It’s the beginning of April. Our first seedlings have made it out into the field. As we continue seeding and preparing fields I often catch myself standing and looking over our farm. I imagine how everything will look like in a few months, when flowers are up, trees have leafs and our beds are full of vegetables. After all, if you can dream it, you can do it. Something that always sparks this imagination are children’s books. And since today, April 2nd, is International Children’s Book Day, there is no better day to write about a few wonderful books that we came across. The world of farming and agriculture is a wonderful one. Therefore I find children’s books are the best gateway to understand more of it – children and adults alike.
Alfalfabet A to Z. The wonderful words from Agriculture. Written by Carol Watterson. Illustrated by Michela Sorrentino.
This book literally explores farm life from Asparagus to Zucchini. I love the word plays and my daughter the colourful images. Everybody learns something when you read about a gaggle of giggling geese or bees quietly queuing for the queen. It’s full of information about agriculture which makes this book a great resource for all ages. It gets even better. The book is published by the BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation. Go on the link and find even more resources about agriculture in BC. Love colouring farm images? The Alberta ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has a colouring book that you can download for free.
Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt. Written by Kate Messner. Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal.
Follow Nana and her granddaughter and explore garden life from spring to winter, from morning to night, above ground and in the dirt. Wonderful two page images that lead to new discoveries every time you open the book. I haven’t seen another book that integrates so much soil and garden life as this one.
Oh say can you seed? All about flowering plants. Written by Bonnie Worth. Illustrated by Aristides Ruiz.
The cat in the hat knows a lot about that! A great book for children just starting to read. Easy words and rhymes explain how plants grows from seed, produce their own food and produce so much food for us. Adults can learn from this just a much as children can.
Fly Fly. Written by Daniel Anctil. Illustrated by Corentin Hunter.
Few words and splendid large two page images take you into the wild animal world of the Pacific North West. Wonderful book that sparks your imagination about the beautiful wilderness we have in our part of the country.
How big is a pig. Written and illustrated by Clare Beaton.
Of course there are always the books for the youngest among us. One of the first books we bought for Lily. Fun and simple illustrations. Follow the piglet to find her mom and learn about farm animals and opposites.
