Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated internationally in support of pollinator health. It\’s a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them.
Most of the time when we hear the word \”pollinator,\” we automatically think of bees. But, did you know, that birds, bats, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals are responsible for pollinating plants and bringing us one out of every three bites of food.
All pollinators also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce.
Without the actions of pollinators agricultural economies, our food supply, and surrounding landscapes would collapse.
Celebrate National Pollinator Week with this wonderful roundup of picture books that celebrate bees, butterflies, bats, and bugs.
A Pollinator Booklist
The Reason for a Flower: A Book About Flowers, Pollen, and Seeds by Ruth Heller: This is a simple picture book that is a great place to start when teaching young readers arbout the wide variety of pollinators that flowers rely on and why pollination itself is important.
Animal pollinators by Jennifer Boothroyd – a short beginning reader featuring eight different animals that help to pollinate plants.
Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies: A Family Guide to Our Garden Heroes and Helpers by Ben Raskin. This book is a fun and intriguing look at different pollinators and their interactions with plants (a longer book for older readers)
Let’s Count Butterflies by Susan R. Stoltz, illustrated by Cody Cooper Haufman – a simple counting board book that introduces a variety of butterfly species.
A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long – a favorite from one of my favorite nature picture book authors.
Bat Count: A Citizen Science Story by Anna Forrester is about a young girl named Jojo who is helping her family track and study bats.
Jojo is prepping for an exciting night; it\’s time for the bat count! Bats have always been a welcome presence during the summers in the family barn. But over the years, the numbers have dwindled as many bats in the area caught white-nose syndrome. Jojo and her family count the bats and send the numbers to scientists who study bats, to see if the bat population can recover. On a summer evening, the family quietly makes their way to the lawn to watch the sky and count the visitors to their farm.
Something To Do
GO HERE to learn how you can get involved in Pollinator Week!
Spiced Honey Butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup HONEY
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve on toast, biscuits, and muffins. YUM!
A Year in the Secret Garden
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, but it also allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.
Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourages them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst for many hours of family growth, learning, and FUN!
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
