Project Description

Planting the Wild Garden
by Kathryn O. Galbraith
illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin
Eloquent text and stunning illustrations combine to explore the many ways seeds are distributed.
A farmer and her son carefully plant seeds in their garden. In the wild garden, many seeds are planted too, but not by farmers’ hands. Different kinds of animals transport seeds, often without knowing it. Sometimes rain washes seeds away to a new location. And sometimes something extraordinary occurs, like when the pods of Scotch broom burst open explosively in the summer heat, scattering seeds everywhere like popcorn.
Kathryn Galbraith’s lyrical prose seamlessly combines with Wendy Halperin’s elegant, crisp illustrations to show how many elements work together through the seasons to create and sustain the wild meadow garden.
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-1-56145-563-8
Publication Date: 4/1/2011
Page Count: 32
Size: 9-1/2″ x 11″
Age Range: 4 – 8
Language: English
Price: $7.99
ISBN: 978-1-56145-791-5
Publication Date: 3/1/2015
Page Count: 32
Size: 9-1/2″ x 11″
Age Range: 4 – 8
Language: English
GRL: N, Gr 3
Lexile: AD490L
Themes: Action Verbs, Onomatopoeia, Seed Dispersal
BISAC 1: JNF037030 JUVENILE NONFICTION / Science & Nature / Flowers & Plants
BISAC 2: JNF051060 JUVENILE NONFICTION / Science & Nature / Botany
BISAC 3: JNF037080 JUVENILE NONFICTION / Science & Nature / Earth Sciences / Weather
Reviews
“There’s plenty to pore over and savor; this title would germinate nicely in primary classrooms and sow curiosity in one-on-one sharing.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“It’s a thoroughly handsome book, suffused with calm.” ―Publishers Weekly
“A natural choice for curriculum connections.” ―Booklist
“From the elegant seed-full endpapers to the carefully selected font, this is a lovely introduction to the modes of seed dispersal” ―School Library Journal
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“Wendy Anderson Halperin’s pencil and watercolor illustrations are the book’s carrying force, showing the small finenesses of the natural world.” ―Chicago Tribune
“The sumptuous illustrations by Wendy Anderson convey the richness and profusion of wild plantings” ―Los Angeles Times
“Wendy Anderson Halperin’s lovely, muted illustrations match Galbraith’s poetic lines” ―Seattle Times Sunday
“In this lyrical picture book, text and illustrations combine to demonstrate the many ways seeds are distributed—by weather, water, people, animals and the plants themselves” ―Midwest Book Review
“This lovely and poetic picture book by Kathryn O. Galbraith demonstrates for young readers the many methods of seed dispersal at work on the planet… Endpapers are also beautifully illustrated, featuring examples of many types of seeds” ―Parents’ Choice
“When you hold this lovely, large picture book you are immediately captivated by the illustrations reminiscent of an earlier gentler time when the illustrations of children’s books were lovely, soft, gentle, and fine-tuned… The finely crafted text and story line that Kathryn O. Galbraith uses to tell in a simple yet powerful way the wonderful seeding of the world around us in nature by nature.” ―Chat with Vera
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Awards
Parents’ Choice Gold Award ―Parents’ Choice Foundation, 2011
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 ―National Science Teachers Association, Children’s Book Council, 2012
Best Children’s Books of the Year ―Bank Street College of Education, 2012
Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award for Children’s Literature ―Northland College, 2012
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Growing Good Kids – Excellence in Children’s Literature Book Awards ―Junior Master Gardener and American Horticultural Society, 2012
Cybils (Finalist, Nonfiction Picture Books) ―Cybils, 2011
Librarians’ Choices ―Librarians’ Choices, 2011
NSTA Recommends ―National Science Teachers Association, 2012
Cook Prize (Shortlist) ―Bank Street College of Education Children’s Book Committee, 2012
Green Earth Book Award (Shortlist, Picture Book) ―Newton Marasco Foundation, 2012
Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Primary) ―Kansas National Education Association, 2012
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Meet the Author

Kathryn O. Galbraith is an award-winning children’s book author with more than a dozen picture books to her credit. She taught writing for children at the University of Washington. You can visit her website here.
Meet the Illustrator

Wendy Anderson Halperin is the illustrator of over twenty-five books, including Thank You, God, For Everything and Turn! Turn! Turn! She also created the award-winning project “Drawing Children into Reading.” She lives in Michigan. You can visit her website here.