Primary Grades Agricultural Themes Book List

Themes


Animals
Apples
Crops
Dairy
Equipment
Farming and Agriculture
Food and Nutrition
Fruits and Vegetables
Pumpkins
Gardening
Insects and Other Critters
Bees and Honey
Mathematics
People, Community, and Land
Plants, Environment, and Natural Resources
Ranching
Textiles and Fibers
In Spanish

Animals.
Bell, Rachael. Cows. Heinemann Library, 2000.
Discover interesting facts like how cows are used around the world, through colorful photographs and simple text.

Brown, Margaret Wise. Big Red Barn. HarperCollins Publishers, 1989.
Meet the horses, sheep, goats, geese, and a jaunty old scarecrow that all live in the big red barn.

Cooper, Jason. Farm Dogs. Rourke Book Co.,Inc., 1995.
A short history of dogs and how they are used on farms.

Gibbons, Gail. Pigs. Holiday Press, 1999.
This book outlines the characteristics, habits, and uses of pigs.

Hall, Margaret. Cows and Their Calves. Capstone Press, 2004.
This nonfiction primary reader shows how calves are raised to become mature adults.

Jackson, Woody. Counting Cows. Harcourt Brace & Co., 1995.
A whimsical counting book features cows and cow terminology.

Johnson, Sylvia A. Inside an Egg. Lerner Publications Company, 1982.
This book, full of colorful photographs, clearly illustrates and explains the development of a chicken egg until the moment that the chick begins to peck its way out of the shell.

Kalman, Bobbie. Hooray for Sheep Farming. Crabtree Publishing Company, 1998.
Introduces the raising of sheep for wool; covers aspects like shearing, lambs, sheep dogs, wool processing, farm maintenance, and the proper care of sheep.

Lesser, Carolyn. What a Wonderful Day to be a Cow. Alfred A. Knopf, 1995.
Every month of the year, the animals on the farm enjoy their way of life. Describes seasons of the year on a farm.

Longenecker, Theresa. Who Grows Up on the Farm? A Book About Farm Animals and Their Offspring. Picture Window Books, 2003.
Full-color illustrations and fact-filled text, discuss the various kinds of babies that grow up on a farm. Includes factual charts and tables.

McPhail, David. Farm Morning. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985.
A father and his young daughter share a special morning as they feed all the animals on the farm.

Millen, C.M. Symphony for the Sheep, A. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996.
Explore the fascinating lives of the sheep of Ireland and explore the spinning, weaving, and knitting of their wool.

Schuh, Mari C. Cows on the Farm. Capstone Press, 2002.
Learn, through photographs and primary text, how farmers raise cows.

Schuh, Mari C. Sheep on the Farm. Capstone Press, 2002.
Through photographs, this emerging reader discusses sheep that are raised for meat, wool and milk.

Schuh, Mari C. Chickens on the Farm. Capstone Press, 2002.
Through photographs, this emerging reader discusses chickens that are raised for meat and eggs.

Schuh, Mari C. Pigs on the Farm. Capstone Press, 2002.
Through photographs, this emerging reader discusses pigs that are raised on a farm.

Schuh, Mari C. Horses on the Farm. Capstone Press, 2002.
Through photographs, this emerging reader discusses how horses are used and cared for on a farm.

Stone, Lynn M. Cows. Rourke Corporation, Inc. (Farm animal discovery library), 1990.
Provides an introduction to cows and their importance to humans.

Whelchel, Harriet. Extraordinary Chickens. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000.
This photographic journal depicts the amazing variety of exotic chickens.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a Pig Farm. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1998.
Alisha, the oldest of three sisters who live on Maple Lane Farm, narrates this interesting photo-essay about the day-to-day activities involved in raising pigs.
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Apples
Benet, Rosemary and Stephen Vincent. Johnny Appleseed. McElderry Books, 2001.
This short poem about Johnny Appleseed transforms into a wonderful picture book with whimsical characters and artwork.

Driscoll, Laura. Apples and How They Grow. Grosset & Dunlap, 2003.
Find out how an apple seed grows into an apple tree in this beginning reader.

Gibbons, Gail. Apples. Scholastic Inc., 2000.
Learn about apple production in this colorful, simple-to-read book.

Gibbons, Gail. Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree, The. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984.
Drawings and text show a young boy's apple tree as it grows and changes throughout the year.

Hubbell, Will. Apples Here! Albert Whitman & Company, 2002.
This simple picture book, with a detailed description of the apple life cycle in the back, shares interesting facts of one of the most popular fruits.

