Inside The New York Botanical Garden

New Children’s Books Inspire in the Library

Posted in From the Library on January 17 2017, by Samantha D’Acunto

Samantha D’Acunto is the Reference Librarian at The New York Botanical Garden‘s LuEsther T. Mertz Library.


The member’s juvenile circulating collection at the LuEsther T. Mertz Library aims to provide our youngest visitors with a well-rounded understanding of the natural world. We attempt to offer a variety of subjects, genres, languages and reading levels. To offer a glimpse of what we hold in the member’s juvenile collection here are two reviews of our newest additions!

Amazing Plant Powers: How plants fly, fight, hide, hunt and change the world by Loreen Leedy and Andrew Schuerger

Amazing Plant PowersSpike E. Prickles, a charismatic cactus who hosts the narrative to Amazing Plant Powers: How Plants Fly, Fight, Hide, Hunt and Change the World by Loreen Leedy and Andrew Schuerger, makes learning about plants fun! He is joined by a live and interactive audience; three small plants who provide perfectly placed commentary throughout the book. Readers are guided by Spike E. Prickles and his friends as they learn about plant structures, different environments, soil conditions, harmful pests and everyday plant usage by humans.

Throughout the book, simple and more advanced vocabulary is paired with illustrations and photographs that make following the subject matter very easy. A glossary is provided at the end for reference. The authors provide a variety of projects that complement the text and are simple to prepare in any environment for a range of age groups. Overall, this team provides convincing examples that truly reveal the power of plants!

Surprise in the Meadow by Anna Vojtech

Surprise in the MeadowAnna Vojtech uses delicate illustrations of meadow scenes set the stage for Little Chipmunk’s adventure through the seasons. After sleeping through a harsh winter, Little Chipmunk goes in search of the seeds he buried in the spring only to find they had gone missing and a mysterious stem was in their place. As spring and summer came to the meadow the stem grew taller and taller. Finally, after a long heavy rain the mysterious stem reveals itself as a bright and beautiful sunflower. By autumn, Little Chipmunk is delighted to find that the sunflower has shed all of its seeds leaving Little Chipmunk to eat and store as much as he can for the upcoming winter. Little Chipmunk had found his seeds after all!