Brown Girl in the Snow, written by Yolanda T. Marshall and illustrated by Marianne Ferrer. Greystone Kids, 2025. $24.95 ages 4 and up

"As the weeks went by, Amina daydreamed
of the greenhouse trip. She couldn't stop 
talking about it at school with Yavan and 
Priya. Her family listened to her ideas and 
songs of growing the sweetest potatoes."

Moving to a new country can be a very difficult transition for most people. Moving from sun-filled days and time spent climbing coconut and mango trees to come to Canada in the throes of winter makes that challenge even more daunting. Winter is not an easy climate for anyone. Watching the kids outside her window happily playing in the snow and cold air has Amina longing for home and a place to plant her garden. Her older brother lets her know that she will have to wait for spring and warmer weather. In the meantime, she can water the plants that are inside the house. As she does, Amina sings a sad song. 

"There's a brown girl
in the snow, 
Tra la la la la, 
where none of her 
plants will grow,"

Amina sang."

As she does her best to avoid being outside, her father takes her to the library where she can learn about gardens and gardening. At school, her teacher is helpful when she understands how much Amina is missing home and the plants she grew there. It sparks an idea. The plan is for a trip to the greenhouse which is something new to Amina. Her classmates are excited, sharing memories of their family farms in the Republic of the Congo and in India. Yavan and Priya convince their new friend to join them outside to play where they can share thoughts and fun. 

The days pass and soon it is time to embark on the field trip. What excitement and warmth swirls about her as Amina makes her way inside. The joy dims when told there are no sweet potato plants. It returns once more when she learns there are slips that need to planted right away. Mr. Lokon, the greenhouse keeper, suggests Amina help with the planting, and then come back to help with watering and caring for the growing plants. In four months the children will be welcome to help with the harvest. It's a task that gives Amina much happiness. As she patiently watches the plants grow on her visits to the greenhouse, she also practices patience in adjusting to her new home.  

An author's note talks about Ms. Marshall's childhood move from Guyana to Toronto. Ms. Ferrer uses a rich watercolor palette to provide a warm setting for the learning and the transition being made. The song refrain based on a traditional Afro-Caribbean ring game repeats throughout, always offering a new ending to rhyme with 'snow'. 

Keep Our World Green: Why Humans Need Gardens, Parks and Public Green Spaces. Written by Frieda Wishinsky and illustrated by Sara Theuekauf. Orca, 2025. $29.95 ages 10 and up

"Wetlands also provide us with fish, shellfish,
blueberries, cranberries, and wild rice. Some 
wetlands supply plants for medicines. Animals
and reptiles live in wetlands. Birds feed, nest
and rest there. Wetlands improve our natural 
water quality. But swamps and wetlands are 
disappearing as more and more land gets 
developed." 

Frieda Wishinsky's voice is very personal as she introduces her audience to her early life in New York and her love for the green spaces she found there. Once she was living in Toronto, she found a book about Frederick Law Olmstead, the designer of Central Park. Her admiration for Olmstead led to writing a picture book biography: The Man Who Made Parks (Tundra, 2009). Much has changed since that time, and the world has lost far too many green spaces. 

This exceptional book in the Orca Timeline series helps readers understand that green spaces are needed for food growth, good health and happiness. They can, and do, bring people together. Alongside the first chapter heading Green Space Matters, Sara Theuerkauf places a montage of green spaces that include The Fertile Crescent, the Irish Potato Famine, The White House Victory Garden and the three sisters which have been relevant from 1300 until today. 

The chapter is filled with engaging artwork, information boxes, a map, captioned and clear photos, and fact-filled paragraphs meant to inform. There are also green stories shared in journal-like entries, and quotes contained in green boxes. Each chapter following: (Gardens of Long Ago, Green Space for Everyone, Green Space Inspires Art, Music and Literature, Green Space in Danger, Great Green Ideas, and Green Space Builds Community), has the same design and is filled with practical text sure to find favor with interested readers.  

The value of green spaces cannot be undersold. They offer protection, help in the development of medicines, act as places for celebration, and share beauty hard to beat. Artists, writers, and musicians find inspiration for their work. The dangers to their well-being are numerous and have lasting repercussions for the land and the creatures who make their homes there. There are ways to make meaningful changes. Ms. Wishinsky has ideas to share with her audience.  

