Springtime is for Planting!

Spring is here and it's time to get planting! Gardening is a great activity to do with kids, and here at the St. Louis County Library we have plenty of books to give you ideas on how to get your kids involved and help inspire your garden. Click on the links below to reserve the books you like!

In "Kid's First Gardening" by Jenny Hendy, there are loads of fun step-by-step instructions for all kinds of gardening projects that your child would love to do.

If you're short on space, or want to garden year-round, pick up, "The Nitty-Gritty Gardening Book: Fun Projects for All Seasons" by Jennifer S. Larson.

For inspiration, check out "The Curious Garden" by Peter Brown, the story of a boy who turns wasted space into something beautiful.







Happy Planting!

--Andrea W., Headquarters

Summer Science: Grow Something!

Summer is the perfect time to explore and learn fun new things about the world around us! Take advantage of the longer days and (hopefully!) more free time to get outside with the kids in your life and celebrate science.

Gardening is such a great family activity. There's something for everyone to learn. Younger children learn that plants come from seeds, that plants need water, soil and sunlight to grow, and that you have to be patient. Older children can learn about the weather, or photosynthesis, or ecosystems. The best part is that you don't even need a garden to do it! If you can't plant in a yard, plant a small flower box for your window! You could also take a field trip to the community gardens at our Cliff Cave and Prairie Commons branches. So check out some of the books below and get digging!

Planting the Seed: A Guide to Gardening by Suzanne Winckler

This is a great gardening book for upper elementary and middle school kids. It focuses on organic gardening for your climate and gives information about food banks and community gardens.

"Rosie Sprout's Time to Shine" by Allison Wortche

An adorable story for younger readers, it chronicles the life of a pea planted in school by a little girl named Rosie.

"The Curious Garden" by Peter Brown

In this story, a little boy living in a dark city cultivates a few neglected plants that eventually turn the city into a beautiful garden.

"Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman

In this tale of exploration, creativity, and gardening for grade-schoolers, a boy named Wes discovers his own land, develops crops and culture, and eventually shares it with his friends and family.






--Andrea W., Headquarters

Gardening With Children

February is the perfect time to plan a garden and the St. Louis County Library has many books written especially for the young gardener. Here's a sampling of favorites. "Gardening With Children," edited by Sigrun W. Saphire, provides plant information and activities for children and their families. Whether you would like to plant a butterfly garden, set up a terrarium, or learn more about the structure of plants, this is the book for you. 

Gina Ingoglia's "TheTree Book For Kids and Their Grownups" is a field guide for the young arborist. With beautiful illustrations and simple text, this guide will help children understand the differences between the trees in their neighborhoods, parks, and gardens.

"A Seed Is Sleepy," written by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by Sylvia Long, presents seed characteristics with childlike descriptions such as sleepy, secretive, adventurous, and generous. This book is an enchanting introduction to plants and gardening.

An adult book that will help you plan your garden is the "Missouri Gardener's Guide," written by local author Mike Miller. This invaluable book recommends plants that will grow well in Missouri and includes specific planting instructions. If you are interested in community gardens, the St. Louis County Library offers the community garden at the Prairie Commons Branch in partnership with Gateway Greening.

--Teresa R., Sachs

Gardening for Fun

"How does my Garden Grow?" is a fun and easy way to introduce young people to gardening, the plant cycle and how plants benefit humans. The book starts out by providing a very basic understanding of what a plant is, how they grow and the purpose of flowers. Then it tells the beginner gardener what plants need to grow from soil types, sunlight to water. ‘How does my Garden Grow?’ makes gardening easy by using supplies/containers we may have at home.

Each plant section includes what supplies one needs to grow the plant, how to sow the seeds, how to transplant, how to check for ripeness, “science stuff” and a craft or recipe. The crafts include making paper from corn husks, lavender buddies, and topiary. Recipes include tomato pizza from homegrown herbs and tomatoes or potato and carrot chips from homegrown potatoes and carrots. As with most DK publications the photographs are sharp, clear and provide a lot on information. In addition there are many little tidbits of data in highlighted boxes and circles. DK recommended this book for ages 7 to 12.

--Robbin O., Headquarters