Tag imagination

Grace and Box by Kim Howard, illustrated by Megan Lötter, shows a little girl and a dog in front of a cardboard box with a rainbow coming out of the top and a smiley face on the side, against a blue background with stars. Play with Paint! by Jenny Pinkerton shows a colorful painted flower with paint dripping from it, and the lettering of the title in the same set of colors (blue, green, purple, pink, red, orange, yellow). The Fun Fort by Kirsten MacDonald, illustrated by Fátima Anaya, depicts a boy popping out of the top of a cardboard fort, underneath a tree. Crafty Chloe by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Heather Ross, shows the title character with her hands triumphantly in the air, next to a ladder and underneath a banner with her name on it. She is surrounded by paper and crafting supplies on the floor, with her dog wearing a paper star-shaped hat and looking comically disgruntled. Crafty Llama by Mike Kerr, illustrated by Renata Liwska, shows a llama, a beaver, and birds, working with thread and yarn and knitting, with the title in knitted multicolored letters. What Will These Hands Make? by Nikki McClure shows a woman holding up a tattered red sweater, looking as if she is pondering how to repair it.

Make Something Great with August #ELKReads

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By HCLS Elkridge Branch staff

Have you ever visited the Howard County Library System Elkridge Branch? If you haven’t been in a while – or at all – you might not realize that it’s now the Elkridge Branch + DIY Education Center! DIY, which stands for Do It Yourself, is an area that we know a little something about at Elkridge. You can check out tools for building, gardening, crafting, baking, and exploring from our DIY collection. We have everything from cake pans to knitting needles to reciprocating saws. Visit HCLS Elkridge Branch and get ready to tackle your next home or garden project! In the meantime, take a look at the selected titles below for inspiration and ideas about crafting and creating of all kinds. Keep an eye on our social media to see even more related books to explore. 

Grace and Box by Kim Howard, illustrated by Megan Lötter, shows a little girl and a dog in front of a cardboard box with a rainbow coming out of the top and a smiley face on the side, against a blue background with stars. Play with Paint! by Jenny Pinkerton shows a colorful painted flower dripping with paint, and the lettering of the title in the same set of colors (blue, green, purple, pink, red, orange, yellow). The Fun Fort by Kirsten MacDonald, illustrated by Fátima Anaya, depicts a boy popping out of the top of a cardboard fort, underneath a tree. Crafty Chloe by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Heather Ross, shows the title character with her hands triumphantly in the air, next to a ladder and underneath a banner with her name on it. She is surrounded by paper and crafting supplies on the floor, with her dog wearing a paper star-shaped hat and looking comically disgruntled. Crafty Llama by Mike Kerr, illustrated by Renata Liwska, shows a llama, a beaver, and birds, working with thread and yarn and knitting, with the title in knitted multicolored letters. What Will These Hands Make? by Nikki McClure shows a woman holding up a tattered red sweater, looking as if she is pondering how to repair it.

For Little Kids: 

Crafty Llama by Mike Kerr, illustrated by Renata Liwska, also available as an ebook on OverDrive/Libby

Llama loves to knit, and she decides to create something special and lovely but isn’t quite sure what it will be. As different animal friends join her, they are each inspired to make their own special projects. When Beaver declares that he likes to make things that are useful, Llama and her friends get creative deciding how their projects will be used.

Grace and Box by Kim Howard, illustrated by Megan Lötter

Grace loves playing with her pretend buddy Box, and she’s not about to let some wear and tear change that. This fun rhyming books makes a great read-aloud about imagination, crafty repairs, and all the joys of creative open-ended play time. 

What Will These Hands Make? by Nikki McClure, also available as an ebook on OverDrive/Libby 

Hands can do so many things! In this charming picture book, author and cut-paper artist Nikki McClure follows a family as they notice a wide variety of activities that a pair of hands might do. From a play to a house to a safer neighborhood, readers are reminded of the many important parts of a community that hands can make. 