A glossary, resource list, acknowledgements, and an index are appended. 

What do you do to celebrate the green spaces in your community, neighborhood, or backyard? 

Worm Makes a Sandwich, written and illustrated by Brianne Farley. Putnam. Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"We are making dirt. I will tell you 
my favorite dirt recipe: a little of this, 
a little of that, and compost. It's the 
most nutritious and delicious dirt. 

I'm sorry but the dirt is not for 
your sandwich." 

What a unique way to help kids understand composting and its many benefits. Narrated by a worm, we quickly learn that he is quite confident in his ability to make a sandwich for the reader, all by himself. He recognizes his shortcomings: he's certainly little and has no hands. He does, however, have tenacity. 

In the background, we watch a compost bin being built and filled with mounds of 'delicious' garbage. Readers are assured it's not for their sandwich, and contains all types of garbage. The worm is not picky about that. A full spread shows captioned plant items being poured on top of what is already there. No pepperoni. Many of his friends join him in the compost, all munching and pooping to make the most nutritious compost. Now, it can be added to garden soil. 

It's still not ready for sandwich making. And then, a seed is planted which might eventually help in the that process. Rain and time are needed for growth ... it is a long, long wait. 

"Maybe I can't make a sandwich.
Maybe I should try again when I'm bigger."

Can it be that all the waiting was worth it? That tomato, grown in compost-rich soil, is just what's needed to make the most delicious tomato sandwich! The young gardener who makes it, eats it, and then disposes of the leftover scraps brings the story to a satisfying end, and full circle.

Engaging artwork, done with watercolor, gouache, colored pencil and charcoal, adds to the humor, the learning, and the value of this clever story. Two pages of further information notes the what, how, and why of composting for those interested in starting a compost bin in their backyard.                                                                                     

Gifts From Georgia's Garden: How Georgia O'Keeffe Nourished Her Art. Written by Lisa Robinson and illustrated by Hadley Hooper. Neal Porter Books, Holiday Hoouse. Penguin Random House, 2024. $25.99 ages 6 and up

 

"To this palette of greens,

she added splashes of color --

crocuses, daffodils, irises,

lilacs, poppies, and hollyhocks."

If you have heard about Georgia O'Keeffe, it's likely because of her art. Her flowers have inspired many artists and collectors. Her works are found in museums and art galleries worldwide. While she loved painting those flowers, she wanted to inspire others to take the time to really look closely at them. When she tired of the noise, the buildings, the constant go of city life, she fled to New Mexico. 

There she found exactly what she was looking for; the soil that reminded her of a happy childhood growing up on a farm. For the first time, she decided to grow a garden of her own. She planted fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers of all colors and kinds. 

"While she waited for the seeds to sprout, 
Georgia painted."  

She surveyed her new surroundings while sewing, gathering, and collecting. When she could finally reap the rewards of all she grew in her garden, she shared soups, salads, main courses, and even desserts. She bought other needed items from community members, hired them to help her out, and continued her painting. 

"The art of caretaking - 
of her home and her garden - 
nourished Georgia's art-making."

While learning about Georgia's gardening successes, readers also experience her style of painting and what she painted in illustrations created with 'traditional pen, paint, and paper and then assembled in Photoshop' by Hadley Hooper. The perspectives shift, and the fascinating design includes fine details described in the text.  

Back matter includes an archival photo of the artist, brief biographical information, details about some sustainable gardening techniques, a list of sources, and O’Keeffe’s recipe for pecan butterball cookies.                                                                                          

Memory Garden, written by Zohreh Ghahremani and illustrated by Susie Ghahremani. Godwin Books, Henry Holt and Company. Raincoast. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"We take everything to the waste bins. 
Close by, the bird feeders on Nana's 
apple tree are empty. I look for our 
regular hummingbird, but it isn't 
there today." 

How lovely to read stories of immigrant families that connect their life today to the life they lived before moving. The little girl who shares her story here is happy to be working in the garden with her Nana. As they work, her Nana shares the names of the flowers they are planting and stories from her homeland. Her granddaughter loves that best. 

