As the spring season is just around the corner I wanted to share this wonderful children’s book. This book was our favorite for many months when Ale was about 1 year old. We love gardening and so it was very relatable to him. And in its turn the book would make gardening activities and garden creatures even more interesting for him and offer him new knowledge about the garden’s goings.
As all Gerda Muller books it is exceptionally beautiful with very charming, realistic and detailed illustrations. And like all her books it is very informative for the little readers. One thing I especially love about Gerda Muller’s books is that due to the wealth of detail and information we can go back to them later again and again, each time discovering something new or re-discovering already known facts in deeper detail.
Value of real world books
And while I don’t fully share Montessori’s view on fairy tales, I do believe that in the earliest ages it is most helpful and useful for the child to read the books about the real world surrounding them. And Gerda Muller’s books are great for that. They tell charming stories where main characters are other children, living through changing nature’s seasons, discovering the treasures of the everyday world around them.
But I do not wish to give a wrong idea that this book is for the smallest readers only. I believe it would be interesting to older children as well, but I will leave that for you to decide based on the few screenshots I made available through this post. Scroll on! 🙂
Change of seasons
Just wanted to draw your attention to another lovely aspect of this book — the story of changing seasons as they take place in a garden. Change of seasons is a theme that could be found in most Gerda Muller’s children’s books (take a look at this beautiful seasonal board book series). In some the change takes place in a forest, others in a city. And in this book it is the changes that take place throughout the garden as spring changes to summer and summer to fall. Just really wonderful!
Inspiring young urban garderners
A phrase I hear often is that the children who grow vegetables eat vegetables. Isn’t it wonderful how this book inspires gardening not only in a large farm life style, but even if you only have a small porch or a balcony? Go little urban gardeners! 🙂
Fun veggie game
When it comes to learning any subject I believe having the real objects at hand is of utmost value and thus should be provided when possible. With that in mind we used to play a little game with Ale where I’d take real vegetables (as many as I can get my hands on) and place them on the floor next to this page. First, we would just get familiar looking at the real vegetable or a root — touching it, looking at its leaves, discussing the color and texture. Then we’d look at it on a picture and compare. Then we’d play a little game where I’d ask him to find a radish or a carrot among real vegetables and then in the book. It is simple, but he enjoyed it and it made those vegetables even more real for him.
