Spring has sprung! It is time to stop and smell the roses. Check out these fun picture books to discover and learn about different types of flowers. BookSpring volunteer, Donovan Archer reviewed these books. Subscribe for more Children’s Books Reviews.
Look! Flower! by Stephanie Calmenson
“Look! Flowers! They’re beautiful to see. Turn the page, and you’ll find out how amazing they can be.”
Want to experience different types of flowers with your preschooler or kindergartener? As you might imagine, the book is full of colorful illustrations featuring all kinds of flowers. As they say, take some time to stop and smell the roses by sharing this lovely book with your early reader aged 3-6.
Kids will love learning about each type of flower, from colorful roses, tall sunflowers, sweet asters to amazing Venus flytraps and more! A fun, unique feature of this book is the fold-out at the end that shows even more types of beautiful flowers!
Rose’s Garden by Peter H. Reynolds
Mothers are special people—especially the mother of a president. “Rose’s Garden” is a sweet modern fable dedicated to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, the mother of President John F. Kennedy, that illustrates her love of community, nature, faith, and imagination. This book was written for kids age 5–9.
Having traveled the work in her magic teapot, Rose settles down in the middle of a bustling city in a neglected little corner of the land. She sets about planting flower seeds and patiently waits through rain and cold and snow – never giving up hope of the glorious flower garden she envisioned.
Narrated with colorful, whimsical illustrations, the picture book engages readers of all ages. Families will enjoy reading this book and learning about slowing down to smell the roses and take stock of the seeds planted. Rose Kennedy was the inspiration behind the White House Rose Garden, and there is a Rose Kennedy Rose Garden in Boston’s North End that honors the mother of JFK and others who lost children in WWII.
The English Roses by Madonna
“The English Roses” is a story of competition and jealousy and friendship among schoolgirls in London and is written for elementary students aged 8-10. The book was released in over 100 countries and featured fantastic illustrations that look like 1960s Chelsea pop-art – beautiful black and white illustrations that have been vibrantly watercolored.
Madonna, yes that Madonna, wrote this book which is essentially a moral tale; it tells the story of four friends who are jealous of another girl, Binah. When they learn that Binah’s life isn’t so easy, how will the girls react?
Nicole, Amy, Charlotte, and Grace–are eleven years old and the very best of friends and do everything together. They are jealous of another girl, Binah, who they think is beautiful and perfect. However, their fairy godmother takes them on a magical journey, and they learn that not everything is as it seems.
Families will enjoy sharing this book as it deals with an important topic for all of us, judgment and compassion.
After reading this book, families would have a great opportunity to have family circle time to discuss these questions. What separates a group of friends from a clique? What would you have done in their place? What do you predict would have happened if Binah’s life wasn’t so difficult?
Book Related Activities
- A great family activity would be to buy some sunflower seeds and plant them in pots on the window sill and watch them grow, or go to a local garden center and identify as many flowers as you can recognize.
- It’s always fun to print a few black and white illustrations of flowers like these from Presentation Magazine to color and paint together. Wonderful keepsakes of a time spent together.
- Family activities include virtual field trips to the Rose Kennedy Rose Garden at the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park in Boston or the White House Rose Garden. You can explore the websites to learn about what flowers are grown there.
- A great family activity to do would be to plant some flower seeds and wait for them to bloom. While you wait, make time for family activities like the “Make Your Own Flowers Activity Guide” on the Candlewick website.
- Spread a little love! Create a kindness jar at home.
[maxbutton id=”1″ text=”More Reviews” url=”https://bookspring.org/en/reviews/“]