one of the best mechanisms, and I've found that picture books can really enhance that experience.

    I'm curious of what picture books have you used or would recommend to pair with gardening lessons?
    I'm looking for books that could naturally complement lessons about the garden.

    Thanks in advance for sharing your favorites!



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    Kalie Johnson
    Community Connector
    Cleveland, Ohio
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  • 2.  RE: Books in the Garden?

    Posted 02-09-2026 02:17:00 PM

    Hi Kalie,

    I love this question! City Blossoms has a compilation of some of our favorite garden reads - with details on themes, reading levels, and language availability - in this free pdf resource: What's in our Library? 

    Some of my personal favorites on the booklist are:

    • Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt for the beautiful illustrations and a close up look at critters beneath our feet
    • The board book version of Growing Vegetable Soup/A Sembrar Sopa de Verduras for a quick bilingual read that can withstand outdoor elements with younger gardeners
    • The Ugly Vegetables for a touching story about community and culture crops
    • and Icy Watermelon/Sandia Fria for an intergenerational celebration of peak summer produce



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    Jillian Fan (she/her)
    Resources and Trainings Coordinator
    City Blossoms
    Washington, DC
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Books in the Garden?

    Posted 24 days ago

    What a wonderful question! Storytelling truly brings the garden to life, and picture books are such a powerful way to deepen kids' connection to what they're growing and observing. I've found that pairing the right book with a hands‑on activity can turn a simple garden moment into something magical and memorable. I asked around and found a few picture books that naturally complement garden lessons include:

    Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner  perfect for teaching about soil life, beneficial insects, and the hidden world beneath our feet;

    The Curious Garden by Peter Brown a beautiful way to spark conversations about stewardship, community care, and how gardens can transform spaces;

    Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn great for younger gardeners and for lessons about planning, patience, and the joy of watching something grow (This is perhaps my favorite!!)

    A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston wonderful for seed‑starting lessons and helping kids appreciate the wonder inside every seed; and 

    We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines – a lovely story about perseverance, problem‑solving, and learning from mistakes in the garden. :-) 

    These books have been used to introduce planting days, pollinator lessons, composting activities, and even cooking projects with garden produce. Kids connect so deeply when they see themselves and their garden reflected in a story.

    I would love to hear what others are using. Picture books really do make gardening even more meaningful for kids!



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    Tina Steiner
    Round Rock TX
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Books in the Garden?

    Posted 7 days ago

    Hi! Here are some books that I have used in the past in conjunction with our children's Garden Club:

    Biscuit and Friends Visit the Community Garden by Alyssa Capucill

    The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

    Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals

    The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet by David L. Harrison

    Grow It!/¡A Sembrar! By Georgie Birkett

    Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood by Tony Hillery

    Jack & the Beanstalk

    Just a Worm by Marie Boyd

    Miguel's Community Garden by JaNay Brown-Wood

    One Little Lot: The 1-2-3s of an Urban Garden by Dane C. Mullen

    Quiet in the Garden by Aliki

    There's a Pest in the Garden by Jan Thomas

    There's No Such Thing As Vegetables by Kyle Lukoff

    Yucky Worms by Vivian French

    Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! Americas' Sproutings by Pat Mora

    Hope that helps!



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    Karen Stuppi
    Children's Librarian
    New Brunswick Free Public Library
    60 Livingston Avenue
    New Brunswick, NJ 08901
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Books in the Garden?

    Posted 7 days ago
      |   view attached

    Hi Kalie,

    Some of these have probably already been shared and some are more geared for older kids, but here is a copy of a list I have been making! I hope this helps :)



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    Taylor Brown
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    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    FTS Book list.pdf   114 KB 1 version
    Original Message