Tag: spring

New Picture and Toddler Books about Spring

- Stephanie

It’s time for spring! The weather is warming up, plants are blooming, and there’s more daylight! This time of growth and renewal is represented below in this list of new spring picture and toddler books. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Picture Books

Bunny Made Tea written and illustrated by Amanda Baehr Fuller

A cozy story about sharing, showing gratitude, and a fondness for tea

One soggy spring morning, Bunny decides to make a cup of tea. Before they can take a sip, Opossum arrives for an impromptu visit. Like a good host, Bunny kindly offers the unexpected guest their tea and gathers ingredients to brew another cup. But just as they’re settling in to enjoy it, Opossum returns with their babies in tow. They all want tea too! Ingredients are gathered, and more tea is made—enough for Opossum’s babies, but not enough for Bunny. Disappointed, Bunny goes to bed without tea, until a knock at the door the next morning reveals their hospitality has been repaid: one of Opossum’s babies has made tea for Bunny in return!

With charming illustrations, simple text, and hilariously expressive characters, this cozy tale invites readers to practice generosity and meet acts of kindness with gratitude. – Owlkids Books

Escargot and the search for Spring story by Dashka Slater, pictures by Sydney Hanson

After a long winter spent indoors, Escargot can’t wait to look outside for the first signs of Spring. Will he find a new friend in the fluffy white bunny he meets along the way?

From New York Times–bestselling author Dashka Slater and former Pixar animator Sydney Hanson, Escargot and the Search for Spring is an irresistibly sweet and charming story about unlikely friendship, changing seasons, and springtime fun. This hilarious and interactive addition to the award-winning Escargot series is the ideal read aloud for story time and animal lovers alike. – Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Everyone starts small by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Dominique Ramsey

Sun and Grass, Water and Tree, Fire and Rain—nature’s cycle of creation unfolds in a compelling lyrical text and striking illustrations.

Sun grows beams

and Grass grows blades

and Cloud cannot contain herself.

Spring rains change Water from a tumbling creek to a roaring river and bring Tree nutrients it needs to stretch toward the sky. As Sun’s rays intensify, the sprouts and fruits and insects of the forest grow and bloom and develop, all working together in harmony. Even Fire, whose work causes Tree to ache from the inside, brings opportunity for the next generation of flora and fauna. Paired with the vivid, organic imagery of Dominique Ramsey, Liz Garton Scanlon’s poetic tribute to our planet’s resilience is a resonant story of life, death, and regeneration. – Candlewick

The First Day of May written and illustrated by Henrique Coser Moreira

Here is a book to celebrate firsts. That first magical day of spring, when it seems the whole world is bursting with life. That first time bursting out of your house after being cooped up for SO long. Your first time on the swingset. Your first time seeing a butterfly. Your first time exploring the world with someone you love. From Henrique Coser Moreira comes a wordless ode to joy and discovery that will stir readers young and old. – Levine Querido

Grumpy Monkey Spring Fever by Suzanne Lang, illustrated by Max Lang

Everyone’s favorite grump, Jim Panzee, star of the bestselling Grumpy Monkey series, has caught a bad case of spring fever and wakes up feeling very silly in this delightful new picture book.

When Jim runs through the jungle laughing and shouting with glee,  the other animals are very concerned.  This just isn’t the grumpy Jim they know.  Soon Norman diagnoses Jim with a bad case of spring fever and tells Jim that he needs to find a cure. The other jungle animals offer suggestions: Take a calming breath! Sniff lavender! Take a nap! Try a time-out! Jim tries everything to get his grump back, but when nothing works, it becomes contagious and the other animals catch spring fever too. Soon the jungle erupts into a silly celebration of springtime as they all join in the fun.

From the bestselling team Suzanne and Max Lang comes another fun filled adventure starring the beloved chaacter Jim Panzee. Lively illustrations offering a belly laugh on every spread will delight the many Grumpy Monkey fans. – Random House Studio

Something on the hill written by Jane Kohuth and illustrated by Sonia Sanchez

Celebrate the arrival of Spring with this picture book that follows a small field mouse as she rallies the larger woodland animals  to join her on a journey up a hill, sensing that something is about to happen at the top…. What could it be?!

When Field Mouse wakes from her nap, the air is no longer chilly, and she feels like there’s something has changed. Something is out there, calling to her…. Something is on the Hill.

She spots her friend, Squirrel. “Help me find the Something,” Mouse tells him. And so the two scamper through a clearing. Soon, they spot Doe. “Where are you hurrying today?” Doe asks them. “We’re going to the Hill,” says Mouse.

