Gardening and Kids Books

An often overlooked theme for a gift for children is gardening. Though they whine and winge about it, at the end of a day that included work in the garden, most will cite that is their favourite thing. Please don’t get me wrong, we are by no means diligent in our gardening, just enough to harvest a few things so that the kids realise that food comes from the ground, water, sunshine, and hard work.

Seeds, seedlings, tools, gloves, and a mini-wheel barrow make for super cute gifts. If the child lives in an apartment or gardenless home, indoor plants are extremely popular right now. I gifted some to teenage nieces at Christmas for them to keep in their bedrooms and they loved them.

Below are some gifts that would pair nicely with a gardening-themed gift. Some have a strong connection and others are more subtle. Enjoy!

Show and Tell, by Rob Biddulph

I’ve briefly reviewed this fun picture book before, and we recently re-read it and the kids loved it all over again. Starting with a sunflower seed, the kinds in class 2L present their show and tell. Each item is more impressive and unbelievable than the last as the kids compete for the teacher’s prize. If you’re gifting this one, make sure to include a pack of sunflower seeds.

The Gift, by Michael Speechley

I have written a stand-alone review for this book when it first came out, and it still rates as one of my favourite Australian picture books. Rosie is lonely and sad, she misses gardening with her mum and is intrigued by the overgrown house across the street. She begins to take steps to reach out and as is true for all of us, when Rosie gives, she opens the door to receive.

I think what I like is that it has a strong, but not pedagogic, message. The author has used the story to express that kindness opens up greater possibilities for happiness, instead of telling us that important fact.

A Patch from Scratch, by Megan Forward

This one is for more serious budding young gardeners. It follows the adventure of one family trying to build a suburban garden from the ground up. The compost, keep chickens, plant veggies, and share their harvest. I don’t recommend gifting chickens with this, but if you know the child you’re celebrating does have some sort of garden at home, then perhaps a worm farm or fruit tree would be a great match for this homespun book.

I wrote a longer review, and how our family enjoyed the book at a library event, a few years ago.

Florette, by Anna Walker

Anna Walker is a living legend in the Australian children’s publishing world and we have loved her work for years now. I’m not sure I can think of anyone else who paints foliage and greenery better than she can. Florette is a visual delight and would be paired terrifically well with a few indoor pot plants as a gift for a 6-9-year-old.

The Secret Garden on 81st Street, by Ivy Noelle Weir and Amber Padilla

This is a graphic novel modernisation of the classic novel. With a diverse cast and technological upgrades, this is a fantastic example of a growing trend to make classic stories more accessible for children in the 21st century. My graphic novel-loving tween sailed through this.

Mighty Jack, by Ben Hatke

The first in a brilliant graphic novel series, I’ve reviewed this exciting tween book before. Another example of the trend of modernising classic tales, instead of a cow, Jack riskily swaps the family car for some beans. His single mum is obviously more than disappointed, but it’s Jack who is really in the hot seat as the garden gets magically out of control.