Lindbergh, Reeve. Johnny Appleseed. Little, Brown & Company, 1990.
Rhymed text and illustrations relate the life of John Chapman, whose distribution of apple seeds and trees across the Midwest made him a legend and left a legacy.

Mayr, Diane. Out and About at the Apple Orchard. Picture Window Books, 2003.
Full-color illustrations and fact-filled text, offer a behind the scenes tour at an apple orchard.

Robbins, Ken. Apples. Antheum Books for Young Readers, 2002.
With colorful photographs and nonfiction text, learn how apples grow, from the planting of a tree, to the pollination of buds by bees, and to the harvest.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Apple Trees. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the life cycle of the apple tree in this primary reader that has color photographs.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. From Bud to Blossom. Capstone Press, 1998.
Part of a series of books on apples, learn how the bud on an apple tree blossoms.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. From Blossom to Fruit. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the life cycle of the apple tree from the blossom to the apple.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Picking Apples. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn how apples are harvested in this final book of the apple series by this author.

Shapiro, Jody Fickes. Up, Up, Up! It's Apple Picking Time. Holiday House, 2003.
Learn about the many varieties of apples when Miles and his family pick apples in Grandma and Grandpa's California orchard.

Slawson, Michele Benoit. Apple Picking Time. Crown Publishers, Inc., 1994.
Describes the old-time way of picking apples and the emotions and pride Anna and her family gain.

Tryon, Leslie. Albert's Field Trip. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1993.
Albert leads a class from Pleasant Valley School on a field trip to Georgie and Gracie's apple farm. The children pick their own apples and squeeze them into juice.

Zahares, Wade. Red Are the Apples. Gulliver Books, 2001.
Share a day on the farm and learn about the amazing colors one sees in the country.
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Crops
Aliki. Corn is Maize. Harper & Row, 1976.
The story of how ancient Indian farmers discover a wild grass plant, use it in their lives, and eventually share it with the new settlers of America.

Buckley, Marvin. Corn. National Geographic, 2001.
Learn how corn is grown and what it is used for in this primary reader.

Cross, Verda. Great-Grandma Tells of Threshing Day. Albert Whitman and Company, 1992.
In the early 1900s a young girl and her brother help on threshing day. The children and neighbor women help prepare and serve the huge midday meal.

Dooley, Norah. Everybody Cooks Rice. Carolrhoda Books, 1991.
A young child searches for her younger brother and learns about various cultures as she goes to different households and observes that everyone cooks rice in different ways.

Graham, Pamela. Peanuts. National Geographic, 2001.
Learn how farmers grow peanuts you can buy at the store in this early reader.

James, Felix. From Field to Florist. National Geographic, 2001.
This nonfiction primary reader shows how flowers get from the field to the florist shop.

Morrison, Marianne. Rice. National Geographic, 2002.
Learn where and how rice is grown and harvested.

Pickering, Robin. I Like Corn. Children's Press, 2000.
In this introductory reader, children learn through colorful photographs about the many foods made of corn.
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Dairy
Aliki. Milk: From Cow to Carton. Harper Collins Publishers, 1992.
Briefly describes how a cow produces milk, how the milk is processed in a dairy, and how various other dairy products are made from milk.

Chan, Harley. Ice Cream for You. National Geographic, 2001.
In this early reader, learn where milk comes from and how it turns into ice cream.

Christian, Eleanor and Lyzz Roth-Singer. Let's Make Butter. Capstone Press, 2001.
Learn where butter comes from and how it is made, in this emerging reader with colorful photographs.

Gibbons, Gail. Milk Maker. The Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987.
Text and pictures explain how cows produce milk and how it is processed before being delivered to stores.

Knight, Bertram T. From Cow to Ice Cream. Children's Press, 1997.
Through colorful photographs and simple text, take a journey and discover how ice cream is made.

Llewellyn, Claire and Helaine Cohen. What's for Lunch? Milk. Children's Press, 1998.
This book reveals how milk is produced and the many products made from it.

McFarland, Cynthia. Cows in the Parlor. Atheneum Macmillan Publishing Co., 1990.
Discusses the activities of a dairy farm and describes a typical day as the cows are fed, milked, and settled for the night.

Murphy, Andy. Out and About at the Dairy Farm. Picture Window Books, 2003.
This picture book, gives factual information about milk production.

Older, Jules. Cow. Charlesbridge, 1997.
A lighthearted, nonfiction book on cows, breeds, and milk production.

Peterson, Cris and Alvis Upitis. Extra Cheese, Please! Mozzarella’s Journey from Cow to Pizza.. Boyds Mills Press, 2004.
A light, informative photo essay depicting the process of cheese making.

