Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

This engaging picture book for primary grades takes place over the course of a year, as a young girl plans her garden with her grandmother. The book shows what is happening both on top of the soil and underneath it as they work all year long, planning, planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, and preparing the garden for winter. Useful as a read-aloud, it exposes a hidden side of nature and provides opportunity for rich discussion. The detailed illustrations of the organisms that live in the soil and the many insects, arachnids, and mammals that live in and around the garden will help students gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.