Plant a Seed, Read! | Summer Reading 2026

A few books about gardens, gardening, and (of course) gnomes that tie into this year's summer reading theme.

Updated March 25, 2026
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Gardening lab for kids : 52 fun experiments to learn, grow, harvest, make, play, and enjoy your garden
Brown, Renata Fossen.
Paper Book
A refreshing source of ideas to help your children learn to grow their own patch of earth, Gardening Lab for Kids encourages children to get outside and enjoy nature. This fun and creative book features 52 plant-related activities set into weekly lessons, beginning with learning to read...

Children's Nonfiction (Grades 2-4)

Snow White and the 77 dwarfs
Calì, Davide
Paper Book
Snow White is on the run from an evil witch when she comes across some dwarfs in the forest. They agree to take her in and keep her safe if she will help them with their chores. She soon realises she's taking on a lot more than she bargained for. 77 breakfasts to make, 77 lunches to pack, 77 pairs...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

Poppy & Sam and the leaf thief
Cathon
Paper Book
A duo of strawberry-sized sleuths cracks a case in this cute and lively picture book with graphic novel touches -- the first in the Poppy & Sam series. It's a beautiful day in the garden when Poppy and her panda friend, Sam, hear a commotion. Their friend Basil--who has always been...

Bridging Graphic Novel (Grades 2-4)

Diary of a worm
Cronin, Doreen.
Paper Book
#1 New York Times Bestseller! This hilarious picture book from the bestselling, acclaimed author-illustrator team of Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss tells the adventures of a worm through his daily diary entries. This is the diary of a worm. This worm lives...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

Marigold Fairy makes a friend
Dennis, Elizabeth
Paper Book
Meet Marigold Fairy and the Flower Wings in this second Level 1 Ready-to-Read in a sweet series that's filled with rainbows, dewdrops, and stories of friendship! Marigold Fairy and her friend Butterfly help keep pests out of the garden in the Land of the Flower Wings. Can a pest...

Early Readers (Grades K-2)

Planting a rainbow
Ehlert, Lois.
Paper Book
In this perennial classic by Caldecott Honor-winning author Lois Ehlert, little ones learn the colors of the rainbow as they watch a plants grow in a beautifully vibrant garden. Through brilliant, textured cut paper collages, the story follows the progress of a mother and daughter in their...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

Monarch butterfly
Gibbons, Gail
Paper Book
Introduce young readers to the fascinating process of how catepillars become butterflies. Follow the transformation from a tiny white egg laid on a leaf to a brilliantly colored butterfly in this kid-friendly introduction to metamorphosis.  With detailed, bright watercolors,...

Children's Nonfiction (PreK-2)

Where wonder grows
Gonza?lez, Xelena
Paper Book
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner 2023 - American Library Association (ALA) A 2023 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner De las creadoras del galardonado libro ilustrado All Around Us llega otra historia lírica intergeneracional que explora nuestra conexión con la...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

My garden
Henkes, Kevin.
Paper Book
How does your garden grow? This wondrous New York Times bestselling picture book from Caldecott medalist Kevin Henkes celebrates imagination, a child's first burst of independence, and the promise of warmer weather. "This intimate exploration of a child's burgeoning...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

The way of the hive : a honey bee's story
Hosler, Jay
Paper Book
"A wonderful graphic novel."--Neil Gaiman Experience the life of a honeybee in this coming-of-age story about a bee named Nyuki, in this full-color graphic novel by Jay Hosler, perfect for curious kids who are fans of the Science Comics series. Nyuki is a brand-new...

Children's Graphic Novel (Grades 3-5)

Stepping stones
Knisley, Lucy
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . The first book in an acclaimed graphic novel series inspired by the author's own childhood tells an amazing story of unlikely friends, sisters, and home. "Like Raina Telgemeier, Lucy Knisley has a knack for crystallizing coming-of-age anxieties and social...

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

The flower garden
Kurilla, Rene?e
Paper Book
After planting a seed packet in the backyard, things don't go as expected for best friends Anna and Tess. They fall asleep in the sun and wake up to blooms as tall as buildings! Did the seeds really grow that fast? All is explained when Anna and Tess meet May, a little garden gnome...

Bridging Graphic Novel (Grades 2-4)

Frog and toad together
Lobel, Arnold.
Paper Book
The beloved classic about friendship--a Newbery Honor Book! Frog and Toad are best friends--they do everything together. When Toad admires the flowers in Frog's garden, Frog gives him seeds to grow a garden of his own. When Toad bakes cookies, Frog helps him eat them. And when both...

Early Readers (Grades K-2)

Millie Fleur's poison garden
Mandin, Christy
Paper Book
*A great book for holiday gifting, and one of the best picture books of 2024! *An instant New York Times and Indie Bestseller! Wednesday Addams meets The Curious Garden in this delightfully peculiar story. Millie Fleur's Poison Garden is a...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

The hidden rainbow
Matheson, Christie
Paper Book
All the colors of the rainbow are hidden in the garden, but can the little bee find them--with help from the reader Christie Matheson, author of the popular and acclaimed Tap the Magic Tree, brings a garden to life in this bright, interactive picture book about the natural...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

If you plant a seed
Nelson, Kadir
Paper Book
The bestselling book about the power of one kind act from Caldecott Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winner Kadir Nelson is now an adorable board book. "Timeless and delectable."--School Library Journal If you plant a carrot seed . . . a carrot will grow. If...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

What Does Bunny See?: A Book of Colors and Flowers
Park, Linda Sue
Paper Book
A rabbit explores a garden, finding flowers of every color, before hopping home for a nap and dreams of rainbows. Rhyming clues invite the reader to answer the question: What does bunny see? Linda Sue Park’s sprightly verses and Maggie Smith’s cheerful illustrations will delight...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

How to say hello to a worm : a first guide to outside
Percival, Kari
Paper Book
Say "hello" to worms, dirt, peas, and more in this gentle how-to guide for connecting with nature. * Winner of the EZRA JACK KEATS WRITER AWARD * An ALA Notable Children's Book * A CLEL Bell Award Winner The beautiful simplicity of a...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

The hidden world of gnomes
Soloy, Lauren
Paper Book
This book is an introduction to the hidden folk called gnomes, who live in a happy place they call The Pocket. Where is The Pocket, you ask? Well, it's all around you, all the time. Gnomes are curious little creatures, and they're very shy. But after reading this book, you will learn to spot the...

Picture Book (PreK-2)

Forest magic for kids : how to find fairies, make a secret fort, and cook up an elfin picnic
Spikol, Susie
Paper Book
Your enchanted guide to 50+ magical activities for everything from finding hidden flower fairies in your own backyard and making a special wizard staff to creating a tiny woodland village and making your own forest potions. Come discover the wild magic tucked into the...

Children's Nonfiction (Grades K-3)

Gnome and Rat
Stohler, Lauren
Paper Book
Readers will get a kick out of the whimsical and hilarious everyday shenanigans of best friends, Gnome and Rat, in the first book of this new early graphic novel series. " Mo Willems fans appreciate expertly crafted comedy, and this endearing early graphic novel has some of the best....

Bridging Graphic Novel (Grades 2-4)

The secret garden on 81st street : a modern graphic retelling of The secret garden
Weir, Ivy Noelle
Paper Book
The Secret Garden with a twist: in this follow-up to Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, this full-color graphic novel moves Mary Lennox to a New York City brownstone, where she and her very first group of friends restore an abandoned rooftop garden...and her uncle's heart.

Children's Graphic Novel (Grades 3-5)


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