And so it goes, as Turtle, the Ducks, and the Bears join the group, all making their way to the Something on the Hill. As they climb to the tippy-top, this parade of animals will discover just what that Something is: a leaf shoot, tiny and green.

Just in time for spring comes this delightful picture book–perfect for storytime–that reminds us that the smallest of things can matter just as much as the big ones. – Anne Schwartz Books

Spring Seeds written and illustrated by Mirka Hokkanen

A funny and informative nonfiction picture book introducing the life cycle of seeds and exploring the season of spring, including interactive back matter.

Discover how seeds spring into action! As winter warms into spring, the amazing life cycle begins—seeds root and sprout and start to grow. From tiny carrot seeds to big avocado seeds and everything in between, discover what seeds can do in this pitch-perfect picture book for younger readers. With clear, informative text and bright, charming illustrations, as well as a removable interactive matching card game at the end, this is an exciting start to a new nonfiction picture book series exploring life cycles and the seasons. – Odd Dot

This Little Kitty in the Garden by Karen Obuhanych

Spring is blooming, and what better way for rascally kittens to celebrate than by causing mischief in the garden in this charming picture book!

Spring has sprung on Sakura Way.

The five little kittles will garden today!

Read along as these frisky felines plant seeds, pounce and play, claw and climb, and splish, splash and swirl—until they end their day asleep in the garden bed. Filled with bright and playful illustrations, here is an adorable picture book that introduces kids to the wonders of spring as they spend time in the garden with these delightful cats—all brimming with cattitude. Here is a picture book sure to charm cat lovers and kids alike. – Knopf Books for Young Readers

Toddler Books

The ABCs of Spring written and illustrated by Jill Howarth

A is for ants hiking the Alps. B is for bunnies biking to baseball practice. C is for chipmunks camping with caterpillars.

Featuring plenty to discover on each charmingly illustrated page, this board book perfectly pairs seasonal art with the letters of the alphabet for the youngest of readers. – Tinker: An Imprint of Penguin Workshop

Little Bunny, spring is here! Written and illustrated by Deborah Marcero

Little Bunny and his friends are looking for the first signs of spring, but as hard as they try, they can’t seem to find them. But when a spring rain comes, at last the rivers flow, the flowers bloom, the birds sing, and the bees zoom. It’s finally time to let everyone know that spring is here!

Readers will fall in love with Little Bunny and his friends in this gorgeous celebration of the changing seasons. – G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Spring! Written and illustrated by Leslie Patricelli

Puddle, puddle, puddle, MUD! Our favorite bald baby celebrates a new season with an adorable friend.

Squish! Squoosh! Squash! It’s raining, but that’s OK, because rain means that spring is here! Baby and a best buddy love to be outside, enjoying the tulips and daffodils, the leaves on the trees, the butterflies and bumblebees. Look, there’s a bunny hopping! And a froggy plopping! Best of all is playing together in the slippery mud . . . oops! Good thing the rain is coming down to clean everyone off! Little fans and big ones alike will skip along with Baby in this salute to the season of everything new. – Candlewick Press

Spring ABC by Jannie Ho

Have some springtime fun with this colorful, stylish, and sturdy ABC board book for babies and toddlers.

A is for apple blossom, B is for bird, C is for caterpillar, of course! This sturdy board book introduces simple words to get children excited about the start of the spring season. It’s the perfect book to introduce first letter sounds to say out loud and letter recognition. – Candlewick Press

Hurrah! It’s Spring!

- Ann

While an Iowa spring is usually a bit slow and hesitant to appear, it is on the way! Time to start planning your garden. Here are the latest books available at the library to inspire you.

Four Season Food Gardening by Misilla Dela Llana. Unlike most other vegetable gardening books this one approaches the subject through the lens of what you can grow during each of the four seasons, even if you live in a cold climate. Using season-extension techniques, such as cold frames, mini hoop houses, and thick mulches, combined with a thoughtful mixture of annual and perennial crops, you’ll discover that eating from your backyard through all 12 months is possible.

The Garden Refresh: how to give your yard a big impact on a small budget by Kier Holmes. This is a thoughtful, accessible, and creative guide for the savvy home gardener on how to create a beautiful, productive and healthy garden without spending crazy amounts of cash or using an excess of Earth’s valuable natural resources.

