a new year, a new pack of seeds to sow: Mrs. Spitzer's Garden

perfect picture book Friday:  Mrs Spitzer's Garden

I have a perfect picture book to share the day after Friday. (I know that it is not Friday;  I was just too tired on Friday to make any sense at all, so decided that blogging was beyond me.)

For other great picture books, check out Susanna Hill's Perfect Picture Book Friday.

  

written by  Edith Pattou

illustrated by  Tricia Tusa

published by  Harcourt, 2001

suitable for  ages 5  - 7 and parents and teachers of young children

themes  children, teachers, love, nurture, gardens

opening lines

Mrs. Spitzer is a teacher.  She is in Room 108 of Tremont Elementary School.

Inside Room 108 are six tables - four circles and two rectangles.  There is a rug in one corner with real hopscotch squares and checkerboards woven in bright colours, There is also a size chart, a birthday chart, a gerbil in a cage, a housekeeping and dress up corner, a row of  twenty-two pegs for coats and backpacks, and in another corner, Mrs. Spitzer's desk. 

At the end of the summer, Mr. Merrrick the principal, walks down the hall to Mrs. Spitzer's room and gives her a packet of seeds. 

synopsis

Mrs. Spitzer is given a new package of seeds which she lovingly plants,  nurtures and cares for.  She sees that some of her seeds "grow quickly. pushing upward, eager, impatient" while others "grow more slowly, unfolding themselves, bit by bit".  At the end of the year, Mrs. Spitzer leaves her plants "growing, uncurling their stems, stretching their leaves outward, and showing their faces to the sun", and prepares for a new packet of seeds.

I like this book because ...  

I have just got this year's "package of seeds".  We are getting to know each other and I am figuring out their soil requirements and what I can do to help each seed flourish.    

I enjoy the simple text which allows the spritely whimsy of Tussa's pen and watercolour illustrations to round out the story. 

resources ...

Any garden related activity that celebrates the individuality of each little plant would happily complement this book.

A quick peruse of Pinterest and Google, and digging into the iphoto archives produced these goodies.

handprint flowers

source:  http://parentpalace.com/2012/04/made-with-love-mothers-day-gifts

source: http://idmommy.blogspot.ca/2011/05/attention-procrastinating-dads-mothers.html

flower faces

source: http://pinterest.com/pin/204632376788725500/

drawn flowers

source: Mr.Picasso flowers

painted flowers

source: Georgia O'Keeffe flowers

and of course, planting flowers and working in the garden

I wish that each of you who has been given a new package of seeds, enjoys a year of nurturing them and helping them grow.