Sow and Grow: A Gardening Book for Children

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Kids are captivated by growing things. They’re fascinated by the way a seed, when planted, watered, and cared for, sprouts into a baby plant that’s soon putting out its first roots and leaves. Inspired by children’s innate affinity for gardening, Tina Davis has created Sow and Grow—a year’s worth of playtime ideas that combine fun and learning with a child’s sense of wonder at the natural world.

In this, the third in her enchantingly designed series of children’s books, Davis has devised a calendar of indoor-gardening and related activities, all linked to seasonal celebrations and changes: For April, she suggests planting tiny spring gardens in eggshells. For September, pressing late-summer flowers and autumn leaves. For December, decorating the house with living greenery. Each activity is described in child-friendly language—and parents are invited to participate!

Sow and Grow also acquaints children with the basics of plant biology, teaching them the meanings of words like “fruit” and “flower” and explaining the roles of light, air, and water in plants’ development. Like Davis’s other books, Sow and Grow is illustrated with charming vintage drawings from children’s books of the past. Its lay-flat wire-o binding makes it easy to refer to during use.

Graphic designer Tina Davis, the principal of Tina Davis Design, counts Knopf, Abrams, and Chronicle Books among her clients. She holds an MFA from Yale and a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Davis is also the author of Stewart Tabori and Chang’s Look and Cook and See and Sew. She lives in Israel and Pound Ridge, New York.