Amazon.com Announces “Best Books of the Year…So Far”

Yesterday, July 6th, Amazon.com announced the "Best Books of the Year...So Far" lists. The books are hand-picked by Amazon.com Books editors and represent their favorite titles in five categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Young Readers, and Hidden Gems and an overall Top Ten.

I checked out the Young Readers category. Surprise, surprise --- The Curious Garden by Peter Brown is first on the list. Most of the books I review on this blog are pitched to me by publishing companies or authors and illustrators. However, I specifically requested the chance to review The Curious Garden partly because I liked the name of the book (wonder why?) and partly because I thought it looked like a perfect spring read for my children. I had no idea that the book would be so visually stunning and artsy in a vintage sort of way. The message of the book is a wonderful one as well.

A number of my blog readers left the titles of their favorite children's garden books in the comment section of The Curious Garden post on Brimful Curiosities. I've been meaning to compile the list. Now seems like a good time. Thanks for the many good book suggestions, both picture and chapter books.

Children's Books about Gardens
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small
Sunflower House by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt
Mrs. Spitzer's Garden by Edith Pattou, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Judy Pedersen
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson
Linnea in Monet's Garden by Cristina Bjork, Lena Anderson, and Joan Sandin
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Skating Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
What's This? A Seed Story by Caroline Mockford
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
Seed and More Seeds: An I CAN READ Science Book by Millicent E Selsam, illustrated by Tomi Ungerer
Blue Potatoes, Orange Tomatoes: How to Grow A Rainbow Garden by Rosalind Creasy, illustrated by Ruth Heller
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert

And, the one lone adult gardening read suggestion:
How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back: A New Method of Mulch Gardening by Ruth Stout

Thanks to Consumer Marketing Practice, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide for keeping me up-to-date with the latest Amazon.com news. View my disclosure policy.