Books about Flowers

One of our recent family read alouds was The Secret Garden; we got so entranced in the story that we were drawn to other books about flowers. Here are some of our favorites.

1 - The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett, this book is a classic for a reason; despite the main characters being quite unlikable you get caught up in the joy and change that nature brings. There are many abridged versions out there but I urge to read the unabridged. The length and vocabulary is not too complex for elementary age children, and if you read the abridged you will miss out on the literary prose this classic has to offer. My favorite version is the one illustrated by Graham Rust; his drawings capture the mystery and life of the story. 

2 - The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies by Cecily Mary Barker, this is a collection of Barker's eight books of poems and illustration on flower fairies. These poems are perfect for sharing with children: they are short, lyrical, and enchanting. Each poem is accompanied by a whimsical painting of the flower and its fairy.

My favorite flower fairy.

3 - Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert, this board book was a perfect way to include BabyZ in our flower journey. While it's a simple book, it also has something to offer older children. The flowers are grouped by color and it is a great tool for helping children learn to identify flowers. 

4 - The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller is a rhyming non-fiction book. It gives lots of information about the parts of a flower and the role they have in nature. 

5 - Butterfly Park by Elly Mackay, the intricate paper collages and sweet story makes this book a winner. A girl moves away from her house in the country to the city and misses the butterflies terribly. Next door to her is a  place called Butterfly Park but there are no butterflies. Eventually, she discovers she needs flowers to attract the butterflies.

6 - The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, we enjoyed this book so much that we checked out all of Sarah Stewart's books from the library - they are all delightful! During the depression a girl, Lydia, moves from the country to live in the city with her grumpy uncle. She brings with her a suitcase full of seeds. Lydia not only brightens her Uncle's bakery but his face as well. 

7 - Wildflower ABC by Diana Pomeroy, the flowers in this book are beautiful and full of details - I was totally shocked that she created the illustrations using potato prints! Most of the pages are simply the letter, the name of the flower, and the illustration. However, for kids wanting more there are pages in the back of the book that contain facts about each flower. 

8 - Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, this book is simple delightful! Alice Rumphius has led a full life but is still searching for her way, "to leave the world a bit more beautiful." 

9 - The Secret Garden by Jennifer Adams, this book was another one I picked up for BabyZ. I'm not a fan of abridged books, but I make an exception for A BabyLit. They really aren't trying to take the place of the actually story. They usually have a quote from the original book and simple bright colored illustrations on each page spread.

10 - Jack's Garden by Henry Cole, this book didn't make it into the picture, but I had to include it because the kids really enjoyed it. The book is a spin off of the familiar rhyme, "This Is the House That Jack Built." Jack plants a flower garden and the poem walks through all the things the flowers need, as well as all the animals that live in the garden.

 

Do have any favorite flower themed books? If so please share; we are always looking for new great reads.