Gardening and Community

Daylight savings time makes me grumble at having to get up earlier. But, it also means that spring is coming. I start thinking about what seeds I will plant for my garden, and which books I will read to my students, to give them hope when they still see snow on the ground.

To encourage planting seeds to save the environment, to brighten spirits, and to instill a sense of connection and possibility, I like to read the following books that focus on gardening and community. Read and Grow!

Anywhere Farm
written by Phyllis Root
illustrated by G. Brian Karas
Candlewick Press, 2017

Jaunty, rhyming text and understated yet joyful illustrations showcase a wide range of children and neighbors building a community garden. A very appealing read-aloud to introduce the idea of growing where you can.

Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table
written by Jacqueling Briggs Martin
illustrated by Eric-Shabazz Larkin
Readers to Eaters, 2013

This lively picture book biography introduces young readers to Milwaukee’s famous urban farmer, Will Allen. A former professional basketball player, his work is highlighted in this colorful book, inspiring young readers to think about where their food comes from.

Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea
Transformed a Neighborhood
written by Tony Hillery
illustrated by Jessie Hartland
Simon & Schuster, 2020

Nevaeh and her friends help Mr. Tony transform a ‘haunted’ garden into a thriving urban farm in this whimsically-illustrated celebration of growing.

If You Plant a Seed
written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Balzar + Bray, 2015

With beautifully detailed and expressive animal illustrations and simple prose, Kadir Nelson highlights the power of working together in community to grow a garden, but also to cultivate kindness.

Jayden’s Impossible Garden
written by Mélina Mangal
illustrated by Ken Daley
Strive/Free Spirit, 2021

Jayden wants his mother to see the beauty of nature in the city. When he joins forces with an elderly neighbor, who knows what will happen? With vibrant illustrations by illustrator Ken Daly, Jayden’s Impossible Garden highlights how imagination can connect neighbors in new ways.

Thank You, Garden
written by Liz Garton Scanlon
illustrated by Simone Shin
Beach Lane Books, 2020

With vintage-like illustrations by Caldecott-Honor Award illustrator Simone Shin, this picture book celebrates the growth of flowers, vegetables, and friendships between community members in this city garden.

There Grows the Neighborhood:
Agriculture in the City
written Mike Carriere
illustrated by Paul Kjelland
SHARP Literacy Inc., 2014

This large format book follows several students in the future as they recount how their neighborhoods were transformed by Farmer Will Allen’s urban gardening movement. Full of facts, photos, and student art about urban farming, this book will inspire children to get out and grow.

The Ugly Vegetables
written and illustrated by Grace Lin
Charlesbridge, 2001

With bold, bright illustrations, Grace Lin introduces young readers to the importance of heritage plants and how communities can be enriched when families share their unique produce.

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden
written by Karina Yan Glaser
HMH Books for Young Readers, 2018

In this heartwarming second book featuring the Vanderbeekers, the siblings plan a garden unlike any other: a magical healing garden. Though they hope it will be the best in Harlem, how will they contend with locked gates, a developer with sights on the land, and other obstacles?

Wanda’s Roses
by Pat Brisson
illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Boyds Mills Press, 2000

Wanda sees hope in a scraggly bush. Her dedication and hard work bring neighbors together to transform a vacant lot in a surprising way in this sweet story.

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