Taus-Bolstad, Stacy. From Grass to Milk. Lerner Publishing Company, 2004.
Through color photographs, learn how farmers work to get the milk you drink to the kitchen table.
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Equipment
Nelson, Kristin. Farm Tractors. Lerner Publications Company, 2003.
With colorful photographs, this emerging reader introduces children to the different kinds of tractors and how they are used on farms.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Fall Harvest. Capstone Press, 1998.
This emerging reader book shows that crops are harvested by hand and by machine.

Young, Caroline. Tractors. Usborne Publishing, Ltd., 1992.
Graphic illustrations and easy to follow text describe a variety of old and new tractors, the machines they pull, their uses on farms and in other businesses.

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Farming and Agriculture
Adamson, Heather. Day in the Life of a Farmer, A. Capstone Press, 2004.
Spend a day with Farmer Dave in his Midwest farm as he feeds animals, drives a tractor, and brings in the harvest.

Azarian, Mary. Farmer's Alphabet, A. David R. Godine, 1987.
A noteworthy picture book depicting an older, agrarian way of life.

Cooper, Jason. Farms. Rourke Corporation, Inc., 1992.
Briefly describes what goes on at various kinds of farms: horse farms, dairy farms, crop farms, and others.

Gibbons, Gail. Farming. Holiday House, 1988.
An introduction to farming and the work done on a farm throughout the seasons.

Kalman, Bobbie. Hooray for Orchards. Crabtree Publishing Company, 1998.
Through photographs and technical text, this book describes the workings of orchards, the care they need, and the products they produce.

Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie. From Dawn till Dusk. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.
Farm work is hard work, but there is also lots of fun in this memory of growing up on a Vermont farm over 40 years ago.

Lindbergh, Reeve. Midnight Farm, The. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1987.
Secrets of the dark are revealed in this poem describing a farm at midnight.

MacLachlan, Patricia. All the Places to Love. HarperCollins, 1994.
A young boy describes the favorite places he shares with his family on his grandfather's farm and nearby countryside.

Paulsen, Gary. Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered. Harcourt Brace, 1993.
An 11-year-old city boy is used to being pawned off on relatives, but he is not used to the farm setting, hard work, these cousins, and what the summer brings him this time around.

Peterson, Cris. Century Farm: One Hundred Years on a Family Farm. Boyds Mills Press, 1999.
Family anecdotes and family photos share the story of a 100-year farm as it grew from the 1890s into a thriving dairy.

Peterson, Cris. Harvest Year. Boyds Mills Press, 1996.
Full color photos and clear, concise text take readers month-by-month through a sampling of the wide diversity and volume of crops grown throughout the United States.

Rendon, Marcie R. and Cheryl Walsh Bellville. Farmer's Market. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 2001.
Full of colorful photographs, this book describes the efforts of many families who work hard to produce food that is sold at farmer's markets.

Ring, Susan. From Tree to Table. Capstone Press, 2003.
In this emerging reader, children learn how maple syrup is made and processed into the sweet syrup they enjoy.

Schaefer, Lola M. We Need Farmers. Capstone Press, 2000.
This emerging reader shows the many types of farmers that grow the products we consume.

Schomp, Virginia. If You Were a Farmer. Benchmark Books, 2001.
This descriptive simple text with colorful photographs, describes many different kinds of farmers and what they do.

Taylor, Miles. Food Comes From Farms. National Geographic, 2003.
Colorful photographs depict where the food we eat comes from.

Warnock, Natalie Kinsey. Farm of Her Own, A. Dutton Children's Books, 2001.
At her Aunt and Uncle’s farm, Emma spent the summer milking cows, gathering eggs and appreciating the smells of the farm and her relatives that live there.

Watson, Carol. A Day in the Life of a Farmer. Franklin Watts, 2001.
This book describes what a day in the life of a farmer is like.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a Goat Farm. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 2002.
Describes the practices that occur on a goat farm and includes information on breeds, care, milking, and more.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a Crop Farm. Lerner Publishing Company, 2002.
Learn the best way to pick asparagus, when to pick sweet corn at its peak, and learn about the planting, picking, and selling of the produce we eat.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a Pig Farm. Carolrhoda Books, 1998.
Through photographs and informative text, the reader learns about the life on a pig farm, from raising piglets, to chores, and going to the annual fair.
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Food and Nutrition
Bass, Jules. Herb, The Vegetarian Dragon. Barefoot Books, 1999.
In this light-hearted book, readers see that people with various eating preferences can learn to co-exist in the same community.

Bennett, Jean. What's Inside? National Geographic, 2001.
Learn what's inside a walnut, pineapple, and corncob in this primary reader.