Today they are planting geraniums, only a few compared to what they planted in the gardens they created for playing when she was a child. There were no parks or playgrounds where she lived. As a young girl, Nana planted flowers of every color - and trees, too. As they work together, the young girl allows herself to imagine how that garden might have looked. There were pots filled with flowers, a fish pond, and beautiful fragrances emanating from every corner. 

While they are watering, they talk about all the fruit trees they grew ... apricots, cherries, persimmons and even a pomegranate tree! Nana says her favorite was the mulberry which her granddaughter has never seen. The two continue talking and sharing stories as they spend extra time in Nana's garden. 

As they carry what is waste to the bins, they talk about the birds that visit and look for food in their feeders. They will fill them when they have taken time for an apple snack and a rest. As they rest, Nana shares that she cannot return to her old garden. They have made the choice to plant a new one where they are now. 

Notes from both author and illustrator (mother and daughter) speak to their heritage and culture, and the memories shared by family who have moved to a new and welcome place. 

The Mighty Pollinators, written by Helen Frost with photographs by Rick Lieder. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages

 

"Solitary sweat bees, 
no-bigger-than-an-aunt bees. 

We're on the front lines, 
keeping fruit and flowers 
      alive."

This is the seventh book in a series created by poet Helen Frost and nature photographer Rick Lieder; each is as wondrous as the last one. To say they are keen observers of animals in nature would be a major understatement. They are brilliant at capturing those creatures as the stars of each new book. 

Mr. Lieder grabs the reader's attention with the cover photo and once the cover is opened. The glorious endpaper there shows tiny pollen particles attached to the legs and body of our first pollinator at work. The title page offers four additional clear and close-up photographs of four others. From early morning light until bats, moths and fireflies appear at dusk, the work goes on. 

Ms. Frost's poetic introduction to this collection of poems and pictures encourages readers to take notice of their surroundings whenever they are outside on a warm summer day. 

"It's pollen in the air,  
pollen in the flowers, 
pollen helping plants make seeds. 
Almost invisible, pollen waits 
for the only thing it needs - 
      a ride on the wind
           or on a wing,
                   fur, 
                          or feather. 

Here come the pollinators, 
small and mighty, 
holding the world together."

For those who are don't realize the importance of the work these tiny creatures do, this is a perfect starting point for learning something new. Bees are first up; followed by ants, wasps. flies, butterflies, moths, bats, and fireflies. So much is going on around us that we don't stop to consider. Without these pollinators, our world would be in extreme distress - even beyond what we are presently facing. 

Fittingly, the author ends with the wind, a good friend of pollen. 

Back matter describes pollen, pollination, observation of pollinators and advice for helping them by planting attractive gardens and avoiding the use of pesticides. Finally, we learn that Rick Lieder photographed each pollinator near his Michigan home. Then, each is named in a detailed list that gives a name to the photos from first to last image.  
                                                                               

A Garden Called Home, written by Jessica J. Lee and illustrated by Elaine Chen. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 5 and up

"Mama doesn't like winter. She spends the whole 
season wrapped up in big quilted jackets, making 
steaming pots of congee and taking care of her 
houseplants. She never wants to go outside."

A mother and her young daughter cannot seem to agree about the weather. With winter's approach, Mama stops smiling and starts bundling up to keep her warm through the colder weather. Her daughter loves catching snowflakes and seeing the beauty in the outside world. 

Mama was born 'where summers there are hot and humid, and the winters are filled with warm rain'. 
Quite the contrast, indeed. The child has never seen her mother's homeland; this winter will change that. The two are going to make a trip to visit Mama's sister. No winter coat will be needed. A long flight later, the two deplane into air that causes hair to frizz and t-shirts to stick. 

As they make the trip to her auntie's house, the child gets a chance to take in the scenery and notice the lack of snow despite the season. There is so much to see as they spend time with family visiting all the happy places that were once Mama's home. At Uncle's farm, the two take note of the many vegetables that Mama ate as a child. Too soon, it is time to return to their home. The families share sad goodbyes. 

