If we want our children to appreciate nature, we should start them young. We can take them outside, of course, and show them what it’s
all about. We can also foster a love of nature through books, but the choice of
books has been slim. Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax offers a dark yet inspiring message (“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to
get better. It's not.”), so I got a copy of that for my new grandson.
Someone recently recommended The Puddle Garden, written in
2015 by some ordinary folks in New Jersey who also have a native plant nursery.
Jared Rosenbaum wrote the book and his sister Laura Rosenbaum illustrated it. I’m
so excited to see passionate folks create resources to inspire others.
The book is a beautiful story about encouraging wildlife to
visit your garden by planting native plants to attract and sustain them. The
story features 6 plants and 6 critters as a way of introducing children to the
special relationships that exist in nature (and how our choices affect them).
I have now added this book to my collection. If you’re looking for an engaging book for kids, check it out at its dedicated
website www.thepuddlegarden.com.
Also, Jared has a wonderful blog, self-described as “Stories
and articles exploring connections between people and wild plants in the
Northeast. Native plants, ecological restoration, field botany, foraging,
herbal medicine, and more.” Visit him at www.wildplantculture.com.
I can recommend Bill Peet's children's books. It's been about 35 years since I was reading them to my daughter, but I remember there were several with concerns for nature and the environment. Good reads, too.
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