Farmbrarian

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Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie written by Herman Parish and illustrated by Lynne Avril

Herman Parish features a younger Amelia in this colorful and humorous tale of Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie (2010). To gather apples for an Autumn favorite, Amelia and her grandpa visit the nearby farmer’s market. “Do we need to buy a farmer?” Amelia asks. Grandpa laughs and informs her that the farmer’s market sells fresher apples than the grocery store. Heirloom and more recognizable varieties of apples are beautifully drawn. Then Amelia and her grandma join Granny Smith in the kitchen to bake pie. Of course, a bit of chaos ensues. Recommended for preschool-grade 2.

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The Good Garden written by Katie Smith Milway and illustrated by Sylvie Daigneault

In The Good Garden: How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough (2010), a rural Hondoran family struggles to grow enough food to survive until a local teacher introduced them to sustainable agriculture principles. Young readers will learn about the existence of global food insecurity in this tale of one family’s struggle to replenish infertile land by composting, building terraces and companion planting. Colored pencil drawings bring the story to life. Some basic Spanish vocabulary is also introduced. Recommended for grades 3-5.

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Compost Stew written by Mary McKenna Siddals and illustrated by Ashley Wolff

Practice the alphabet and learn how to make compost with this rhyming recipe! Mary McKenna Siddals has written a clever story that lists A-Z ingredients for making nature’s fertilizer. Children will love the lively illustrations that incorporate recycled items. Recommended for kindergarten-grade 2.

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In her book Plant Seed, Pull Weed, Zen Buddhist teacher Geri Larkin tells of achieving spiritual goals through simple acts of gardening. She specifically focuses on the teachings of the ancient text The Ways of the Bodhisattva—which discusses generosity, enthusiasm, patience and other attributes.

The book is much more about Zen than gardening. In each chapter, Larkin uses lighthearted prose to illustrate ways to nurture your soul and improve your outlook on life. Some stories focus on gardening, but many others are about miscellaneous topics.

Plant Seed, Pull Weed is an enlightening read about finding joy in everyday events that gardeners and non-gardeners alike will enjoy.