"Back home, Mama waters her houseplants. She wears 
big quilted jackets but never goes outside." 

Her daughter spends her days learning about plants, and keeping track of the trees, pine cones, birds and everything else she can see in her visits to the forest. Her excitement is apparent when she invites her mother to join her on a winter walk; she will be happy to teach her all she has been learning. She wants her to know there is beauty in her new home, too. 

In the spring, the two plant a garden that includes some of the things her mama has always loved to eat; there are also local flowers to grow and name. 

"Together, we are growing a 
garden that feels like home."

Such joy to be found in both places! A glossary helps with unfamiliar words, and is accompanied by a glimpse of their garden as it grows.                                                                                     

My Baba's Garden, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House, 2023. $ 24.99 ages 5 and up

 

"We kneel next to 
the tomatoes, 
the cucumbers, 
the carrots, 
the apple tree. 

We pour the worms
onto the soil and cover 
them with dirt until 
the jar is empty.

This is what we do ... "

Everywhere I look today people are planting their gardens, taking care of their yards, and waiting for more rain to boost growth. The sun is shining, the wind is blowing. Perhaps it was that way for Jordan Scott and his Baba. In his new book, Mr. Scott lovingly shares memories of his beloved Polish grandmother and the many times they spent together. 

"My Baba lived alone in the chicken coop and that's 
where we spent most of our time together. She didn't
speak English very well, so much of the time we 
communicated through gesture, touch and laughter. 
We also communicated through our love of food." 

Every morning his father drops him at his Baba's house. He knows he will find her in the kitchen cooking. Her house is filled with the fruits of her labor. The two talk little, but the love between the two is evident and reflected in the sustenance given before her grandson leaves for school. She watches him eat. If it is raining, their walk is slow. 

"My Baba sees worms squirming in gutters
and puddles, worms in rain-rivers floating 
into the road, wet worms with no earth 
beneath them. She picks up all of them and 
puts them in a small glass jar filled with dirt
that she keeps in her pocket."

She returns to walk with him when school is done for the day. Together, they visit Baba's garden and release the worms to the dirt there. Every day the same routines, until Baba can no longer live on her own. Now, before he leaves for school in the morning, he mirrors their morning routine. He brings her breakfast: oatmeal and a sliced apple. He often kisses the apple slice before she eats it, as she did when she was making breakfast for him. When it rains, he goes outside to show her that he remembers ... 

This is a glorious story, told with great love and shared in perfectly selected words. Every moment together is meaningful and quietly memorable. Extending the tale told are Sydney Smith's watercolor and gouache images that are as gentle and moving as the story itself. Filled with light and love, they encourage readers to stop and pay close attention. They paint a portrait of love shared between the two. 

What a joy it is to read this book! It already has a place on our 'keepers' shelf. I will share it many times over.                                                                                   

A Flower is a Friend, written by Frieda Wishinsky and illustrated by Karen Patkau. Pajama Press, 2023. $22.95 ages 3 and up

 

"Burst with color 

How is a gecko
a friend to a bird of paradise? 

Kiss a butterfly

Why do butterflies and 
zinnias love being together?" 

Children are constantly reminded that there are some really amazing alliances to be found in nature. In this book by a writing master of nonfiction books for children, we learn about some of them. Flowers help creatures that live in the same ecosystem. They do so in a variety of ways. 

Those flowers remind readers from the opening page that they grow, bloom, and help their friends. They also receive help from those same friends. How do they do it? Is that why they are friends? That is the format Ms. Wishinsky uses to provide clear information, shared proudly. 

She first describes what it is they do, and then goes on to ask a question that gives readers pause to consider the whats, whys, and hows, in order to provide an answer to the question. In all, 12 relationships are presented. Most help with pollination and the continued existence of both flowers and creatures. 

Outstanding digital illustrations are lifelike and attention-grabbing. Careful thought might just provide the answer, or an idea about the question asked. A double-page spread of the ecosystem, placed before back matter, asks if readers can find each of the friends mentioned in the text. What a eye-catching tour of a gorgeous garden this is! 

Back matter offers further factual material to add to what the reader has already guessed, or confirmation that their thinking about the question was right. 

