Get Started with Native Planting: Kids and Teacher Resources

Martha Milkweed has no friends, and the other flowers in the garden do not welcome her. But she does have one very special, beautiful friend. This friend relies on Martha Milkweed for many things and visits the garden often. It's these visits that cause the other flowers in the garden to take notice of Martha Milkweed and realize that she has her own special gifts and beauty. Can you guess who is Martha Milkweed's special friend? Come to her garden and find out!Discover the magical relationship between Monarchs and milkweed in this charming story about a misunderstood 'wild' flower. Through being brave and simply being herself, she teaches acceptance of others who are unique and different.

This middle grade edition of the groundbreaking bestseller by Doug Tallamy will inspire kids to use their backyard to help save the planet. Douglas W. Tallamy awakened thousands of readers to an urgent situation: wildlife populations are in decline because the native plants they depend on are fast disappearing. His solution? Plant more natives. In this middle grade adaptation of the New York Times bestseller Nature's Best Hope, Tallamy outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation that everyone can participate in regardless of age.  In Nature's Best Hope (Young Readers' Edition), Tallamy empowers kids to use their own yards to help combat the negative effects of climate change. He does so by breaking down complex concepts into simple terms and real-world examples that kids can easily grasp. Black and white photographs help further clarify concepts. In addition to sharing the science, Tallamy encourages kids to take direct action. Some of these ideas include planting an oak tree (one of the most important tree species) at home. If that's too large of a task, he suggests they can plant asters--a beautiful flower whose pollen bees use to feed their young. By helping the next generation see that they have power and agency over our collective future, this empowering book will drive home the positive point that kids are truly nature's best hope.

Award-winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston have teamed up again to create this gorgeous and informative introduction to seeds. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, the book introduces children to a fascinating array of seed and plant facts, making it a guide that is equally at home being read on a parent's lap as in a classroom reading circle.

In this exuberant and lyrical addition to the award-winning Over and Under series, emerging readers will delight in discovering the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves, and down in the dirt.   From the author-illustrator team behind Over and Under the Snow and Over and Under the Pond.   Explore the secret realm beneath the dirt that brings the world of nature to life: Follow a young girl and her grandmother on a journey through the year planning, planting, and harvesting their garden--and learn about what's happening in the dirt to help make it all happen.   Up in the garden, the world is full of green--leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt exists a busy world--earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow--populated by all the creatures that make a garden their home.   These secrets and many others are waiting to be discovered up in the garden and down in the dirt in this sweet children's book from Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal, the latest in their beloved series that offers kids a peek into hidden ecosystems.   ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL: Beautiful illustrations paired with an easy-to-follow storyline make this a great read for any early elementary school student, while a glossary of animals that live in, around, and under the garden enriches the reading experience.   INSPIRES A LOVE A NATURE: Offering a look inside a hidden and bustling underground ecosystem, this gorgeously illustrated book encourages children to explore the world around them and appreciate the natural wonders they discover.   A FIVE-STAR FAVORITE OF READERS & REVIEWERS: "The harmonious relationships above and below ground, and those between the two, emphasize the complexities of the garden ecosystem, as well as the joys of sustained engagement with the land."--The Horn Book Magazine; "Offers excellent coming attractions for what youngsters can expect when they try to grow something." --Reading Today   Perfect for: A great read-aloud book for home or school Parents looking for enchanting bedtime reads or nature books for kids Fans of books like A Different Pond, A Seed is Sleepy, An Egg Is Quiet, Because of an Acorn, and Over and Under the Rainforest and others in the Over and Under series Any kid who loves picture books about science, nature, or animals

Kids see plants, flowers, and trees around them every day. In this lively and educational reader, they'll learn how those plants grow. Kids will take this magical journey from seed pollination to plant growth, learning about what plants need to thrive and grow with the same careful text, brilliant photographs, and the fun approach National Geographic Readers are known for.