Garden Book List for Kids

Discover 30+ spring and summer garden books for toddler, preschoolers and young children. These stories capture the magic of the garden with tractors, seeds, silly animal friends and more!

How Do We Use These Books?

No matter the weather, a book makes it better. And, there’s something special about sitting down together, sharing a snack and a story. Is the idea growing on you?

These stories are short, but inspiring. They remind little hands what the warm feeling of dirt warmed by the summer is like in the cold of winter. Paired with strawberry jam on toast, and one can really taste those summery seasons. We use picture books to kickstart our day as we ease into our rhythms. Or the afternoon, before dinner, when everyone is restless and needs a moment of connection. They can wrap up the day and place sweet ideas in dreaming minds before bed. Books (and food!) can do that.

However, nothing beats taking a good book outdoors into the space where its own pages match reality: into the garden.

Here are the many stories that revive the winter heart, supplement a good school day, and enrich time together:

In the Garden

1. “Rain” by Sam Usher
2. “When the Storm Comes” by Linda Ashman
3. “Whose Garden is it?” by Mary Ann Hoberman
4. “The Hundred Year Barn” by Patricia Maclachlan
5. “Disney Out and About: the Friendship Garden”
6. “How ­Does My ­Gar­den Grow?” by  Gerda Muller
7. “Up in the ­Gar­den and ­Down in the Dirt” by Kate Mess­ner
8. “Red Sky at Night” by Elly Mackay
9. “A Little More Beautiful” by Sarah Mackenzie

Things that Go in the Garden

1. “The Digger and the Flower” by Joseph Keufler
2. “Tractor Mac: Worth the Wait” by Billy Steers
3. “Tractor Mac: New Friend” by Billy Steers
4. “John Deere; That’s Who” by Tracy Nelson Maurer
5. “Construction Site: Farming Strong All Year Long” by Sherri Dusti Rinker
6. “Farm” by Heather Alexander

Specifically Spring

1. “In the Spring” by Craig McFar­land Brown
2. “Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up” by Sean Taylor & Alex Morss
3. “When Spring Comes” by Natalie Kinsey Warnock
4. “And Then It’s Spring” by Julie Fogliano
5. “Brambley Hedge: Spring Story” by Jill Barklem

Just Sunshine

1. “And Then Comes Summer” by Tom Brenner
2. “Sunshine and Snowballs” by Margaret Wise Brown
3. “Disney Out and About: Fun is Where You Find It”
4. “Sun” by Sam Usher
5. “The Big Book of Blooms” & “The Big Book of Bugs” by Yuval Zommer

Animals in the Garden

1. “The Honey­bee” by Kirsten Hal­l 
2. “Charlie the Ranch Dog” by Ree Drummond
3. “ A Peter Rabbit Tale: A Spring Surprise”
4. “The Complete Book of Farmyard Tales” by Stephen Cartwright and Heather Amery
5. “Goat & Donkey in Strawberry Sunglasses” by Simon Puttock

Seeds Seeds Seeds

1. “Mrs. Maple’s Seeds” by Eliza Wheeler
2. “From Seed to Plant” by Gail Gibbons
3. “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney
4. “Little Sunflower” by Gina Maldonado
5. “A Seed is Sleepy” by Dianna Hutts Aston
6. “Seeds Move!” by Robin Page

Summer Foods

1. “Too Many Carrots” by Katy Hudson
2. “The Giant Carrot” by Jan Peck
3. “Sum­mer ­Sup­per” by  Ru­bin Pf­ef­fer­
4. “Bring Me Some Ap­ples and I’l­l Make You a Pie: a S­to­ry about Ed­na Lewis” by Robin Gourley

Board Books

1. “How do Apples Grow?” by Jill McDonald
2. “10 Little Tractors” by Annie Bailey
3. “Farming” by Gail Gibbons
4. “The Big Red Barn” by Margaret Wise Brown
5. “How it Works: Tractors” by Amelia Hepworth

For Mama

1. “The Little Grower’s Cookbook” by Ghillie James & Julia Parker
2. “Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots” by Sharon Lovejoy
3. “Nature anatomy” & “Farm Anatomy” by Julia Rothman **

** Julia Rothman has since put out additional books that we do not align with or recommend.

Read More

Want to read more about things that go? Check out our “Vehicle Books List”

Want more biblical resources for your family? Check out our “Biblical Resources List”

Want a sweet & lemony activity? Make lemonade & read “The Seven Silly Eaters”