It’s never too early to think about planting a garden. My
seeds are ordered and now I’m mapping out where I want to plant things – much like
Maxine and Leo in this brand-new hot-off-the-press STEAM book.
by Ruth Spiro; illus by Holly Hatam
40 pages; ages 4-8
Dial Books, 2021
Maxine and Milton made a perfect pair.
They do everything together. And Maxine loves making things
for Milton. “If I can dream it, I can build it,” she says. When their friend, Leo
suggests they make a garden, Milton grins gill to gill because the new garden
will have a pond. For him. (Milton is a goldfish)
What I like about this book: Maxine and Leo see the world differently from each other. When Leo plans his garden, it’s colorful drawings with notes. Maxine’s is a careful blueprint. But when veggie-munching marauders visit their garden at night, the duo work together to build a scarecrow. There’s only one problem: it doesn’t scare anyone. So they add lasers and gadgets and … that doesn’t work either. Just when their garden threatens their friendship, they figure out the perfect solution.
Beyond the Books:
What sort of animals and birds live in your neighborhood? Do any of them eat garden plants? If so, what do they like to eat?
Design a scarecrow – or other solution – that will keep those veggie-nibbling animals and birds out of your garden. Think about things you’ve got around the house or in the basement or garage. Draw a picture to show how it works.
Ruth is a member of #STEAMTeam2021. She’s the author of the
Baby Loves Science series. You can find out more about her at her website.
We’ll be joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review pdf provided by the publisher.
Join me next month for a look at chapter books.
Love the activity suggestions. I'm thinking of gardening, too.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, as the pollen count in San Francisco begins to rise, my thoughts turn to gardening. And yes, to the critters that eat my plants. This sounds like a fun and educational book. Will add it to my TBR list. Thanks for the rec!
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