Egan, Robert. From Wheat to Pasta.Children's Press, 1997.
This colorful photo essay describes the process of how wheat becomes pasta.

Gershator, David and Phillis Gershator. Bread is for Eating. Henry Holt, 1995.
Mamita explains how bread is produced from seed to flour in a poem/song in English and Spanish.

Haycock, Kate. Pasta. Carolrhoda Books, 1991.
Discusses the role of pasta in history and describes how it is processed and prepared for meals. Includes recipes.

Illsley, Linda. Cheese. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1990.
Looks at the many varieties of cheese through history, how it is made today, and its role in nutrition. Includes recipes and a glossary.

Leedy, Loreen. Edible Pyramid, The. Holiday House, 1994.
Colorful and whimsical graphics complement the story of eating at the Edible Pyramid Restaurant where the specialty is a healthy diet.

Llewellyn, Claire. What's for Lunch? Bread. Children's Press, 1999.
This book reveals how people all around the world prepare and eat bread.

Llewellyn, Claire. What's for Lunch? Eggs. Children's Press, 1999.
This book reveals how eggs are produced, and how people all around the world eat them.

Llewellyn, Claire. What's for Lunch? Peanuts. Children's Press, 1998.
This book reveals how peanuts are grown, and how people all around the world eat them in a variety of ways.

Llewellyn, Claire. What's for Lunch? Peas.Children's Press, 1999.
This book reveals how peas are grown, and how people all around the world eat them in a variety of ways.

Llewellyn, Claire. What's for Lunch? Potatoes.Children's Press, 1998.
This book reveals how potatoes are grown, and how people all around the world eat them in a variety of ways.

May, Kathy L. Molasses Man. Holiday House, 2000.
When the sorghum cane is ripe and ready, Grandpa decides to make molasses.

Nelson, Robin. From Cocoa Bean to Chocolate. Lerner Publications Company, 2003.
Using colorful photographs, the book shows how cocoa beans are grown, harvested, dried and then processed into the products we all enjoy.

Palacios, Argentina. Peanut Butter, Apple Butter, Cinnamon Toast: Food Riddles for You to Guess. Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1992.
A book of food riddles for children.

Paulsen, Gary. Tortilla Factory,The. Harcourt Brace & Co., 1995.
Simple text and paintings tell the story of tortillas from corn seed to plant and then to factory and store.

Priceman, Marjorie. How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. Dragonfly Books, 1994.
From the jungles of Sri Lanka to the apple orchards in Vermont, a little baker travels to find the finest ingredients for her pie.

Robbins, Ken. Make Mine a Peanut Butter Sandwich and a Glass of Milk. Scholastic, 1992.
Text and photos show how each part of a peanut butter sandwich and milk for lunch is made, from field to store to table.

Robson, Pam. What's For Lunch? Bananas. Children's Press, 1998.
Learn how bananas are grown and how people eat them.

Robson, Pam. What's For Lunch? Corn. Children's Press, 1998.
Learn how corn is grown and how people eat it.

Robson, Pam. What's For Lunch? Honey. Children's Press, 1998.
Learn how honey is produced so people can enjoy eating it.

Robson, Pam. What's For Lunch? Rice. Children's Press, 1998.
Learn how rice is produced and the many ways it is eaten.

Stewig, John Warren. Making Plum Jam. Hyperion Books for Children, 2002.
Jackie, a city kid, visits her aunts' farm and has a whimsical adventure while helping with the simple task of making plum jam.

Wake, Susan. Butter. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1990.
Describes the origin, history, food value, and uses of butter. Includes some recipes and glossary.
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Fruits and Vegetables
Appelt, Kathi. Watermelon Day. Henry Holt and Company, 1996.
A young girl watches a watermelon's grow all summer, waiting for it to ripen.

Buckley, Marvin. Making Raisins. National Geographic, 2001.
In this primary reader, learn how grapes become raisins.

Davis, Aubrey. Enormous Potato, The. Kids Can Press, 1997.
See what happens when a farmer plants a potato eye. Who can pull it out of the ground?

Ehlert, Lois. Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989.
An alphabetical tour of the world of fruit and vegetables from apricot and artichoke to yam and zucchini.

Gardella. Tricia. Blackberry Booties. Orchard Books, 2000.
Mikki Jo wants to give her new baby cousin the perfect gift but only knows how to pick blackberries. Babies don't eat blackberries, but Mikki figures out the perfect gift.

Graham, Pamela. Big Red Tomatoes. National Geographic, 2001.
Learn the unique life cycle of the tomatoes, in this early science reader.

