See more Summer Reading 2020 selections

These eight books for children and adults are packed with gardening inspiration, as well as activities and information to help anyone interested in growing their own plants. 

Read Aloud

In a Garden by Tim McCanna. illus. by Aimée Sicuro. Paula Wiseman Bks. ISBN 9781534417977.

Each scene in this book allows the reader to find plants, animals, and insects living together harmoniously through passing seasons.

Thank You, Garden by Liz Garton Scanlon. illus. by Simone Shin. S. & S./Beach Lane. ISBN 9781481403504.

This delightful story about multiracial group of neighbors planting and enjoying a community garden is a perfect way to usher in the spring gardening season.

Nonfiction

The Ultimate Guide to Gardening: Grow Your Own Indoor, Vegetable, Fairy, and Other Great Gardens by Lisa J. Amstutz. Capstone. ISBN 9781623706494.

Children and parents will learn about a variety of gardening styles with this charming DIY guide.

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta. illus. by Frank Morrison. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Bks. ISBN 9780062430151.

Barretta’s prose, combined with Morrison’s art, fully illuminates the depth of Carter’s considerable contributions to the science of agriculture, the farming community, and racial equality.

Plant, Sow, Make & Grow: Mud-tastic Activities for Budding Gardeners by Esther Coombs. illus. by author. Button. ISBN 9781787080256.

This colorful how-to guide for new gardeners includes step-by-step instructions, art projects, and science experiments.

Dig In!: 12 Easy Gardening Projects Using Kitchen Scraps by Kari Cornell. photos by Jennifer S. Larson. Millbrook. ISBN 9781512430653.

This is a beautiful book for beginning gardeners that encourages the use of kitchen scraps and cuttings.

For Adults

Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots: Planting Advice & Recipes from Great Dixter by Aaron Bertelsen. Phaidon. ISBN 9780714878614.

The book’s goal is to inspire readers to enjoy benefits of fresh, homegrown fruit and vegetables, regardless of space constraints, and with the least amount of labor and upkeep.

The Little Gardener: Helping Children Connect with the Natural World by Julie Cerny. Princeton Architectural. ISBN 9781616898601.

Cerny captures the child’s imagination by asking them to envision their dream garden, then turns their visions into reality by setting goals for its creation.