Wood Shop: Handy Skills and Creative Building Projects for Kids by Margaret Larson shows a variety of kids doing woodworking projects, including stilts, a birdhouse, and a clock. Create a Costume! by Sarah Myer depicts a cartoon of two kids and a flying hamster in superhero costumes. Make It! by Jane Bull depicts a picture frame, a puppet, beadwork, a paper mache frog, and other crafts along with two young people. The Stick Book: Loads of Things You Can Make or Do with a Stick by Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks depicts a reindeer, a tree trunk, a slingshot, and a tepee. The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio shows the title character, Lou, with two friends, building a tiny house with a ladder, lumber, and tools. Roll with It by Jamie Sumner shows a girl wearing a yellow coat and jeans in a wheelchair, popping a wheelie with one hand and spinning a top with the other.

For Big Kids: 

The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio 

Lou is a resourceful tween who dreams of creating a space of her own, away from the hubbub of her loving, extended family home. A talented woodworker, she sets out to build a tiny house, but finds it’s more difficult than expected. In this heartwarming story of community, Filipino culture, and perseverance, Lou learns about how to make a house a home. 

Make It! by Jane Bull 

In this complete guide to making crafts from materials already found around the house, kids can find inspiration to give new life to old objects and entertain themselves (without a screen). Projects are divided up by materials used, including paper, plastic, metal, and fabric, with clear instructions and illustrations as well as suggestions for alternative materials if the primary one isn’t available. Find fun ways to clear up clutter with the ideas in Make It!.

Maker Comics: Create a Costume! by Sarah Myer 

Bea and Parker are just a few short weeks away from the comic convention and without costumes! Learn along with Bea and Parker how to make a budget friendly cosplay with an easy-to-find mix of materials, tools, and a lot of imagination. Then, check out other titles in the Maker Comics series.

Boys Don't Knit: (in public) by Tom Easton shows the title and three balls of yarn with knitting needles against a dark blue background; the word "knit" appears to have been knitted from the tan ball of yarn. The Maker's Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse: Defend Your Base with Simple Circuits, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi by Simon Monk shows two buildings against a yellow background underneath the title, which is in teal and brown. Marvelous Makeable Monsters: 21 STEAM Projects That Light Up, Buzz, Launch, and Occasionally Chomp by Sam Haynor shows several adorable monsters on sticks with a rocket ship dangling from above; the rocks and ground surrounding them suggest a moonscape. Drawing Is Magic: Discovering Yourself in a Sketchbook by John Hendrix shows many little creative sketches in black and red, including but not limited to books, pens and an ink bottle, a dragon, playground equipment, a jack-in-the-box, a person reclined and reading, and a bomb with a lit fuse. The Baking Cookbook for Teens: 75 Delicious Recipes for Sweet & Savory Treats by Robin Donovan shows a slice of chocolate cake with a white cream filling, chocolate icing, and rainbow sprinkles; the sprinkles are also scattered across the cover's blue background, with the title in hot pink. Primer: A Superhero Graphic Novel by Jennifer Muro shows a girl with long red hair and glasses on her forehead, in a white tank top and gray-green shorts with a black belt and gold buckle, and black combat boots. She holds a spray paint can and there are five more cans on the floor surrounding her. The walls behind her are sprayed in overlapping patches of green, blue, purple, yellow, and pink, and some of the patches are dripping down the white walls. The title sits boldly in white against the colorful spray paint background.

For Teens: 

Boys Don’t Knit by T.S. Easton 

Ben Fletcher has gotten himself into a bit of trouble, and he ends up deciding on a knitting class as the best option to perform the required community service. Even though it turns out not to be taught by the expected (good-looking) instructor, Ben discovers that he’s actually good at knitting, and it helps his anxiety. Will his family and friends – not to mention his enemies – judge Ben harshly for his new pursuit?

The Maker’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse by Simon Monk 

Even if you’re not too worried about zombies threatening anytime soon, this book will give you some great ideas and step-by-step instructions for projects to communicate, defend, and generate power. Use circuits, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi systems to prepare for a time when you might not have access to all your usual electronics. Maybe until the zombies come, you can hone your skills as you practice defending your room against pestering pets or bothersome siblings.

Primer: A Superhero Graphic Novel by Jennifer Muro 

Thirteen-year-old Ashley Rayburn has bounced from one foster home to another, always finding herself in trouble along the way. When she stumbles upon a set of body paints that grant the wearer a multitude of superpowers, the government agency that created them comes after her to get them back. To protect her new family, Ashley has to make some hard choices while facing the shadows of the past.  

Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction by David Johnston shows a partial silhouette of a home building in progress, with the title in white against a green background. Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Stylish Outdoor Spaces by Michelle Slatalla shows an English-style garden with trees, manicured shrubs, flowers, and greenery. Chesapeake Gardening & Landscaping: The Essential Green Guide by Barbara W. Ellis shows several photographs depicting a river garden scene with a fence gate, a bush, and a flowering shrub; hydrangea; cattails and greenery in a marshy area; a monarch butterfly; and purple bee balm. Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey shows a couple kissing at the top of a yellow ladder; the woman is in a pink dress with white shoes, and the man is wearing grey shoes, blue pants, a grey shirt, and a grey backwards baseball cap. A Patchwork of Clues by Sally Goldenbaum shows a colorful patchwork quilt in the foreground, and then a view through two window panels of shops along a street, with a green plant in a white pot on the windowsill. Down to Earth: Laid-Back Interiors for Modern Living by Lauren Liess shows a cozy living room in shades of brown, grey, and white, with an elegant yellow-flowering plant on a low table, a fire in the fireplace in the background. exposed wooden ceiling beams, and a brown sofa and settee with a window in the back.

For Adults: 

Chesapeake Gardening and Landscaping: The Essential Green Guide by Barbara W. Ellis 

This volume provides the reader with instructions to develop a natural landscape in the Chesapeake watershed region. A few of the principles the authors enumerate are to “reduce lawn, grow native plants, and welcome wildlife,” all laudable goals. This book may have more prose than some of our other gardening selections, but it still contains beautiful photos. 

Down to Earth: Laid-back Interiors for Modern Living by Lauren Liess 

If you enjoy what could be described as “modernish eclectic,” a style that is very “in” now, then you will like this book. Think lots of wood, and lots of black and white, or a monochromatic color scheme. And of course, gorgeous photos! 

A Patchwork of Clues by Sally Goldenbaum 

This first in a series of mysteries introduces the Queen Bee Quilt Shop in Crestwood, Kansas, where a group of women have been gathering to make a quilt in honor of the shop owner’s anniversary. While out on her morning run, Po, the unofficial leader of the group, discovers a dead body right on the quilt shop’s doorstep. She and her friends are great at working together to make beautiful quilts, but can they combine their unique strengths and knowledge to find a killer? With a charming small-town setting, cast of quirky characters, and compelling who-done-it, A Patchwork of Clues not only has everything you could ask for in a cozy mystery, it also celebrates crafting, particularly the art of quilting, as a way of connecting with friends and building community. 

The cover depicts a garden of flowers, vines, and strawberries in bright primary and secondary colors, with birds, a butterfly, a frog, a ladybug, and a bee enjoying the vegetation.

Spring is for Gardening

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The cover depicts a garden of flowers, vines, and strawberries in bright primary and secondary colors, with birds, a butterfly, a frog, a ladybug, and a bee enjoying the vegetation.

By Laci R.

Spring is here once again – and you know what that means? It’s the perfect time to share these wonderful gardening books with the children in your life. Gardening is a passion of mine for many reasons. It’s become a reliable place of peace and comfort, I get to see a variety of pollinator friends, and I have a permanent seat in a never-ending classroom. I like to encourage others not only to find a way to connect to nature but to look into all the methods and styles of gardening. My garden started with two or three potted plants. Over the past couple of years, my container deck garden has transformed into a whimsical fairytale oasis.

The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen
This story reminds us that our imagination can bring just as much wonder into our lives as anything we experience in the physical world. Join this adorable grandfather and granddaughter as they bring life into the most beautiful imaginary garden. As they paint- brick walls are built for vining plants to climb, crocuses are popping up as the first sight of Spring, and a robin eats a worm for lunch. Later, the granddaughter is left to care for the garden while her grandfather is away on vacation, and she’s determined to make him proud. Imaginary or not, gardens require hard work and a whole lot of love.