Hickman, Pamela and Heather Collins. Seed Grows, A. Kids Can Press Ltd., 1997.
This book with fold-out pages describes a watermelon plant's life cycle from seed to harvest.

Llewellyn, Claire. What's for Lunch? Oranges. Children's Press, 1998.
This book reveals how oranges are grown, and how people consume them during lunch.

Neuschwander, Cindy. 88 Pounds of Tomatoes. Scholastic Inc., 2001.
This whimsical mathematics story about a tomato seed encourages students to add, subtract, and multiply as the tomato plant produces more and more tomatoes.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Carrots. Capstone Press, 1998.
This primary reader describes carrots from growing to processing to eating.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Beans. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the life cycle of the green bean in this primary reader that has color photographs.

Smith, Cathy. Plants on My Plate. National Geographic, 2001.
See photographs of the plants from which vegetables on your plate come from.

Stevens, Janet. Tops and Bottoms. Harcourt Brace and Co., 1995.
Folktale involves a hare and a bear as they plant and harvest vegetables.
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Pumpkins
Evangelista, Gloria. In Search of the Perfect Pumpkin. Fulcrum Publishing, 2001.
Share the adventures of the Pucci family as they search for the perfect pumpkin-only to find it in their backyard.

Gibbons, Gail. Pumpkin Book, The. Scholastic Inc., 1999.
The life cycle of the pumpkin is clearly depicted in this picture book. How pumpkins are used at Thanksgiving and Halloween is also discussed.

Hall, Zoe. It’s Pumpkin Time! Blue Sky Press, 1994.
A young sister and brother spend all summer preparing a pumpkin patch for their favorite holiday—Halloween! Takes the reader from planting to Jack-’O-Lantern.

King, Elizabeth. Pumpkin Patch, The. Puffin Books, 1990.
From creamy white seeds to glowing jack-o'-lanterns, this book charts the growth cycle of the ever-popular pumpkin.

Kroll, Steven. Biggest Pumpkin Ever, The. Holiday House, 1984.
A tale of two mice that raise and harvest a very large pumpkin.

Ray, Mary Lyn. Pumpkins. Harcourt Brace & Co., 1992.
A man harvests and sells a bountiful crop of pumpkins so that he will be able to preserve a field from developers.

Rockwell, Anne. Pumpkin Day. Walker & Company, 1999.
Jeffrey finds a perfect pumpkin that is not too big and not too small.

Sloat, Teri. Patty's Pumpkin Patch. G. P. Putnam Sons, 1999.
Patty's pumpkin patch is busy all year from plowing to planting to weeding to picking. This book shows in alphabetical fashion the patch’s creepy-crawly and feathered friends.

Titherington, Jeanne. Pumpkin Pumpkin. Mulberry Books, 1986.
A young boy plants a pumpkin seed and, after watching it grow, carves it and saves some seeds to plant in the spring.
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Gardening
Azarian, Mary. Gardener's Alphabet, A. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.
Using her unique artwork, Azarian shares with the viewer her love of gardens, both vegetable and flower.

Bunting, Eve. Sunflower House. Harcourt Brace Company, 1996.
A young boy creates a summer playhouse by planting sunflowers and saves the seeds to make another house the next year.

Cherry, Lynne. How Groundhog's Garden Grew. The Blue Sky Press, 2003.
Little Groundhog loves to eat the fresh vegetables he finds in his neighbor's garden until one day he makes a friend who teaches him the joy of planting a garden of his own.

Cole, Henry. Jack's Garden. William Morrow & Company, 1995.
Shows what happens in Jack's garden after he plants seeds.

Dennee, Joanne et al. In the Three Sisters Garden: Native American Traditions, Myths, and Culture Around the Theme of the Garden.. Common Roots Press, 1995.
Sister Corn, Sister Squash, and Sister Bean introduce children to gardening in a year-long adventure that explores the ancient wisdom of the land.

DiSalvo-Ryan, Dyanne. City Green. Morrow Junior Books, 1994.
In the middle of a city block, Marcy converts a vacant lot into a community garden.

Ehlert, Lois. Planting a Rainbow. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.
A mother and child plant a rainbow of flowers in the family garden.

Ehlert, Lois. Growing Vegetable Soup. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987.
A young child and his father grow the vegetables they plan to put into vegetable soup.

Ford, Miela. My Day in the Garden. Greenwillow Books, 1999.
In this whimsical picture book, one little girl makes friends with various critters she finds in her garden.

Harrison, David L. Farmer's Garden: Rhymes for Two Voices. Boyds Mills Press, 2000.
A curious dog asks various animals and plants what they are doing in garden in this picture book featuring verse with questions and answers.

