________________
CM . . . .
Volume VII Number 1 . . . . September 8, 2000
|
The Kids Can Press Jumbo Book of Gardening.
Karyn Morris. Illustrated by Jane Kurisu.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2000.
240 pp., pbk., $16.95.
ISBN 1-55074-690-1.
Grades 3-9 / Ages 8-14.
Subject heading: Gardening - Juvenile Literature.
Review by Joan Marshall.
**** /4
|
A few years ago I was searching for a great gardening book for children because, as the long
weekend in May approached, students announced that they were going to be gardening, and
"Where were the gardening books?" As I read through this wonderful book for 8 to 14-year-olds,
I wished I had had 10 copies in the spring. At 239 pages, this is indeed, a 'jumbo" book, and it
covers any aspect of gardening you can think of (and more). It contains a table of contents that
divides the book into seven sections: How Gardens Grow; Fruit and Vegetable Gardens; Flower
Gardens; School and Community Gardens; and Plant Lists (divided by regions of North America).
The index is extensive and thorough, and the book's font is large and clean. Wavy green and
dotted green lines divide up each page into easily digested chunks of information. Excellent, clear
drawings in black, white and green illustrate each page and extend the text for thorough
understanding. Directions are numbered clearly. "Green ThumbTips" and other bits of information
("Worms in Your Garden") grace the sidebars of many pages. The same children who posed for
the cover of The Kids Can Press Jumbo Cook Book, a 10-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl,
are the models for this book.
The book begins with the four "Golden Rules of Gardening:" Good Soil, Match the Plants to the
Site, Attract Wildlife and Grow a Garden that Suits You. Each section is crammed with easy to
understand, practical advice. Readers will have no problems planting and caring for raspberries,
planning one of several types of gardens or building a bluebird house. There is the odd error: a
few drawings show children working with bare hands right in the soil; the soiless mix, cultivars
and hybrids are terms used but not defined; both the hardiness zone and the last frost date are
terms used often but not illustrated with a map or examples. On the other hand, the book is
packed with ideas, such as how to grow a pole bean teepee, a broken ladder herb garden, a
miniature or butterfly garden, and a toad pond, that will elicit the coveted "Cool!" from the
intended age group.
Wheelchair bound children, the elderly and children from various cultural backgrounds garden
enthusiastically in this fascinating book. Its strong environmental message, emphasizing
xeriscaping, native plants and attracting wildlife, fits in seamlessly with the science curriculum.
Although this book would be an amazing gift (especially from an adult willing to help with
the actual gardening), here is a book for every elementary and middle school in North America.
Highly Recommended.
Joan Marshall is the teacher-librarian at Henry G. Izatt Middle School in Winnipeg, MB.
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@mts.net.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association.
Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice
is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without
permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - September 8, 2000.
AUTHORS |
TITLES |
MEDIA REVIEWS |
PROFILES |
BACK ISSUES |
SEARCH |
ORDER |
CMARCHIVE |
HOME
|