Pair With: My Garden by Kevin Henkes (also available as an audiobook on CD)
This book reminds me of Alice in Wonderland as she sits amongst the flowers and describes her perfect world. While the flowers in this book won’t talk with you for hours, they do change colors just by thinking about it. Join an imaginative little girl as she tells you all about her dream garden – including a jellybean bush, invisible carrots, and glowing lantern strawberries.

A Peaceful Garden by Lucy London
Join these two feline friends as they prepare, plant, and tend to their peaceful garden. This book is a great introduction to the joys of gardening through a simple yet sweet story that walks you through what the process might look like to get ready for your own garden. Throughout, you’ll see garden dwellers making an appearance, some that a lot of people try to deter from their space. This peaceful garden is all about making sure everyone knows they’re welcome and cared for. What will you grow in your peaceful garden?

The cover depicts a rooftop garden with a diverse group of people working to plant in the soil. The cityscape is in the background against a sky of oranges and yellows.



Thank You, Garden by Liz Scanlon
The illustrations show a diverse community of children and neighbors working together on a city garden. Through rhyme, you learn about what goes into making a garden so lovely – including the times that call for being silly and playing in water from the hose. This book does a great job of showing the rewards of hard work. While the text isn’t abundant in this story, the artwork tells you more than words ever could.

Pair with: Fox’s Garden by Princesse Camcam
This wordless picture book utilizes mixed media in a dreamy way that will certainly spark a fulfilling discussion. It’s Winter, and Fox is looking for a safe and cozy place to have her pups after being chased out of a village. She comes across a greenhouse and nestles in. Soon, Fox and her pups are greeted by a young boy who gently places a basket of food on the ground before leaving them be. Fox and her pups repay the favor with a beautiful “thank you” waiting to be found in the boy’s bedroom when he wakes the next morning.

The cover depicts a boy and a black cat in a dense garden of flowers and tropical plants, in shades of blue, green, yellow, and mauve.


Tokyo Digs a Garden by Jon-Erik Lappano
Tokyo lives in a small house between giant buildings. Skyscrapers and highways hold the space where hills and trees used to be. Tokyo is determined to help his grandfather have a garden despite the city “eating up the land” years ago. He meets an old woman who gifts him three beans that will become whatever is imagined of them during planting time. What happens next is a beautiful and fast-paced adventure showing how nature behaves in a city. Animals replace cars on the roads and streets become rivers. Will city life and wildlife be able to co-exist? This book is a thoughtful portrait of environmentalism and imagination. At first, this story might seem familiar – beans that you can wish on. I promise you’re in for a treat with this modern story that feels classic.

Florette by Anna Walker
Mae moves to a new home in the city and is forced to leave her beloved garden behind. Once there, Mae starts to realize just how empty this new house feels without a garden to play in and butterflies to chase. She tries to recreate the wonder by drawing and painting flowers on the stacks of boxes filling every room. Realizing she has to search a bit further, Mae sets out on an adventure and finds a lush green botanical shop… but it’s closed. She waits, but the door never opens. In the distance, there’s a small green sprout in a crack between the building and sidewalk where Mae rescues her very own piece of the forest. Is there room for a garden in the city, after all?

Gardening for Beginners by Emily Bone
Learning any new skill can be intimidating at first. This book is an excellent resource for any age and especially perfect for developing a new skill alongside the children in your life. I learned a great deal from this book when I first started gardening and was overwhelmed by information. This book has an easy-to-follow page design, and there is also a breakdown of how to interpret each section of the page in the beginning of the book. The visual appeal of this book makes the information more digestible and easier to retain.

Pair with: Flowers by Gail Gibbons
Gail Gibbons is a favorite for a reason. This book is no exception for anyone interested in learning about flowers. It covers the basics of flower parts, growth, seed travel, pollination, and the various ways flowers are categorized.

I hope this assortment of gardening books brings some green, inspiration, and curiosity into your home.  Gardening is for everyone and doesn’t have one look or motivating factor. I challenge you to grow something this year – whether it’s your family’s favorite tomato or melon, flowers for our pollinator friends, or your imagination.

Laci is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS. They love a wide variety of music, spending time in the garden, Halloween, cats, and crafting. Their “to read” list is always full of graphic novels and picture books.