Grow More Food : a vegetable gardener’s guide to getting the biggest harvest possible from a space of any size by Colin McCrate. How to plan your garden carefully, maximize production in every bed, get the most out of every plant, scale up systems to maximize efficiency, and expand the harvest season with succession planting, intercropping, and season extension

Grow Now: how we can save our health, communities and planet – one garden at a time by Emily Murphy. We now recognize that plots in towns and cities are critical to supporting planetary diversity, and by instituting organic, regenerative practices and growing some of our own food, we can sequester carbon as well as shift toward living in a more ecologically responsible way.

Midwest Gardener’s Handbook: all you need to know to plan, plant and maintain a Midwest garden by Melinda Myers.  gardeners in the north central US are handed all the know-how they’ll need to grow a lush, productive garden.

 

The Elegant and Edible Garden: design a dream kitchen garden to fit your personality, desires and lifestyle by Linda Vater. Learn how to create a one-of-a-kind food garden that’s just as beautiful as it is functional.

 

Gardening for Everyone: growing vegetable, herbs and more at home by Julia Watkins. An author and sustainability expert shares how to grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs in a backyard garden, providing detailed information on creating and caring for a garden including planning, building, planting, tending, and harvesting.

Spring Garden Books

- Ann

I read a quote recently where someone asked if we could unplug 2020, wait a few minutes and then try restarting it. It’s been a long year already, hasn’t it – and we’ve got quite a bit of 2020 left! We may not be able to unplug and start over, but spring, which officially begins today, offers a fresh start of it’s own. Here are some recent gardening books that are guaranteed to brighten your day!

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Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers by Erin Benzakein. Not only is this is a seriously gorgeous book, it’s packed with great information on how to grow and arrange your own cut flowers. Erin is something of a star in the flower grower world and she just announced that she has filmed a documentary about running a small business which will air on Chip and Joanna Gaines’ new Magnolia television network sometime in October.

Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents and More by Stephanie Rose. The best way to ensure a lots of beautiful flowers and vegetables is to start with beautiful soil. Lots of tips and ideas in this book!

Gardening in Your Front Yard: Projects and Ideas for Big and Small Spaces by Tara Nolan. Stop wasting all of that land in front of your house – gardens are beautiful, add to the value of your house and are much better for the environment and wildlife than the mono-culture of grass.

Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening: a Gardener’s Guide to Growing Flowers, from Today’s Favorites to Unusual Varieties by Matt Mattus. You’ll want to keep your stack of seed and bulb catalogs close by while paging through this beauty – lots of inspiration for your next garden!

Small Garden Style: a Design Guide for Outdoor Rooms and Containers by Isa Eaton. Small doesn’t mean lacking in style and interest; this book will help you create a lovely garden no matter the size. Even a small front porch can benefit from a beautiful container garden!

 

 

Hurrah! It’s Spring!

- Ann

Well, according to the calendar, it’s Spring again. This being the Midwest, Spring is likely to struggle a bit to really take hold, but it is definitely moving from winter to spring, the best season of all.

This also means it’s time to take a look at the new crop of gardening books. There are always new ones being published early in the year, taking advantage of cabin fever and greening grass. Here are just a few:

The Flower Powered Garden: Supercharge Your Borders and Containers with Bold, Colorful Plant Combinations by Andy Vernon.

Niki Jabbour’s Veggie Garden Remix: 224 New Plants to Shake Up Your Garden and Add Variety, Flavor and Fun by Niki Jabbour

Martha’s Flowers: a Practical Guide to Growing, Gathering and Enjoying by Martha Stewart

My Floral Affair: Whimsical Spaces and Beautiful Florals by Rachel Ashwell

Color Me Floral: Stunning Monochromatic Arrangements for Every Season by Kiana Underwood

The Less is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing Your Small Yard by Susan Morrison

Vegetables Love Flowers: Companion Planting for Beauty and Bounty by Lisa Ziegler

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Photo Essay: Spring at Fairmount

- Ann

As you may know, the Davenport Library at Fairmount is bordered by the Davenport bike path on one side and backs up to the woods that line the path. With a wall of windows along the back wall of the library you are treated to a particularly beautiful backdrop no matter what the season. Right now the redbud and crabapple trees are in full bloom, everything is fresh and bright green and the birds are singing in full chorus. It’s really the best time of year. Come join us for a brief photo stroll of Spring at Fairmount.

All photos by Ann Hetzler. Taken April 22, 2017.

Spring at Last! New Gardening Books at Davenport Library

- Ann

Spring has finally arrived! Even though it was a mild winter, I’m still anxious for spring and flowers and gardening to start again. Here are some of the newest books on gardening available at the Davenport Library – reserve some spring inspiration now!

