Summer--the Parents Are Crazy, Kids Are Jumpin’ . . .
Summer’s just around the corner and a parent’s thoughts gently drift toward . . . getting the kids out of the house as soon as possible. One good way is to introduce the cartoon-crazed critters to the joys of gardening. Explain that it is a chance to get dirty sans parental guidance while you pry their fingers off the couch and TV trays and shove them out the door.
Even those who don’t have a green thumb will find some interesting projects after rooting around in WEIRD THINGS YOU CAN GROW, written by Janet Goldenberg and illustrated by Phoebe Gloeckner (Random House: $10, ages 8-12). After all, there are few gardening books that can show you how to grow a 7-foot-high cabbage that you can make into a sturdy walking stick or a plant that has flowers that smell like rotting meat (the perfect gift for Uncle Howie!). The cartoon panels play off each plant’s odd characteristics, give stranger-than-truth facts about each, and have growing instructions suitable for kids as well as Gardening 101 washouts like me.
Now that you’ve got their attention with “Weird Things,†keep them outside working the lower 40 with GREEN THUMBS: A KID’S ACTIVITY GUIDE TO INDOOR AND OUTDOOR GARDENING, written and illustrated by Laurie Carlson and Sean O’Neill (Chicago Review Press , (312) 337-0747): $12.95, paperback, ages 3-9). This is a thorough introduction to gardening that ranges from planting basics to battling pests, from making herbal soap to raising dinner. The nice line drawings are straightforward and add to the text.
One of the best things about “Green Thumbs†is that you don’t actually need a lower 40--or even a back yard--to cultivate an interesting crop. Some of the projects can be done on any sun-filled windowsill--spring for a few seeds and cut your dinner bills.
When the tiny farmers get tired of plowing and fertilizing, persuade them to take a restorative break and look skyward, using IN THE AIR AND EVERYWHERE: The Scientific American Pop-up Book of Birds, written by Jody Marshall and illustrated by Elizabeth McClelland (W. H. Freeman & Co.: $15.95 , ages 8 and up) as a guide. This is a sophisticated, lush pop-up book packed with facts and well-written text that describes the birds’ characteristics, traits and habits. The charming artwork will lure the budding ornithologist into exploring the world beyond the door and the pull-out locater guides are a neat feature that will come in handy when they get there.
THE GREAT BIRD DETECTIVE, written by David Elcome and illustrated by John Cox and Spike Gerrell (Chronicle Books: $11.95 , ages 6-12) , is a nice field companion to “In the Air.†It covers much of the same ground and more in a small notebook format, complete with fill-in-the-blank record sheets and stickers.