Hart, Avery and Mantell Hart. Kids Garden. Williamson Publishing Co., 1995.
This book provides over 100 activities children can do to learn more about plants. Ideas on growing your own broom, making homemade potato chips, and planting a butterfly cafe or a salad garden are just a few of the stimulating "how-to" ideas presented.

King, Elizabeth. Backyard Sunflower. Dutton Children's Books, 1993.
Text and color photos follow the life cycle of sunflowers from seed to products.

Krupinski, Loretta. Tiny Green Thumbs. Hyperion Books for Children, 2000.
Tiny Bun uses things in the garden shed to grow a vegetable garden with Granny Bun.

Lin, Grace. Ugly Vegetables, The. Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999.
A little girl and her mother grow vegetables rather than beautiful flowers like their neighbors, and she learns to appreciate the tasty soup her mother makes with them.

Mallett, David. Inch by Inch: The Garden Song HarperCollins Publishers, 1975.
This classic folk song celebrates nature in all its bounty with expressive illustrations in picture book format along with the music needed to play or sing this song.

Pallotta, Jerry. Victory Garden Vegetable Alphabet Book, The Charlesbridge Publishing, 1992. From A to Z, this colorful book with simple text educates youth about how certain fruits, vegetables, and other plants grow in the garden.

Peck, Jan. Giant Carrot, The. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1998.
Little Isabelle's family decides to plant a carrot seed, and each will do their part to make it grow.

Perkins, Lynne Rae. Home Lovely. Greenwillow Books, 1995.
A lonely young girl living in an isolated trailer makes new friends and gains knowledge by growing flowers and melons. Along the way, she beautifies her home.

Rockwell, Anne F. and Megan Halsey. One Bean. Walker & Company, 1999.
A brother and sister plant a bean and watch it grow in this child’s introduction to plant growth.

Rushing, Felder. Dig, Plant, Grow: A Kid’s Guide to Gardening. Cool Spring Press, 2004.
Stewart, Sarah. Gardener, The. Farrar Straus Giroux, 1997.
A series of letters tells a girl who, when forced to leave the country, takes her love of gardening with her.
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Insects and Other Critters
Barner, Bob. Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! Chronicle Books, 1999.
The simple text with vibrant colors provide young readers a positive spin to the bugs they see around their garden and home.

Donnos, Arthur. Ant Cities. HarperCollins Publishers, 1987.
This nonfiction book with colorful illustrations describes the activities that occur in an ant colony.

Hepworth, Cathi. Antics! The Putnam & Grosset Group, 1992.
This colorful, alphabetical anthology describes 26 words, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet and contain the word "ant."

Kalman, Bobbie. Life Cycle of a Butterfly, The Crabtree Publishing Company, 2002.
Through colorful photographs, explore the amazing life cycle of the butterfly.

Krudwig, Vickie Leigh. Cucumber Soup. Fulcrum Publishing, 1998.
This counting picture book, full of whimsical insects, introduces the students to many critters one would find in a garden.

Lavies, Bianca. Compost Critters. Dutton's Children's Press, 1993.
Photographs and informational text about the critters one may see in a compost bin or garden.

Loewen, Nancy. Spotted Beetles: Ladybugs in Your Backyard. Picture Window Books, 2004.
Scientific information is interspersed with primary-level text to explain interesting and important facts about ladybugs.

Pinczes, Elinor. One Hundred Hungry Ants. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993.
One hundred hungry ants in rows of various sizes march to sample the delights of a picnic.
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Bees and Honey
Gibbons, Gail. Honey Makers, The. Mulberry Books, 1997.
Learn how thousands of bees work together to make hives and honey.

Heiligman, Deborah. Honeybees. National Geographic Society, 2002.
Learn about the fascinating lifecycle of the honeybee through scientific text and easy-to-follow diagrams and pictures. Includes a few experiments.

Jose, Isabella. From Hive to Home. National Geographic, 2003.
Enjoy the colorful photographs and simple text that describe how honey gets from the hive to the jar.

Kalman, Bobbie. Hooray for Beekeeping! Crabtree Publishing Company, 1998.
Learn about bees, beekeeping and honey in this book with nonfiction text and colorful photographs and illustrations.

Loewen, Nancy. Busy Buzzers: Bees in Your Backyard. Picture Window Books, 2004.
Scientific information is interspersed with primary-level text to explain interesting and important facts about bees.

Schaefer, Lola. Honey Bees and Flowers. Capstone Press, 1999.
With color photographs and simple text, this emerging reader describes a bee's visit to a flower.

