Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom

Ag-Related Books for Children and Young Adults

Fruits and Vegetables

Ada, Alma Flor, Zubizarreta, Rosa, and Simon Silva, Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English, Lothrop, 1997. (Grades Pre-K-5)

An alphabet book with exceptional illustrations and excellent poetry that gives voice to the experience of Hispanic agricultural workers. Each letter is matched with a Spanish word (for example, "arboles" for "A") and accompanied by a poem in both Spanish and English that describes how the plant, fruit, vegetable, person, or feeling functions in the lives of these workers. The colors are brilliant, and the scope has a larger-than-life sense to it. This is a book that begs to be read aloud to all students, whether they are Spanish speaking or not. The sound of the poems will draw them in. The touching elegy for Cesar Chavez successfully imparts the impact of a heroic man on his people.

Van Allsburg, Chris, The Sweetest Fig, Houghton Miflin, 1993. (Grades K-3)

In this modern fairy tale, a Parisian dentist is given two magic figs by an old woman who tells him, "'They can make your dreams come true.'" Bibot scoffs. However, after the first fig proves to do exactly that, he realizes how precious they are. Night after night, he hypnotizes himself into dreaming that he is the richest man on earth. Finally, he prepares to eat the second fig. But his dog, Marcel, beats him to it, and the following morning, the dentist wakes up as the helpless pup under a bed, with his own face calling to him, "'Time for your walk. Come to Marcel.'"

Appelt, Kathi, Watermelon Day, Henry Holt, 1996. (K-3)

There's a watermelon growing in the corner of the patch where the fence posts meet, and Jesse is waiting for it. Waiting for it to fill up with the cool summer rain and the hot summer sun. Waiting until at last it is ripe and ready for eating. Waiting until it is ready for her family's annual Watermelon day.

Bauer, Joan, Squashed, Puffin, 2001. (Young Adult)

If only Ellie's potentially prize-winning pumpkin would gain 200 more pounds in time for the Rock River Pumpkin Weigh-In, and if only Ellie could lose 20 or so pounds herself, her life might be perfect. Well, at least it would be perfect enough to give her the courage to make friends with Wes - the cute new guy at school. She's well on her way to winning big on all counts when frost and pumpkin thieves begin to attack! The thing is, Ellie has the sass, humor, and smarts to be a winner - whether or not her pumpkin breaks the scales ... if only she would realize it.

Brink, Carol, Ryrie, Magical Melons, Macmillan, 1990. (Grades 4-7)

A Caddie Woodlawn story.

Brown, Marcia, Stone Soup, Aladdin, 1997. (Grades PreK-2)

Old French tale about soldiers who trick miserly villages into making them a feast. This version won a Caldecott Medal when Brown retold and illustrated it in 1947.

Cherry, Lynne, How Groundhog's Garden Grew, Blue Sky, 2003, (K-2)

Groundhog loves to eat fresh veggies from his neighbor's garden until a friend teaches him to plant his own garden.

Dahl, Roald, and Lane Smith, James and the Giant Peach, Puffin, 2000. (Grades 4-6)

When James Henry Trotter loses his parents in a horrible rhinoceros accident, he is forced to live with his two wicked aunts. One day, an old man in a dark-green suit gives James a bag of magic crystals . When James accidentally spills the crystals on his aunts' withered peach tree, he sets the adventure in motion. From the old tree a single peach grows, and grows, and grows some more, until finally James climbs inside the giant fruit and rolls away from his despicable aunts to a whole new life.

Eclare, Melanie, A Harvest of Color: Growing a Vegetable Garden, Ragged Bears, 2002. (Grades K-3)

A group of neighborhood children transforms a bare patch of earth into a vegetable garden, and in so doing, they learn how to plant in straight rows, how to thin seedlings, and how to cope with slugs and worms. They make notes on their efforts and compile useful lists of gardening tips. The result is a colorful, graphic scrapbook-diary-photo album.

Ehlert, Lois, Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables From A to Z, Voyager, 1993 (PreK).

