Garden Library

Granny's Garden School Keeping kids in touch with nature e

 * Creating a Wildflower Meadow  by Henry W. Art; Bulletin. Describes how to turn backyard or back 40   into a natural landscape of wild flowers. C1988, 32p., pb. 
    
 * Flowers (Eyewitness Explorers) by David Burnie;  Thumbnail sketches of flowers. Blooms, pollen,    animal visitors, perfumed, bulbs. Touches on Woodland/Tropical/Grassland/Waterside/Mountain/    Seashore/Desert flowers. Quick study.  C1992; 61p. 

 * Flowers (The Little Guides)  by Geoffrey Burnie; Good general info. Annual/perennial photo & 
  drawings; some landscape, bulb planting, preparing site, etc.  C2000; 320p. (pocket guide/paperback) 
 
FRUIT

 TOMATOES
 * The Book of Tomatoes  by Nat'l. Gardening Association;  Indoor start, garden prep, staking,     pruning, problems, plus canning & recipes. Very good.C1985; 27p 
 
GARDENING 
 * A Brief History of Gardening by Neil Fairbairn; Timeline of gardening from 4.6 BILLION years ago to   2000. Beautiful book with lots of very interesting facts. Fun to read! Especially if you like history.    Excellent photo/illustration.  C2001; 256p. 

 * The Best of Organic Gardening ed by Mike McGrath; Over 50 years of organic advice and reader-   proven techniques from America's best-loved gardening magazine; C1995; 310p. 
  
  * BHG New Junior Garden Book  by Felder Rushing; Information & ideas you need to create great    projects. Crafts, garden spaces, outdoor and indoor crafts and projects. Composting & weather too. Fun   stuff to learn & teach; C1999; 112p.

 * Down to Earth  by Michael J Rosen; 41 authors and illustrators of children's books share their gardening   memories in this beautiful book. Of course the illustrations are outstanding!Ones you may know: Carole   King, Eve Bunting, Wil Hillenbrand. C1998; 64p. 

    *  Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening  by J I Rodale; Just as is says - encyclopedia. More than 1,490    topics, over 300 illustrations. C1959

 * Fun with Gardening  by Clare Bradley; 50 projects kids can plant themselves. C1996, 96p. Spiral bound. 
 
 * Fundamentals of Gardening by Am. Horticultural Soc.; Working with climate, planting & transplanting,   general maintenance, soil/fertilizer/mulch/water, treating for pests & diseases, choosing plants, lawns    and ground covers are covered here. Color photos, C1980; 144p.

 * Gardening 101  by Martha Stewart Liv. How to plan, plant, and maintain a garden. C2000, 144p.,    (paberback)

 * Green Thumbs by Laurie Carlson; Kid's activity guide to indoor/outdoor gardening. C1995, 132p., pb. 
  
 * Indoor Garden Book  by John Brookes;  Guide to the creative use of plants and flowers in the home.    Color photo. Has cacti/succulent gardens, dried flower arranging/preserving/pressing, making pot-pourri   & more. Quite interesting. C1986, 288p.
   
 * Kids Gardening: A Kid's Guide to Messing Around in the Dirt/With Seeds, Shovel  by  Kevin & Kim    Raftery;  Good children's basics book. Great hands-on learning projects. Fun stuff. (Nice, thick pages    and spiral binding.) Parents' Choice Award. C1989; 88p.

 * Landscaping by Am. Horticultural Soc.; Everything you ever wanted to know about landscaping.    Qualities, styles, design, plants, materials to use, brickwork, shade structures, bridges - has it all. C1982,   144p. 

 * Little Book of Expert Tips  by Nat'l. Gardening Association; Very concise, helpful info on a     variety of topics - fruit, veggie, rose, compost and more. 40p.

 * Practical Gardening by Deena Beverley; Basic getting started book, from equipment to planting and    plant  care. Good section on disease and pests; small section on weeds. C2002; 96p.

 * Rodale's All-New Ency. Of Organic Gardening ed by Fern M Bradley & Barbara W. Ellis;     "Indispensable resource for every gardener". C1992, 690p., pb.

 * Success with House Plants  by  International Masters Publishers; 2-ring notebook "file" color photo, fold   out pages with info. on different house plants. Good general reference. Paper stock is sturdy. 210p.
   
  * Trowel & Error  by Sharon Lovejoy; Over 700 shortcuts, tips and remedies for the gardener. C2003, pb.  

HARVEST
 
HERBS
 * Herbs (The Little Guides)  by Geoffrey Burnie; Very good photo reference to many common herbs, their   uses, growing habits, harvesting/storing, growing guidelines, etc. Great to take to garden with you.
  C2000; 320p. (pocket guide/paperback) 
 
 * Herbs: How to Select, Grow and Enjoy by Norma J. Lathrop;  Using herbs in landscaping, for medicinal   purposes, cooking etc. A little of everything.
 