Schaefer, Lola. Honey Bees and Hives. Capstone Press, 1999.
With color photographs and simple text, this emerging reader describes what happens in a beehive.

Schaefer, Lola. Honey Bees and Honey. Capstone Press, 1999.
With color photographs and simple text, this emerging reader describes how honey is made by bees and is then gathered.
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Mathematics
Demi. One Grain of Rice. Scholastic Inc., 1997.
This mathematical folktale illustrates the concept of doubling using rice as the example.

Tang, Greg. Grapes of Math, The. Scholastic Press, 2001.
Use a few problem-solving techniques to solve the math puzzles in this book. Many have themes of fruits, vegetables, and insects.
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People, Community, and Land
Bunting, Eve. Market Day. HarperCollins Publishing, 1996.
Young children in Ireland observe farm animals and crops when they visit a country fair on market day.

Compestine, Ying Chang. Story of Paper, The. Holiday House, 2003.
Learn about the accidental creation of paper when Ting, Pan, and Kuai try to create something for their teachers to write on.

Geisert, Bonnie and Arthur Geisert. Prairie Town. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.
Enter a prairie town and explore the social and economic life of this community from the aspects of farmers and townspeople.

Guthrie, Woody. This Land is Your Land. Little, Brown and Company, 1998.
This classic folk song is brought to life in this illustrated edition and invites readers to journey across the country to view America's diverse land and people.

Jennings, Patrick. Ears of Corn, The. Holiday House, 2003.
Ike and Mem stay on their grandparents’ farm for the weekend and learn a whole new meaning of cooperation.

Johnson, Paul Brett. Farmers’ Market. Orchard Books, 1997.
On Saturdays in the summer Laura goes with her family to sell their produce at the local farmers’ market and plays with her friend Betsy.

Minor, Wendell. Grassroots Poems by Carl Sandburg. Browndeer Press, 1998.
Fourteen poems with Midwestern themes or settings provide timeless observations about the heart of America with illustrations that evoke the sights and sounds of the Midwest.

Raven, Margot Theis. Angels in the Dust. BridgeWater Books, 1996.
Great-grandma Annie tells about the harsh realities of her life in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years, although describes how people found the best of themselves to share.

Shannon, George. Climbing Kansas Mountains. Bradbury Press, 1993.
A young boy and father share the beauty of a Kansas farm and landscape.

Splear, Elsie Lee. Growing Seasons. G.P. Putnam Sons, 2000.
This true story of Elsie Lee Splear's childhood spent on Illinois tenant farms in the early part of the 20th century provides a historical view of farm life during that time period.

Thompson, Gare. Harvest Festivals. National Geographic, 2002.
Learn about different harvest festivals that people have around the world.

Tolstoy, Aleksei and Niamh Sharkey. Gigantic Turnip, The. Barefoot Books, 1998.
This nineteenth century Russian story shows how a farmer and his wife pull a gigantic turnip out of the ground with the help of their friends.
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Plants, Environment, and Natural Resources
Baldwin, Robert F. This is the Sea that Feeds Us. Dawn Publications, 1998.
This book links a fish dinner with the entire marine food web. Beginning with tiny plankton, each verse introduces a new link in the marine food chain.

Blackaby, Susan. World's Largest Plants: A Book About Trees, The. Picture Window Books, 2003.
Learn about the kinds of trees, their life cycles, and how people utilize their products.

Gibbons, Gail. From Seed to Plant. Holiday House, 1991.
Learn the science of seeds and how they grow into flowers, trees, and other plants.

Kalman, Bobbie. How a Plant Grows. Crabtree Publishing Company, 1997.
Through nonfiction text and colorful photographs, learn how plants grow, and then try a couple of experiments that are listed.

Lucca, Mario. Seeds Grow Into Plants. National Geographic, 2001.
Observe seeds and what they grow into through colorful photographs and simple text.

MacDonald, Margaret Read. Slop! A Welsh Folktale. Fulcrum Publishing, 1997.
This Welsh folktale shows what a clever man and woman do with their leftover vegetable peelings and dishwater. Introduces the concept of composting.

Marzzolo, Jean. Sun Song. HarperCollins, 1995.
Animals and plants respond to the changing light over the course of a single day.

Rosinsky, Natalie. Dirt: The Scoop on Soil. Picture Window Books, 2003.
Vivid illustrations and clear, fact-filled text explore the amazing science of soil.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Flowers. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the anatomy and function of flowers through colorful photographs and primary text.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Leaves. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the functions of leaves and the details of how leaves utilize light to make food for themselves.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Seeds. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the functions of seeds through colorful photographs and simple text.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Stems. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the functions of stems through colorful photographs and simple text.