An alphabetical tour of fruits and vegetables, featuring vibrantly colored collage illustrations, large capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet, an A to Z glossart of produce and a pronunciation guide.

Ehlert, Lois, Growing Vegetable Soup, Voyager, 1990 (Grades K-2).

In brightly-colored collage illustrations, a father and child share the simple joys of planting, watering, and watching seeds grow in their garden. Then they cook them all up into a delicious vegetable soup, the recipe for which is included.

Farmer, Jacqueline, Pumpkins, Charlesbridge, 2004. (Grades PreK-2 )

Facts, history, legend, and growing tips about one of the favorite fruits of fall. In addition to instructions on pumpkin carving (and safety) and seed toasting, the author includes the word for the berry in other languages, a brief list of pumpkin world records, and recommended readings and Web sites.

Fleischman, Paul, and Judy Pederson, Seedfolks, HarperCollins, 1997. (Grades 4-7)

Using multiple voices, Fleischman takes readers to a modern inner-city neighborhood. where bit by bit the handful of lima beans an immigrant child plants in an empty lot blossoms into a community garden, tended by a notably diverse group of local residents. Toughened by the experience of putting her children through public school, Leona spends several days relentlessly bullying her way into government offices to get the lot's trash hauled away; others address the lack of readily available water, as well as problems with vandals and midnight dumpers; and though decades of waging peace on a small scale have made Sam an expert diplomat, he's unable to prevent racial and ethnic borders from forming. Still, the garden becomes a place where wounds heal, friendships form, and seeds of change are sown.

French, Vivian, Oliver's Vegetables, Orchard, 1995.

Oliver's grandfather grows fruit tastier than anything from a can or bottle, but it doesn't mean Oliver will eat any of the fruit. His clever grandparents get Oliver to try fruit salad, and he loves it.

French, Vivian, Oliver's Fruit Salad, Orchard, 1998.

Oliver visits his grandparents and hopes to find the potatoes so he can have the only vegetable he likes - French fries. But first he must find the potatoes in the garden. In the process, he tries and likes all the vegetables.

Galindo, Mary Sue, and Pauline Rodriguez Howard, Icy Watermelon/Sandia Fria, Arte Publico, 2001 (Grades Pre-K - 2)

In this bilingual picture book, three Latino children share riddles and stories with their parents and grandparents as they eat watermelon on Sunday afternoon. Abuelo remembers that when he was a boy, he helped his father harvest watermelons and sell them along the highway and in the barrios. In fact, that's how Abuelo met his wife. When her mother sent her to buy a watermelon, her dog jumped in the truck and went after Abuelo, and he dropped the fruit. His face was "redder that the watermelon lying all over the street," but he was in love. The text appears in both English and Spanish on each page.

Hall, Zac, The Apple Pie Tree, Scholastic, 1996. (Grades PreK-3)

Colorful illustrations follow each season as an apple tree grows leaves, fragrant blossoms and tiny green apples. Soon the fruit is big, red and ready to be picked. It's time to make apple pie. Includes an apple pie recipe on the last page.

Harris, Jim, Jack and the Giant: A Story Full of Beans, Rising Moon, 1997. (K-3)

Jack and his mother, Annie Okey-Dokey, live on a ranch in Arizona. A giant has stolen all their cattle, and they're forced to sell their last cow - which Jack trades for beans. The magic beanstalk this time leads to an adobe castle in the sky, where Jack encounters the giant cattle rustler Wild Bill Hiccup; from then on, the story takes its predictable turns. Filled with puns and twists, this re-telling is fun, though the humor sometimes borders on the crass (rather than a goose laying golden eggs, there's a buffalo laying golden chips). The cartoon-style art is big and bright, though the exaggerated features and characteristics, reminiscent of political cartoons, might intimidate the younger ones. Still, those familiar with the original will enjoy Jack in this new setting, and adults will appreciate some of the more sophisticated and sly asides down on the range.