 

growyourownweddingflowersGrow Your Own Wedding Flowers by Georgie Newbery. Filled with gorgeous pictures for inspiration, and written in a friendly, no-nonsense style, this practical book makes growing and arranging your own wedding flowers both achievable and fun, whether you are a beginner or advanced gardener or flower arranger.

 

 

containerthemegardensContainer Theme Gardens by Nancy Ondra. There’s something here for every setting and every style, including a meadow in a box, a pond in a pot, a simple salad garden, and a combination that will attract hummingbirds.

 

 

gardeningwithlesswaterGardening With Less Water by David Bainbridge offers simple, inexpensive, low-tech techniques for watering your garden much more efficiently — using up to 90 percent less water for the same results.

 

 

flowerworkshopThe Flower Workshop by Ariella Chezar  walks you through the nuts and bolts of creating a variety of small flourishes, tonal arrangements, branch arrangements, handheld bouquets, wreathes, garlands, grand gestures, and more–all accompanied by detailed photography.

 

 

flowerchefThe Flower Chef by Carly Cylinder is a modern, comprehensive guide to floral design that caters to all readers–from beginners who have never worked with flowers before and are looking for a new creative outlet, to decorators, party planners and photographers looking to liven up their spaces.

Spring Has Sprung!

- Ann

It was a little touch-and-go there for awhile, but it looks like spring really will be back. That means it’s time for getting outside again and getting into the garden. In other words, it’s the best time of the year! Here are some new garden books to inspire you:

small space vegetable gardensSmall Space Vegetable Gardens by Andrea Bellamy – Here are the basics of growing a bounty of edibles in a minimal amount of space: how to find and assess a space, and how to plan and build a garden. Bellamy also highlights the top sixty edible plants and offers complete information on how to sow, grow, and harvest them.

 

 

 

 

designing and planting a woodland gardenDesigning and Planting a Woodland Garden by Keith Wiley – Woodlands are magical places and even small gardens can capture the atmosphere with a carefully chosen tree and some shade-loving plants. Selecting the right plant for the right place is essential and expert plantsman Keith Wiley explains how to combine plants that will thrive together and even how to create shade if you don’t already have it.

 

 

 

 

flower farmers yearFlower Farmer’s Year: How to Grow Cut Flowers for Pleasure and Profit by Georgie Newbery –  how to plant, maintain, and keep evolving a productive cut-flower garden. Whether you want to devote a corner of your garden to a stand of sweet peas and some cosmos, take up flower production for gate sales, or make a livelihood from cut flowers, Georgie Newbery will take you through everything from planning your garden to budgeting and marketing.

 

 

 

 

right size flower gardenRight Size Flower Garden by Kerry Ann Mendez –  We’re busy, we’re aging, and the demands of the garden can feel overwhelming. What to do? Make smarter use of the space we have and the plants we select, says garden expert Kerry Ann Mendez. She shares her successful recipe for having a garden we can manage and love again…the right-size, low maintenance, drought tolerant garden. The goal is ditching 50% of the work by choosing high-value plants and making simple design changes.

 

 

 

tao of vegetable gardeningThe Tao of Vegetable Gardening by Carol Deppe – explores the practical methods as well as the deeper essence of gardening. In her latest book Carol Deppe focuses on some of the most popular home garden vegetables – tomatoes, green beans, peas, and leafy greens – and through them illustrates the key principles and practices that gardeners need to know to successfully plant and grow just about any food crop.

Spring is Here!

- Ann

After the winter we’ve had – are still having! – it’s hard to believe that it’s actually, finally spring but as of yesterday, it’s true. And spring means it’s time to start planning your garden and flower beds – it’ll be green again before you know it. Really! Here are some of our latest books to inspire you.

plantifulPlantiful: start small, grow big with 150 plants that spread, self-sow and overwinter by Kristin Green –  Plantiful shows you how to have an easy, gorgeous garden packed with plants by simply making the right choices. Kristen Green highlights plants that help a garden quickly grow by self-sowing and spreading and teaches you how to expand the garden and extend the life of a plant by overwintering. Discover the perfect the art of editing, share the wealth, and learn for yourself that gardeners don’t have to dig deep to grow a lively, plentiful, and colorful garden year-round.

grow more with lessGrow More with Less by Vincent Simeone – Put your best foot forward in creating an efficient, sustainable home landscape. From composting and mulching to planting trees, author Vincent Simeone covers all the eco-friendly essentials in one straightforward handbook. Simeone makes the what, how, and why of sustainable gardening unmistakably clear: why we should plant for the long-term, how to make the best plant selections possible, how to manage invasive species, how to make the most of your lawn (regardless of its size), the importance of IPM (integrated pest management) in fighting insects and pests, how to conserve water with proper irrigation, installing rain barrels and cisterns, and more.

