Booklist: Seasons and Weather

Source: This list is an excerpt from the Michigan Team Nutrition Booklist. The entire list is available at http://www.msue.msu.edu/fnh/tn/

The Apple Pie

Treeby Zoe

HallScholastic Inc., 1996

Grades Pre-K thru 3

Two sisters describe how their tree “grows the best part of apple pie.” Through simple text and paper collage illustrations, the reader can follow the apple tree through the seasons until the apples are picked, and the sisters bake a pie with their parents’ help. A recipe to make their apple pie is included along with details about how bees pollinate the apple blossoms.

The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest

by Ellen Jackson

The Millbrook Press, 2000

Grades Pre-K thru 3

This book begins with scientific information that explains the autumn equinox. Then, it describes how different world cultures celebrate harvests past and present. The next section is fiction, “An Autumn Story,” adapted from a Sauk legend. Five pages of instruction for classroom activities, a bibliography, and information about the author and illustrator make it a useful classroom reference. Teachers may want to read sections aloud to the class over several days rather than reading it all at once since it is filled with information.

Chicken Soup with Rice

by Maurice Sendak

Scholastic Inc., 1962

Grades Pre-K thru 3

This classic picture book written by the award winning author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak, is a charming book of months. Each month has a verse with the theme of eating chicken soup with rice and an illustration. The entire book can be sung, and children can use it as a model to create their own verses.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

by Judi Barrett

Scholastic Inc., 1978

Grades Pre-K thru 3

Chewandswallow is very much like any other small town, except that in this whimsical tall tale, there is no need for any food stores. All the food falls from the sky. But, when the weather takes a turn for the worse, strange things begin to happen. This story makes an excellent read-aloud and springboard for discussions about weather and creative activities.

Jody’s Beans

by Malachy Doyle

Candlewick Press, 1999

Grades Pre-K thru 3

This gentle intergenerational story tells about Jody and her Grandpa planting runner beans. It shows how they water, stake, pick, and cook and eat the beans. Appealing watercolor illustrations with a timeless quality show the growth of the beans throughout the summer. An index to learning about beans is included, as well as, information about the author and illustrator. This book could serve as directions for children who want to plant and grow their own beans.

Pickles to Pittsburgh

by Judi Barrett

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1997

Grades Pre-K thru 3

In this sequel to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, the town of Chewandswallow continues its crazy weather patterns, but people have found a way to share the excess food with the rest of the world. This book makes an excellent read-aloud and has the additional theme of sharing resources with the world community.

Round the Garden

by Omri Glaser

Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000

Grades Pre-K thru 3

Written as a cyclic tale, children learn how a tear forms a puddle, that becomes a cloud, that makes the rainfall, that waters the garden, that grows the onion, that makes the gardeners cry. With simple text and large, digitally-created illustrations, this picture book conveys basic information about the water cycle in an appealing manner.

The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree

by Gail Gibbons

Scholastic Inc., 1984

Grades Pre-K thru 3

This book describes Arnold’s experiences with his special apple tree throughout the four seasons of the year. A recipe for “Arnold’s Apple Pie” with instructions and a diagram of how an apple cider press works are included. The illustrations and simple text will help children learn valuable information about flowering trees and seasons.

Credits:
The books on this booklist were reviewed by Chris Flood, M.S., Michigan State University Extension Program Leader, and Melinda Graham, M.B.A., Reaidng Is Fundatmental Coordinator, South Haven, Michigan. The Michigan Team Nutrition booklist has been funded by a donation from the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, and with federal funds from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service to Michigan State University Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences programs – the Michigan Nutrition Network and Team Nutrition.