 * MacMillan Treasury of Herbs by Ann A  Bonar; Complete guide to the cultivation and use of wild and    domesticated herbs. Excellent  
 
 NUTRITION

ORGANISMS/INSECTS/ANIMALS
 * Backyard Wilderness (National Geographic My First Pocket Guides) NGS; Excellent photo and facts    about animals, insects, birds found in our "backyard". What to look for, where they are found, field    notes.  Great for kids especially. C2003; 80p.

 * Caterpillars (Peterson First Guides) by Amy Bartlett Wright;  Concise field guide to 120 common    caterpillars of North America. Color drawings, descriptions. C1993; 128p.,pb.    

 * Field Guide to Insects & Spiders (North America)  by Nat'l. Audubon Soc. The usual excellence from    NAS.  Great photos, "shadowbox" pictures, detailed descriptions of Habitat, Range, Food, Sound, Life    Cycle for subject insect/spider. C1980; 988p. (packed into a handy size); pb. 

 * Insects by Christopher Leahy; Concise field guide to 200 common insects of North America. Color,    black & white drawings, descriptions. C1970; 128p., pb.

 * Ladybugs by Dona Herweck Rice; Using Ladybugs across the curriculum: Language Arts, Math, Social   Studies, Science, Arts/Crafts, Movement, Life Skills. Wonderful activities and worksheets!  
  
 PLANTING 
 * Plant Guide by Barty Phillips; Basics in choosing plants for the right soil or environment, learning plant   names, landscaping with trees, vines, roses, etc. Lots of good photos & a nice section on year-round    color. C2002; 96p.
 
PLANT ORIGINS
 **  Green Immigrants: The Plants that Transformed America by Claire Shaver Haughton; Alphabetical   listing of immigrant plants and the part they played in American history. C1978, 450p. 

SEEDS

SOIL
 ** Dig In! Hands-On Soil Investigations;  National Science Teachers Association; Integrated lesson plans    to assist in the teaching of soil formation, habitats, animals that depend on soil, plants that grow in soil,   land use, and soil conservation. C2001; 129p., pb.
 * Rocks & Soil by Natalie Lunis; Beautiful, large (19-1/2" X 14") color photo book of land/rock     formations, fossils, soil, etc. Be sure to look at this one. C1998; 16p., pb. 
    
VEGETABLES
 BEAN 
 CARROT
 CORN
 CUCUMBER
 PEA
 POTATOES
 RADISH
 SWEET POTATO
 TURNIP

WEATHER
 * Clouds and Storms NAS Pocket Guide by Nat'l Audubon Soc. Beautiful photos & descriptions of clouds   and storms, causes & effects of. C1995; 192p.; pb. 
 

WEEDS
 
 

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

COMPOSTING
 ** Compost Critters by Bianca Lavies; A writer/photographer explores her compost heap, revealing a host   of inhabitants in fantastic close-ups, all busily transforming organic garbage into rich humus. An    accurate text explains the fascinating process. C1993, 32p.

CONCEPT BOOKS: ABC, COUNTING, COLORS, ETC.
 ** Growing Colors by Bruce McMillan; Photographs of fruits and vegetables illustrate the many colors of   nature.  C1988; 32p.

FLOWERS
 ** A Handful of Sunshine by Melanie Eclare; Step-by-step instructions and large photographs illustrate the   planting and growth of a sunflower.  Perfect for planting day.  C2000;  24p.

FUNGUS
 **  Slime, Molds, and Fungi by Elaine Pascoe; Using hands-on natural science projects, explores and    explains different types and characteristics of fungi.  C1999; 48p.

 ** What Is a Fungus?  by D. M. Souza; covers both basic and little-known facts about plant and fungus    biology, including reproduction, structure, species variation, and ways in which plants and fungi are    important in human life.  C2002; 63p.

GARDENING
 ** Down to Earth created by Michael J. Rosen; A collection of stories and pictures from forty-one     children's book authors and illustrators who share their gardening experiences.  Rosen suggests, "Use the   book as a survey of contemporary authors and illustrators for a creative springboard, where everybody    picks a plant or flower, or imitates a writer to find a unique voice. Try to do what Judy Sierra does,    making a list of the coolest things (facts, legends, history, growing tips) about mustard seeds, or what if   you were shrunk, as Adam McCauley imagines himself in his picture, to the size of ivy leaves. Use any   of the book’s entries as imaginative paradigms."  C1998,  64p.

