Plants, Seeds, Garden Books

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting

This book tells the story of a girl and her father who secretly plant a colorful window box garden as a birthday surprise for Mom. As they buy flowers, ride the bus home, and plant them together, the story celebrates family, gardening, and a thoughtful gift made with love.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle follows the journey of a tiny seed as it travels through the seasons and grows into a beautiful flower. Through simple storytelling and colorful collage illustrations, the book introduces children to the life cycle of plants.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert shows a mother and child planting bulbs, seeds, and seedlings that grow into a vibrant garden of colorful flowers. With bright collage illustrations, the book introduces children to the colors of the rainbow and the basics of how flowers grow.

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens is a humorous trickster tale about a clever Hare who makes a deal with a lazy Bear to share the crops from Bear’s land. Through Hare’s smart planning, Bear repeatedly chooses the wrong half of the harvest—tops or bottoms—leaving Hare with the best vegetables each time.

The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis

The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis retells a traditional folk tale about a farmer who grows a giant potato that is too big to pull from the ground alone. One by one, family members and animals join together to help until, working as a team, they finally pull the enormous potato free.

Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie de Paola

Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola tells the humorous tale of Jamie O’Rourke, the laziest man in Ireland, who receives a magical potato seed from a leprechaun. When the potato grows bigger than anyone expected, Jamie and the villagers must figure out how to deal with the enormous harvest.

There’s a Pest in the Garden by Jan Thomas

There’s a Pest in the Garden by Jan Thomas is a funny story about a pest that keeps eating the vegetables in the garden. With silly humor and lots of repetition, Duck tries to come up with a plan to stop the problem.

How a Seed Grows by Helene Jordan

This book explains how a tiny seed grows into a plant or tree. With clear illustrations and simple explanations, the book helps children learn about the stages of plant growth and what seeds need in order to grow.

One Bean by Anne Rockwell

This book shows what happens when a single bean is planted and carefully observed as it grows. Through simple text and clear illustrations, the book guides young readers step by step through the stages of a plant’s growth.

Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn

Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn tells the story of Lola, who is inspired by a book of poems to plant her own flower garden. With help from her mother, she plants seeds and patiently waits for the flowers to grow before celebrating with her friends.

The Turnip by Jan Brett

The Turnip by Jan Brett retells a classic folktale about a badger family and their friends who work together to pull a giant turnip from the ground. With detailed illustrations and a humorous twist, the story shows how teamwork helps solve a big problem.

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons introduces children to how plants grow, from pollination and seed formation to germination and flowering. With clear diagrams and simple explanations, the book helps young readers understand the life cycle of plants and how seeds grow into flowers, fruits, and trees.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner

This book follows a girl and her grandmother as they plant, tend, and harvest a garden through the seasons. While plants grow above the soil, the book also reveals the busy world of worms, insects, and other creatures working underground to help the garden thrive.

The Flower Thief by Alice Hemming

The Flower Thief by Alice Hemming tells the story of Squirrel, who becomes very protective of a new spring flower he discovers. With help from Bird, Squirrel learns that flowers need space and sunshine to grow and bloom.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Carol Ottolenghi

This fairy tale goes well with a theme on plants. Jack and the Beanstalk by Carol Ottolenghi retells the classic fairy tale of Jack, who plants magical beans that grow into a towering beanstalk reaching high into the clouds. Jack climbs the beanstalk and discovers an exciting adventure waiting above the sky.