Preschool Children's Books About Growing Things

Art and Imagination

• Several growing-themed preschool books are ideal for inspiring art projects and imaginations. A perennial favorite is ̶0;The Tiny Seed̶1; by Eric Carle, whose tissue paper collages vibrantly accompany a story about a seed that goes on a long journey, surviving hazards along the way to become the tallest flower ever seen, which then repeats the cycle with its own seeds. ̶0;Planting a Rainbow̶1; by Lois Ehlert is similarly colorful and brief; her depictions of the planting process from seed to bloom introduce numerous flower varieties as well as general gardening procedures. A slightly longer story entitled ̶0;The Curious Garden̶1; by Peter Brown is perfect for older preschoolers. Its whimsical story and pictures depict a young boy whose surreptitious gardening transforms a drab city into a garden paradise.

Garden Tales with Animals

• Young children are as drawn to animals as they are to gardening. ̶0;Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!̶1; by Candace Fleming is a humorous tale about a man who plants a vegetable garden but has to resort to ridiculous measures to keep bunnies from eating his veggies. The repetition and onomatopoeia in this book will tickle children and parents alike. Perhaps the quintessential animal garden book is the classic ̶0;The Tale of Peter Rabbit̶1; by Beatrix Potter. The pictures in standard editions are quite small, so if you plan on reading this delightful, longer story to a group, you may want to seek out a larger version. For younger kids, try ̶0;Who is in the Garden?̶1; by Vera Rosenberry, which follows a child who finds common garden critters among vines and vegetables. The story is simple yet full of discovery and features a child of color as its protagonist.

Scientific Inquiry

• To introduce the more scientific side of growing plants, ̶0;From Seed to Plant̶1; by Allan Fowler is a lovely presentation of the specifics of plant growth, with large, detailed photographs and drawings of plant parts at every stage of development. Another excellent choice is ̶0;How a Seed Grows̶1; by Helene J. Jordan, a Stage 1 book aimed at emerging readers that has simple sentences with repetition. This book is more conceptual, focusing on broader ideas about how plants get from seed to end product.

Growing Food

• Nothing gets children more interested in gardening than eating fruits and vegetables that they tended themselves. To compliment growing food, ̶0;Growing Vegetable Soup̶1; and ̶0;Eating the Alphabet̶1; are two more marvelous Lois Ehlert gardening books, and the titles speak for themselves. Alternatively, ̶0;Watch Me Grow!: A Down-to-Earth Look at Growing Food in the City̶1; by Deborah Hodge and Brian Harris is a photographic non-fiction book that takes the reader on virtual walks through urban and residential settings with fruit and vegetable gardens, explaining in simple and clear language how food is grown and where to grow it in smaller spaces. Any of these books will delight preschoolers during adventures with reading and gardening alike.