 * The Gardener by Sarah Stewart; Lydia Grace goes to live with her Uncle Jim in the city & takes her love   of gardening with her.  Written in friendly letter form in a depression-era setting. C1997.

 ** The Green Truck Garden Giveaway: A Neighborhood Story and Almanac by Jacqueline Briggs    Martin; When two people pass out seeds and gardening supplies, neighbors who claim to have no    interest in gardening are transformed into a community of gardeners. Includes information on gardening   and related topics.  C1997, 28p.
 
 ** Jack's Garden by Henry Cole; Written in the form of "The House that Jack Built," depicts through word   and picture what happens in Jack's garden after he plants his seeds. C1995. 

 ** The Plant Sitter by Gene Zion;  A fun story about a boy who discovers the value of pruning while    caring for all his neighbors plants.  C1959.

 * She Who Loves a Garden  by Mary Engelbreit; Charming Engelbreit illustrations with gardener    attributes. Quick read. 
 
   * Weslandia  by Paul Fleischman; Wesley decides to plant a garden & start his own civilization using a    staple food crop.  Beautiful illustrations & excellent "bully to buddy" story involving joint effort and    imaginative gardening. (Parents' Choice Honors) 
 

INSECTS/ORGANISMS/ANIMALS

NATIVE AMERICAN FOLKLORE
 ** Native Plant Stories told by Joseph Bruchac; A read-aloud collection of Native American nature stories   which focus on the importance of plants. C1995; 128p.

NATURE
 ** The Listening Walk by Paul Showers; Put on your socks and shoes -- and don't forget your ears! We're   going on a listening walk. Shhhhh. Do not talk. Do not hurry. Get ready to fill your ears with a world of   wonderful and surprising sounds.  Grade K-1; C1991; 32p.
 ** Nature Walk by Douglas Florian; Two children walk through the woods with a guide, exploring trails    and observing nature around them. Grade K-1; C1989; 32p.  

PLANT EXPERIMENTS
 ** Plants: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave's;    Presents facts about plants and includes experiments, projects, and activities related to each topic.     C1997, 90p. 

SEEDS
 ** From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons; How different seeds are formed and grow into plants.  C1991, 32p.

SOIL
 ** A Handful of Dirt by Raymond Bial; Discusses the nature and importance of soil and the many forms of   life it supports. C2000, 32p. 

VEGETABLES

 BEANS
 ** The Lima Bean Monster by Dan Yaccarino; After Sammy's dumping of the lima beans he does not want   to eat starts a neighborhood trend to put rejected vegetables in a hole in a vacant lot, a terrible lima bean   monster rises to terrorize the town. C2001. 

 CARROT
 ** The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss; After planting a carrot seed, a small boy ignores the nay-sayers in his   family who say it won't come up--and is handsomely rewarded for his labor and faith. C1945; Quick    read.
 
 CUCUMBER
 ** Cucumber Soup by Vicky Leigh Krudwig; As other insects come to the rescue, from nine noisy    mosquitoes to two praying mantises, it's the one flea that provides the last bit of strength needed to move   the cucumber. And all celebrate with cucumber soup (recipe is included). Full-color illustrations    and informational text about each insect provide a basis for the perfect integration of science and math in   this counting book. C1998; 32p.

 POTATO
 ** The Amazing Potato : A Story in which the Incas, Conquistadors, Marie Antoinette, Thomas Jefferson,   Wars, Famines, Immigrants, and French Fries all Play a Part  by Milton Meltzer; Introduces the history,   effects, and current uses of the potato in the world marketplace.   Interesting, amusing, fact-filled,    and carefully sourced. Gr 5-8; C1992, 116p.

 ** Big Bob and the Winter Holiday Potato by Daniel Pinkwater; For their second-grade class celebration of   Kwaanza, Chanukah, Christmas and all other winter holidays, Gloria and Big Bob write a play about    Potato Claus, friend to children everywhere. C1999.
 
 **  The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis;  A sunny retelling of Tolstoy's The Great Big Enormous Turnip   in which the characters work together and share the rewards of their labor. K-1; C1998; 30p. 
 
 **  The Potato Man by Megan McDonald; Grandpa tells stories of the fruit and vegetable huckster in    his childhood neighborhood, a man he learns to appreciate after a rocky start. K-3; C1991; 30p.

 ** Potatoes (What's for Lunch) by Claire Llewellyn; Each title in this science series tells the story of a    different type of food. Using clear texts and striking photographs, the series provides a look at foods    from around the world -- how they are grown, made, and eaten. A glossary explains unfamiliar     words. Clear and lively photographs promote an early interest in learning about food. K-2; C1998; 31p.