Tomatoes for Neela – Padma Lakshmi, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Bestselling author, Padma Lakshmi, brings us the heartfelt story of Neela, a young girl who loves cooking with her amma and writing down recipies in her notebook. Cooking with her amma makes her feel closer to her paati who lives far away in India. Tomatoes for Neela celebrates how we can connect to family, our culture and other cultures through food.
- Check out the Edible Plants Scavenger Hunt found the green houses and into the Systematics Garden.
- Check out the world map in the Church Gallery to find out where some of your favorite foods come from.
- The Capen Garden Story Stroll runs Aug 4th – Sept 5th
The Nest that Wren Built – Randi Sonenshine, illustrated by Anne Hunter
This poetic book is about the tenderness and care that two wrens put into collecting small treasures from the forest to build a nest. Randi Sonenshine and Anne Hunter convey wonder and appreciation for the life cycles around us.
- Check out all of our books in the The Reading Nest Nook and play in the life-sized cardboard nest in the Church Gallery.
Mossy – Jan Brett (Author, illustrator)
Massachusetts local, Jan Brett, brings us the heartwarming story of two turtles who fall in love. Beautiful detailed illustrations of flowers, ferns, mushrooms, and mosses encourage viewers to look closely and appriciate their natural world.
- Create a collective Moss Mat in the Church Gallery.
A Map into the World – Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Seo Kim
As the seasons change, so too does a young Hmong girl’s world as she encounters birth and death for the first time. As she moves into a new home with her family, she explores her natural world which is constantly changing and collects bits of nature. This touching story reminds us of the importance of being there for our neighbors and cultivating a sense of place.
- Play with chalk on the cement path in the Systemics Garden.
- Draw your favorite nature memories in the Church Gallery.
El último árbol (The Last Tree) – María Quintana Silva, illustrated by Silvia Álvarez
This 2019 Winner of the Independent Press Awards is a vibrantly illustrated beautiful bilingual story about the importance, care, and preservation of trees. It leaves us with a question about the small steps we can all take to care for the natural world.
- The Systematics Garden Story Stroll runs June 20th – Aug 4th.