A Garden of Good Books

According to Spring 2012 issue of Scholastic Instructor, warmer weather with books should be celebrated with mud puddles, insects, and the mysteries of the natural world.  Below are the garden stories recommended by Hannah Trierweiler Hudson:

1.  Gem by Holly Hobbie $16.99 (Grade K-3)

     The quiet beauty of this nearly wordless adventure about a frog on a springtime journey may inspire your students to write their own tales of growth and hope. 

2. First Peas to the Table by Susan Grigby $16.99 (Grade 1-4)

    In this history-packed ode to gardening, Maya's class re-creates a competition Thomas Jefferson had with his neighbors.

3. Secrets of the Garden by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, $16.99 (Grade K-3)

    While students read about one family's garden, from planting to harvest time, they will discover a trove of science facts.

4.  The Plant Hunter by Anita Silvey $19.99 (Grades 3-7)

    By the end of these true stories that span the globe, students will want to seek out their own wild species.

5.  The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins $16.99 (Grade 1-5)

     Jenkins uses colorful and engaging handling of science topics, and this look at beetles promises to draw even the squeamish into the fascinating world of bugs.

6.  House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser $16.99 (Grades 2-5)

    Readers will contend with the power of the natural world in this lyrical picture book, in which trees take over an abandoned house.

7. Nasty Bugs Edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins $17.99 ( Grades K-5)

    This anthology of buggy verse by some of our most beloved children's pots joins Paul Fleischman's Joyful Noise as a must-have for your library.

8.  Split! Split! by Amy Gibson $16.99 ( Grades PreK-3)

     Use this sweet story about a little girl's rainy-day outing to teach children about onomatopoeia and the use of sensory detail.

9.  Marty McGuire Digs Worms! by Kate Messner $17.99 (Grades 2-4)

    If you haven't met the heroine of this charming series, her crusade to turn cafeteria waste into compost offers the perfect introduction. 

10. Outside Your Window by Nicola Davies $19.99 (Grades PreK-3)

     Herald's eye-catching collages give this collection of poems about the seasons a handmade quality that will instantly make it a favorite.