wildlife friendlyThe Wildlife Friendly Vegetable Gardener  by Tammi Hartung – This one-of-a-kind book shows you how to create a peaceful co-existence between your vegetable garden and the wildlife who consider it part of their habitat. By understanding and working with the surrounding environment – instead of continually fighting it – you’ll reap a larger harvest with much less stress and effort. Tammi Hartung explains how to start with a hardy and healthy garden, create beneficial relationships through smart planting, attract helpful insects and pollinators, intentionally create habitats for wildlife, and much more.

attracting beneficial bugsAttracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden by Jessica Walliser – It may seem counterintuitive to want bugs in a garden, but insects are indeed valuable garden companions. Especially those species known for eating the bugs that eat plants. Assassin bugs, damsel bugs, and predatory stink bugs are all carnivores that devour the bugs that dine on a garden. This complete, hands-on guide is for anyone looking for a new, natural, and sustainable way to control pests.

Spring is Here!

- Ann

The long awaited season has arrived – time to leave the snow shovel in the shed (fingers crossed) and start thinking about green and growing things. Here’s a selection of some of our newest gardening books.

beautiful edible gardenBeautiful Edible Garden by Leslie Bennett shows how to not only grow organic fruits and vegetables, but also make your garden a place of year-round beauty that is appealing, enjoyable, and fits your personal style. Artfully blending edibles and ornamentals together, this book demonstrates that it’s possible for gardeners of all levels to reap the best of both worlds.

 

 

lawn goneLawn Gone by Pam Penick – A colorful guide covering the basics of replacing a traditional lawn with a wide variety of easy-care, no-mow, drought-tolerant, money-saving options that will appeal to today’s busy, eco-conscious homeowner.

 

 

 

speedy vegetable gardenSpeedy Vegetable Garden by Mark Diacono explains how to sow, grow, and harvest soaks and sprouts, micro greens, edible flowers, salad leaves, and quick-harvest vegetables, as well as recipes that use them.

 

 

 

everyday rosesEveryday Roses by Paul Zimmerman debunks common rose myths and outdated care instructions, and instead imparts practical rose care advice in a fun and accessible voice. Readers will find helpful suggestions for choosing roses based on landscape need, tips on what to look for when buying roses, new techniques for the best way to plant roses, and sensible time-saving methods to maintain their roses throughout the year.

 

plantingPlanting: a New Perspective on Combining Plants by Piet Oudolf explains how plants behave in different situations, what goes on underground, and which species make good neighbors. Planting is an essential resource for designers and gardeners looking to create plant-rich, beautiful gardens that support biodiversity and nourish the human spirit.

Spring Is Here!

- Ann

Time to brush off those shovels and start thinking about sprucing up your yard and planting your vegetable garden. Here are some recent titles to inspire you.

The Beginners Guide to Growing Heirloom Vegetables by Marie Iannotti – Are heirloom vegetables more difficult to grow than conventional hybrids? This book debunks this myth by highlighting the 100 heirloom vegetables that are the easiest to grow and the tastiest to eat.

Decoding Garden Advice: the Science Behind the 100 Most Common Recommendations by Jeff Gillman – Assess gardening recommendations related to soil, water, pests, diseases, weed control, mulch, annuals, perennials, bulbs, trees and shrubs, vegetables and fruit, and lawn care.

Landscaping for Privacy by Marty Wingate  shows homeowners how to landscape their yards, balconies, and rooftops to enhance privacy by creating buffers to noise, pollution, sun, wind, kids, and dogs with berms or groups of small trees; barriers that deter invasion like living and permanent fences; and screens that will block unwanted sights using hedges

Container Garden Idea Book from Taunton Press – Containers are wonderful accents anywhere in the landscape; this book is an amazing visual clip file with more than 300 photos, plant recipes, and eye-catching designs for container gardens of all shapes and sizes.

Sugar Snaps and Strawberries: Simple Solutions for Creating Your Own Small-Space Edible Gardenby Andrea Bellamy gives you the dirt on growing gorgeous organic food with very little square footage. Simple, straightforward, design and growing advice can help you transform just a snippet of space into a stylish and edible oasis.

Complete Idiot’s Guide to Seed Saving and Starting by Sheri Ann Richerson – Covers all of the essential techniques- harvesting, drying, disease and pest control, testing and germinating, and sowing