Hawkins, Linda J., Alexander and the Great Food Fight, Turner, 2002 (pre-K-3).

Alexander's afternoon snacking choice becomes a heated argument among some fiesty fruit about which is the best for Alexander's young, growing body.

Hughes, Meredith Sayles, Buried Treasure: Roots & Tubers, Lerner, 1998. (Grades 5-7)

After an introduction giving general plant information, there are chapters on potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and turnips, beets, and radishes. The authors describe the origin and history of each vegetable, growing and production techniques, and the way the food affects the lives of the people who raise, eat, and use it around the world. Each chapter also contains a simple recipe. Clearly labeled watercolor-and-ink diagrams of the plants, historical reproductions, and full-color photographs appear throughout. Not only does this book give readers facts about foods that they eat, but it also widens their awareness of how these vegetables are viewed in other countries.

Hughes, Meredith Sayles, Cool as a Cucumber, Hot as a Pepper: Fruit Vegetables, Lerner, 1998 (Grades 4-6).

Hughes, Meredith Sayles, Flavor Foods: Spices & Herbs, Lerner, 2000 (Grades 4-6).

Hughes, Meredith Sayles, Green Power: Leaf & Flower Vegetables, Lerner, 2001 (Grades 5-7).

Hughes, Meredith Sayles, Spill the Beans and Pass the Peanuts: Legumes, Lerner, 1999 (Grades 5-7).

Hughes, Meredith Sayles, Stinky and Stringy: Stem & Bulb Vegetables, Lerner, 1999 (Grades 5-7).

King, Elizabeth, The Pumpkin Patch, ages 3-8, Puffin, 1996. (Grades K-3)

Krauss, Ruth, The Carrot Seed, HarperTrophy, 1989. (Grades PreK-1)

A classic story about a little boy who plants a carrot seed that becomes a carrot.

Lee, Brenda Cartee, Lunch at the Zoo, Little Cottage, 2003 (pre-K-3).

Humor, zoo animals, bright illustrations and the escapades of a little boy named Bubba teach children to choose a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables over unhealthy junk foods.

Lottke, Jan, From Seed to Pumpkin, Children's, 2000. (Grades Prek-3)

From the How Things Grow series.

Lottridge, Celia B., One Watermelon Seed, Oxford, 1990 (pre-K - 2).

As Max and Josephine tend their garden, there are ample opportunities to count - from 1 to 10 as the garden is planted and from 10 to 100 (in tens) while the garden is being harvested. Not only is the book good arithmetic fun, it also offers a fascinating introduction to gardening as well.

Maestro, Betsy, How do Apples Grow? Harper Collins Children's, 1993. (Grades K-4)

Beginning with the bare branches of winter, the Maestros describe the apple until the time of picking. The parts of the flower are presented in a simple manner and labeled. Fertilization is also discussed in a way that is easily understood.

Martin, Jacqueline Briggs, and Alec Gillman, The Green Truck Garden Giveaway: A Neighborhood Story and Almanac, Simon and Schuster, 1996. (Grades K-3)

Two strangers drive their green pickup truck down Second Street, giving away almanacs and planting small gardens for reluctant neighbors. As time goes by, the gardens thrive and so do the neighbors, who begin to share their harvest of produce and happiness with others. Throughout the book, informative sidebars tell readers about topics related to the story: why medieval insomniacs ate lettuce, what to plant in order to attract butterflies, and how to make sprays that repel insects from plants.

McMillan, Bruce, Growing Colors, HarperTrophy, 1994. (PreK-2)

A vibrant introduction to the beauty of colors in nature. Fourteen vegetables and fruits are dramatically visualized with full-page photographs, accompanied by a color word, as well as a glimpse of how the vegetables grow. A final listing of the colors and the names of the fruits and vegetables is a valuable resource.

Perez, L. King, and Robert Casilla, First Day in Grapes, Lee & Low, 2002 (Grades 1-3).