"Geckos: Geckos like colorful flowers. While a gecko
eats nectar, pollen attaches to its head, throat, and chest. 
When the gecko moves, it spreads the pollen."

Logan's Greenhouse, written by JaNay Brown-Wood and illustrated by Samara Hardy. Peachtree. Penguin Random House. 2022. $22.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Many carrots have bright orange skin with 
ribbed lines on the outside. Is that a carrot? 

No. Those are oranges. An orange does have 
bright orange skin, but it has small dimples 
on the outside and not ribbed lines." 

In this third book in the Where in the Garden? series, we meet Logan. Logan, in a wheelchair and with his pet chameleon on his shoulder, is on a search for carrots. They are needed for a planned pet playdate. He has many plants in his greenhouse. His search for carrots begins with a clear description of the vegetable itself: it grows from a seed and pushes downward into the ground, it has stems and leaves on its top, it's tapered, it has bright orange skin, and it's often long with roots at its end. 

Readers are then asked to help Logan with his search. Each vegetable and fruit considered has something in common with the carrots he is looking for; none are carrots. There are sweet potatoes, leeks, Brussels sprouts, garlic bulbs, radishes, oranges, beets, pears, and turnips. Logan really needs carrots. Will he find them in time for the arrival of his guests?   

The text is descriptive and useful for children learning to recognize variety in fruits and vegetables. Each one mentioned is carefully compared to what is already known about carrots. It takes time and patience (and some help from his chameleon friend) to finally come upon the desired vegetable. Bright colors and clear images are warm and inviting on this search that will surely interest young readers. A final full page spread shows attendees and their pets at a party that offers an extra look at all foods found on earlier pages. Finally, a recipe for Winter Carrot Soup is included. 

Spring is coming, although not 'just around the corner'. Still, you might be thinking about planting a garden, or expanding the one you already have. Perhaps you are wanting to add to your collection of books about gardening for your classroom or at home. 

The first two books in this series are Linh's Rooftop Garden and Miguel's Community Garden.

Celia Planted a Garden: The Story of Celia Thaxter and Her Island Garden, written by Phyllis Root and Gary D. Schmidt. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2022. $24.99 ages 8 and up

 

"In the springtime, after long winters, Celia sailed 
back to Appledore, carrying the seedlings to plant 
her garden. Year after year, she planted. She planted
pansies, sweet peas and hollyhocks, dark larkspurs 
and foxgloves, and tall sunflowers and red dahlias
and nasturtiums and golden California poppies - 
and yellow marigolds. All summer long the flowers
blossomed and brightened the island ... "

Once again, in the pages of a well-written and beautifully illustrated picture book biography, I have learned about an amazing woman I knew not at all. Celia Laighton was born in 1835 and spent her childhood living on two islands - White Island and Appledore Island - near Maine and New Hampshire. 
White Island, the waves, and the seagulls that surrounded her lacked color. Every spring, Celia planted a garden to bring color to a drab island life. While their father tended the lighthouse, Celia and her brothers enjoyed their lives there. 

Changing seasons saw her waving farewell to the birds she so loved; winter brought frost, snow and almost unbearable cold. Spring always returned with the promise of birds and Celia's next garden. At 12, the family moved to Appledore Island where Celia planted another admirable garden. When she met and married Levi Thaxter, they moved to the mainland. She missed the sea, and dreamed of her childhood gardens, while also writing poems about island life. 

She wrote, filled her house with colorful plants of all kinds, and painted from her memories of summers on the islands. She returned to Appledore to plant her garden year after year. Only after the birds had flown south and her garden had succumbed to the cold did she return once more to the mainland. 

Affection for this remarkable woman shines through on every page, in the carefully chosen words of Phyllis Root and Gary D. Schmidt. Melissa Sweet provides a perfect artistic complement in her watercolor, gouache and mixed-media artwork. Numerous quotes from Ms. Thaxter are placed alongside, allowing readers to see and understand her love for the floral displays, the birds, and the lure of the sea. An author's note, a comprehensive timeline, and a lengthy bibliography make up back matter.   

"The very act of planting a seed in the earth has in it to me something beautiful."