Nature Fest: Plants

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Sink your teeth into the plants that feed the world—flowers, fruits, seeds, and all! With its simple text and bright, appealing illustrations, this book is perfect for young readers learning about where their food comes from. Clearly-labeled diagrams show the different parts of plants we use and eat—leaves of spinach and cabbage, the roots of carrot plants, and the wide variety of fruits, such as apples, berries, and tomatoes. Plants Feed Me explores the different types of seeds we eat— beans, nuts, rice, and even how wheat is ground into flour and used to make many other types of food. Smiling children pick fruits and vegetables, and learn how plants grow from seeds, stretching toward the sky for sun and into the earth for nutrients. This celebration of fruits, vegetables, and more is sure to get kids interested in what’s on their plates! Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

There is magic in every tiny seed. The seeds that come in little paper packets and those that fall from flowers and plants. In every garden and every flowerpot, magic can grow. With a little sunlight, a little water, and a little help from birds and worms and bees, a tiny seed sprouts, a plant grows, and a beautiful f lower blooms. There is magic in every tiny seed. And in this book, you become the magician. How? Press the seed into the ground, wiggle your fingers to add water, clap to bring the sun. And then . . .turn the page. What can grow from one tiny seed? Press, tap, wiggle, and jiggle to start the magic! Press the seed—don’t be shy! Wiggle your fingers to add some water. Clap your hands to bring the sun. Wow! A beautiful flower! Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

A farmer and her son carefully plant seeds in their garden. In the wild garden, many seeds are planted too, but not by farmers’ hands. Different kinds of animals transport seeds, often without knowing it. Sometimes rain washes seeds away to a new location. And sometimes something extraordinary occurs, like when the pods of Scotch broom burst open explosively in the summer heat, scattering seeds everywhere like popcorn. Kathryn Galbraith’s lyrical prose seamlessly combines with Wendy Halperin’s elegant, crisp illustrations to show how many elements work together through the seasons to create and sustain the wild meadow garden. Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

The popular Take-Along Guide series introduces children to “reading” who lives in a given environment by looking for clues. In addition to offering full descriptions of common North American trees, this book discusses tree life-span, common uses, anatomy, identification, and seed dispersal. Discover trees that produce sticky gum for bees, trees whose bark peels off like puzzle pieces, and trees used by Native Americans for pain relief. Children ages 5 to 10 will enjoy the creative activities and helpful identifications found in this beautifully illustrated and inquiry-oriented guide. Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

Seeds can be big or small, round or pointy, and all sorts of colors. They can become flowers, trees, fruits, or vegetables, and they sprout all times of year, during spring, summer, fall, and winter. But all seeds have one thing in common --- inside each is a new plant life waiting to emerge. What kind of plant will bloom? Wait and see what will grow! Including four gorgeous pull-out gatefolds, this lyrical and stunningly illustrated book includes fun facts about starting a garden. Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

The popular Take-Along Guide series introduces children to “reading” who lives in a given environment by looking for clues. This title introduces children to thirty different wildflowers and features activities such as making a simple flower press. Children ages 5 to 10 will enjoy the creative activities and helpful identifications found in this beautifully illustrated and inquiry-oriented guide. Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

In this warm, engaging look at the life of a great First Lady, Kathi Appelt tells the story behind Lady Bird Johnson's environmental vision. Joy Fisher Hein's colorful wildflowers burst from every page, inviting us to share in Lady Bird's love for natural beauty. From a lonely childhood in the Piney Woods of East Texas to an exciting life in the White House, Lady Bird Johnson loved wildflowers with all her heart. They were her companions in her youth, greeting her everywhere as she explored wild forests, bayous, and hills. Later, as First Lady, she sought to bring the beauty of wildflowers to America's cities and highways. She wanted to make sure every child could enjoy the splendor of wildflowers. Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

Learn to grow your own vegetables and herbs, attract awesome wildlife such as butterflies and bees, and be a green gardener with lots of recycling tips. Whether you've got a big vegetable patch or just a windowsill, you can grow all sorts of plants with this colorful RHS book. Packed full of easy-to-follow step-by-step activities, this book helps children learn about conservation, recycling and sustainability in simple, practical, and hands-on ways. They will build a mini nature reserve, turn old wellies into plant pots, grow fruit and vegetables that they can really eat, plant a bee-friendly space, create a ladybird sanctuary, and much more. Help nature with every activity and discover the joys of growing plants from seeds. So grab your potting mix and let's get gardening! Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!

A refreshing source of ideas to help your children learn to grow their own patch of earth, Gardening Lab for Kids encourages children to get outside and enjoy nature. This fun and creative book features 52 plant-related activities set into weekly lessons, beginning with learning to read maps to find your heat zone, moving through seeds, soil, composting, and then creating garden art and appreciating your natural surroundings. Author Renata Fossen Brown guides your family through fun opportunities learning about botany, ecology, the seasons, food, patience, insects, eating, and cooking. The labs can be used as singular projects or to build up to a year of hands-on outdoor experiences. The lessons in this book are open-ended to be explored over and over - with different results each time! Garden Lab for Kids is the perfect book for creative families, friends, and community groups and works as lesson plans for both experienced and new gardeners. Children of all ages and experience levels can be guided by adults and will enjoy these engaging exercises. So, slip on your muddy clothes, and get out and grow! Click here to reserve this title in the library catalog!