2020-2021 Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award List 2019 Florida Book Award - Bronze Medal It's springtime and Badger is ready to plant the perfect garden. He has spent months gathering and sorting seeds. It's been a lot of work but it's worth it. His friends Red Squirrel, Dormouse, and Weasel come to help. They weed. They rake. And finally they plant. Afterward, everyone celebrates, and Badger can already imagine the perfect rows of flowers and vegetables. But then a rainstorm comes and washes away the beautiful seeds. Badger's perfect garden is ruined. Or is it? Author Marsha Diane Arnold's gentle story will encourage young readers to think beyond plans and expectations and imagine the wonderful possibilities that may occur when life and nature have other ideas.

Badgers have always lived under the old oak tree. But one day, a terrible storm arrives. Big-hearted Badger works hard to keep his friends safe from the bad weather – protecting burrows and rescuing nests. But who will look after Badger’s home in the old oak tree? Badger and the Great Storm is a warm and touching tale of friendship, courage and new beginnings. With gently humorous illustrations from Caroline Pedler (Don’t Wake the Bear, Hare! and There’s No Such Thing as Monsters!), it’s the perfect book for sharing with children.

With wit and wisdom, an Oxford historian and Financial Times gardening columnist recounts his deep passion and appreciation for gardening.

The intriguing facts and faces, history and places of Wisconsin are revealed to readers young and old in B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet. From its leaders in fine arts and architecture (Georgia O'Keefe and Frank Lloyd Wright) to its pioneers in nature conservation (John Muir and Aldo Leopold), Wisconsin has been an influence on major movements in education, industry, and use of natural resources. Brought to life with lyric rhymes and expressive, original artwork, B is for Badger showcases for natives and visitors alike the splendors of Wisconsin.Born in Tower, Minnesota, Kathy-jo Wargin has spent a great deal of time in the upper Midwest. Previously, she teamed up with illustrator Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen on the award-winning Legend series, including The Legend of the Lady's Slipper (Upper Midwest Bookseller's Favorite). B is for Badger is her fourth state alphabet book. She lives with her family in Petoskey, Michigan.Renee Graef is new to the Sleeping Bear Press family but is very well known as a children's book illustrator for the American Girls collection with Pleasant Company. She has also illustrated for Boyd's Bears and is the illustrator of HarperCollin's My First Little House series. Renee attended the University of Wisconsin and the University of Madison; she lives in Milwaukee with her family.

The Meeting

As the Name Day celebration approaches, a young kitten tries to deserve a noble name, by following the path of the beautiful Bengal tiger.

“Vivian French tells a gardening adventure and offers underground facts, including helpful hints on how to become a ‘wormologist.’ “ — USA Today Who would want to be friends with a wiggly, slimy worm? You can’t even tell which end is which! But there’s more to these lowly creatures than meets the eye. Kids are invited to find out where worms live, see how they move, and understand why gardeners consider them friends with the help of this humorous and informative look at an unappreciated — and fascinating — creature. Back matter includes further information about worms and an index.

Badger's friends are sad when he dies but treasure the memories he left them. "The gentle message holds particular validity for children and is conveyed in a tenderhearted. ..manner."-- Book1ist.

In Thoughtful Gardening, award-winning historian and Financial Times gardening columnist Robin Lane Fox takes readers on a delightful journey through each season of the gardening year. From fending off vine-weevils to visiting Yves Saint Laurent's private gardens in Marrakech, Fox imbues each of his musings with grace, sophistication, and charm. Essential reading for anyone planting a new garden or taking stock of one after several years, Thoughtful Gardening offers expert advice and a touching reminder of the power of art and literature to deepen what we see and experience in nature. Combining a vast understanding of horticulture with witty and stylish storytelling, these vignettes form -- season by season -- a rich reflection on the lessons, challenges, and joys of life with a green thumb.