We are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines illustrated by Julianna Swaney

We are all 'stuck' at home and many people (not all sadly) have access to a garden. It might be on a small balcony or if you are lucky you might have a whole backyard.

The family here - mum and dad and four kids - do not have a garden (at first). Dad buys a small fern for mum from the hardware store. Everyone is pleased and enthusiastic but perhaps they are too enthusiastic and sadly the indoor plant dies from overhydration - too much water.  The good thing, though, is that this family do not give up. They buy another indoor plant. They put it in a better position in their house and then set up a watering schedule. They also borrow some books from the library so they can learn how to take better care of plants - of course I think this is wonderful.

Over time they add more and more indoor plants and the plants all thrive so dad suggests it is time to look at the backyard.  The all work together to make a plan.

Then the family plant their favourite vegetables and flowers and learn about soil, seeds, water and bugs. There are the good bugs like ladybirds, the villains like aphids, and the secret agents - the worms. There are plant bullies too - the weeds but doing a little each day keeps them under control. Just when everything is growing beautifully the goats and rabbits arrive. Once again the family, which now has a new addition, are not defeated. On the final pages we see them all sitting down to a delicious meal made from all their own produce.

This is a perfect book to share with a family or with children aged 6+ especially if you are setting up your own garden. Take a look here to see my post about other terrific gardening books.

Joanna wrote this book with her own children.  You can read more about their experiences and see a trailer here. Here is an excellent set of teaching notes to extend your experience of reading this book and a set of colouring pages. You should also take a look at the web pages of illustrator Juliana Swaney. I am excited to discover Juliana illustrated The Book Uncle and me (US edition).