Growing up in a migrant family, Chico has experienced first school days in artichokes and first days in onions, and "now his first day in third grade would be in grapes." His encounters with bullies and the grumpy school bus driver shake Chico's confidence, but a friendly classmate and an understanding teacher help him adjust. Realistic watercolor, pastel, and colored-pencil illustrations portray Chico's emotions.

Priceman, Marjorie, How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, Knopf, 1996. (Grades PreK-3)

The reader is led around the world to gather the ingredients for making apple pie. The recipe is included.

Richards, Jean, A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds, Millbrook, 2003. (Preschool)

Introduction to seeds, their purpose, and growth. On each page, one or two short lines of text appear beneath a large illustration. Can be used as a read-aloud discussion starter, a prelude to planting seeds and observing their growth, or in preparation for dissecting fruits and vegetables in order to find the seeds inside. Two final pages in question-and-answer format offer more tidbits of information about seeds. Tiny silhouette people and suitcases parading across the bottom of the pages visually emphasize the suitcase theme.

Rockwell, Anne F., Sweet Potato Pie, Random House, 1996. (Grades PreK-3)

This rhyming story follows a family meeting around the table where Grandma has presented her famous baked sweet potato pie.

Shannon, David, A Bad Case of Stripes, Scholastic, 1998. (Grades PreK-2)

Camilla Cream worries too much about what others think of her and tries desperately to please everyone. First stripes, then stars and stripes, and finally anything anyone suggests (including tree limbs, feathers, and a tail) appear vividly all over her body. The solution: lima beans, loved by Camilla, but disdained for fear they'll promote unpopularity with her classmates.

Slawson, Michele Benoit, Apple Picking Time, Dragonfly, 1998. (K-4)

When the apples are ready for harvest, everyone in town knocks off from jobs and school to work in the orchards. Recalling apple-picking times in her Washington State childhood, Slawson tells the story of a young girl's day in the orchard. Before daybreak, Anna's family sets out for the orchard. She plays among the trees with the other children, but when work begins, Anna's determined to fill a whole bin of apples for the first time. Ray's artwork, pastels with watercolor washes, gives the book strong visual appeal. The orchard seems suffused with golden light, and the children's faces are as round as the apples they pick.

Stevens, Janet, Tops & Bottoms, Harcourt Brace, 1995. (K-4)

Hoping to rise above his level of poverty, clever Hare strikes a deal with a rich and lazy bear in which Bear will contribute the land while Hare will provide the labor for a profitable harvest.

Titherington, Jeanne, Pumpkin Pumpkin, Mulberry, 1990, (Grades K-3)

Jamie plants a pumpkin seed in the spring and, after watching it grow all summer, carves a face in it for Halloween. But best of all, he saves some seeds that he will plant again next spring.

Vagin, Vladmir, The Enormous Carrot, Scholastic, 1998. (PreK-2)

A variation on a familiar Russian folktale. Here, two rabbits are surprised to find an enormous carrot growing in their garden. At harvest time, they solicit help from a variety of friendly barnyard neighbors. Storytime participants will eagerly chime in with the repeated, "But the carrot stayed put. It wouldn't come out." It is finally Lester the Mouse who lends the last measure of muscle power needed to burst the carrot from the begrudging soil. The most festive scene in the story is a double-page spread depicting the carrot feast in which the animals eat "every bit of that enormous carrot until it was all gone." A fascinating menagerie crowds around a circular table groaning with every type of carrot delicacy imaginable. The animals not only pull and tug, they heave and ho, grunt and groan, team and tow, stretch and sway, and holler and haul.

Wellington, Monica, Apple Farmer Annie, Dutton, 2001. (Preschool)

Annie, the apple farmer, saves her most beautiful apples to sell fresh at the farmer's market in the city. She picks plenty of sweet, crunchy apples and makes applesauce, apple cider and baked apple treats.

Zagwyn, Deborah Tumey, The Pumpkin Blanket, Tricycle, 1997. (K-3)

A little girl gives up her beloved quilt to save a pumpkin patch from frost.