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Sunflowers. Capstone Press, 1998.
Learn the life cycle of the sunflower in this primary reader that has color photographs.

Schaefer, Lola. What Grows From a Tree? Yellow Umbrella Books, 2001.
This nonfiction beginning reader shows photographs of different things that grow on trees.

Tunkin, David. Tree's Life, A. National Geographic, 2003.
This early nonfiction reader explains the life cycle of a pine tree.

Tunkin, David. How Does My Garden Grow? National Geographic, 2003.
Learn that plants in the garden need sunlight, water, and soil to grow.
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Ranching
Gardella, Tricia. Just Like My Dad. HarperCollins, 1993.
The story of a little cowhand who helps his father with the ranch work. The book demonstrates the variety of tasks and the hard work of owning a ranch.

Johnson, Neil. Jack Creek Cowboy. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1993.
The story of a ten-year-old boy and his brother as they help their father with cowboy jobs on their large Wyoming ranch.

McGregor, Merideth. Cowgirl. Walker and Company, 1992.
Casey, the cowgirl, describes her life on a Texas ranch with her parents and the ranch animals.

Peterson, Cris. Amazing Grazing. Boyds Mills Press, 2002.
Learn about grazing by examining real ranches throughout the country.

Scott, Ann Herbert. Cowboy Country. Clarion Books, 1993.
A young boy visits a ranch in order to see what it is like to be a cowboy today, and the differences in being a cowboy in the past and being one today.
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Textiles and Fibers
Beskow, Elsa. Pelle’s New Suit. Translated by Marion Letcher Woodburn. Floris Books, 1989.
The story follows Pelle, a young Swedish boy, as he shears his lamb and then takes his wool to others to eventually get a new suit.

L'Hommedieu, Arthur John. From Plant to Blue Jeans. Children's Press, 1997.
Through colorful photographs and simple text, learn how cotton is grown and is processed into clothing.

Lucca, Mario. Wool Keeps Me Warm. National Geographic, 2003.
From sheep to clothing, learn about wool.

Nelson, Robin. From Cotton to T-shirt. Lerner Publications Company, 2003.
Discover how a cotton T-shirt is created from start to finish in this simply written emerging reader book which has colorful photographs.

Paladino, Catherine. Spring Fleece: A Day of Sheep Shearing. Little Brown and Company, 1990.
Text and photographs follow two sheep shearers through their day of rounding up sheep, shearing them, and bundling the fleeces, connecting wool to clothing.

Paola, Tomie de. Charlie Needs a Cloak. Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1973.
Charlie and his favorite sheep enact the story of the way wool becomes cloth and then how cloth becomes clothes.

Sanders, Scott Russell. Warm as Wool. Bradbury Press, 1992.
The story of a family in Ohio in 1803 in a cold log cabin. The mother buys eight bedraggled sheep to get wool to make warm clothing for the children.

Sloat, Teri. Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep. Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc., 2000.
In this whimsical picture book with simple text, learn how a sheep is sheared and how the wool is processed and made into colorful sweaters.

Yu, Norman. Cotton Comes From Plants. National Geographic, 2003.
Learn how cotton is grown and made into the clothes we wear.

Ziefert, Harriet. New Coat for Anna, A. Knopf, 1986.
Anna visits the sheep that provide the wool and all the people involved in making her winter coat.
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In Spanish
Brady, de Peter. Cerdos. Capstone Press, 1999.
This book with Spanish text shows the raising and caring of swine.

Brady, de Peter. Ovejas. Capstone Press, 1999.
This book with Spanish text shows the raising and caring of sheep.

Brady, de Peter. Pollos. Capstone Press, 1999.
This book with Spanish text shows the raising and caring of chickens.

Brady, de Peter. Vacas. Capstone Press, 1999.
This book with Spanish text shows the raising and caring of cattle.

Burckhardt, de Ann L. Calabazas. Capstone Press, 1999.
This book with Spanish text shows the growing and harvesting of pumpkins.

Burckhardt, de Ann L. Manzanas. Capstone Press, 1999.
This book with Spanish text shows the growing and harvesting of apples.

Gershator, David and Phillis Gershator. Bread is for Eating. Henry Holt, 1995.
Mamita explains how bread is produced from seed to flour in a poem/song in English and Spanish.

Ready, de Dee. Granjeros y granjeras. Capstone Press, 1999.
In Spanish, learn how farmers grow grains and what they are used for.
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Compiled by New York Agriculture in the Classroom, December 2005
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