10 Books for Early Years Around Growth and New Life
10 Great Books All About Growth and New Life!
Growth and New Life
Whether it’s planting seeds or talking about when they were a baby, children are fascinated with how things grow and change.
In this month’s booklist, we’ve picked ten books that could lead to interesting conversations and inspire more exploration in your provision (we’d love to hear about where these books take you and your children) 🌱
As always we have provided links to the books, they are not affiliate links just there so you can find them.
If you have a favourite book about growing or new life, that we haven’t included please share it in the comments and tell us why you and your children love it!
Errol’s Garden by Gillian Hibbs
Errol loves growing things - and is really good at it! He is so good that they are running out of room at home for all his gorgeous plants. He dreams of having a garden, until one day he discovers the roof and decides it could be the perfect space for a garden.
This fabulous book could prompt conversations about planting and growing - and also about community and working together to make our space beautiful.
Questions and prompts
Have you grown anything?
Can you find a flower?
How are they looking after the flowers?
I wonder what all the people are doing?
What would you plant in your garden?
Provide some pens, paper and pictures so children can draw their own plans.
If you have a garden - help the children to take photographs of it throughout the year, and then look at them together and see how it changes.
Errol's garden by Gillian Hibbs.
Little Seed by Hector Dexet
This newly published book tells the story of a seed as it is blown in the wind, waits in the ground and then grows into a beautiful flower. The illustrations are bright and joyful with plenty of details for the children to explore, including flaps and cut-outs on each page.
This book will help the children learn about how a seed grows into a plant and then a flower.
Questions and prompts
Can you find the seed?
What is this? (point to a ladybird, bee or other minibeast on the page)
I wonder what the seed needs to help it grow…
Use the Internet or a book to find out the names of insects you do not know together.
Give each child a picture of a plant or creature from a page in the book and ask them to hold it up/stand up when they see it in the book.
The Extraordinary Gardener by Sam Boughton
In this book we meet Joe, a child with an incredible imagination. One day, while he is reading a book he has an idea about how he can make one of his ideas a reality. He finds a seed, plants it, feeds it, waters it and waits … and waits … and waits… eventually stops waiting and goes back to imagining. But, something was happening and one day he notices something while he is playing, and discovers that his seed has grown into a beautiful tree. He finds more seeds to grow and realises that his garden makes his neighbours happy - so he decides to share his garden.
Questions and prompts
I wonder what Joe’s idea could be?
What has Joe found in the apple?
What does the seed need to grow?
I wonder how Joe feels while he is waiting - what do you think?
What can you see on Joe’s tree?
Who could we share our garden with?
The extraordinary gardener by Sam Boughton.
Luna Loves Gardening by Joseph Coelho and Fiona Lumbers
In this bright and colourful book, Luna goes to the community garden with her Dad where she meets Nana and Grandpa. Luna meets other gardeners and swaps seeds from around the world with them. She hears the stories linked to the seeds - and finds out about the care and patience needed as they grow.
This is a book about gardens, community and the world, and we think your children will notice something different each time you share it.
Questions and prompts
Show me the wellies/waterproofs/seeds?
Do you think Luna likes puddles? How do you know?
What’s a desert?
Can you find a butterfly?
Let’s look for things that are helping the seeds and plants to grow…
Luna loves gardening by Joseph Coelho and Fiona Lumbers.
One Little Egg by Becky Davies and Charlotte Pepper
This book is part of a series of non-fiction books all about exploring nature (other books in the series are One little bug and One little seed). It is a lift-the-flap book that is filled with facts - each page could take your children’s learning in a different direction as they find out about eggs, habitats, bird song and more.
This book would be fantastic to share with one child or a small group - perhaps as a starting point for finding out more about bird’s eggs or going outside to listen to birdsong. You could even get families involved with some bird spotting when they are out and about.
Questions and prompts
Can you see a blue egg?
Can you find a bird like this one (show the children a picture)?
If we’re quiet can we hear any birds? (you could share the book outside so this is more likely)
Tell me about the birds you can see on this page?
Listen to some bird song together - have you heard any of these songs when they have been outside? (The RSPB website may be helpful - Bird song identifier: 15 common bird sounds for beginners)
One little egg by Becky Davies and Charlotte Pepper.
Who is in the Egg? by Alexandra Milton
In this book, we see eggs of different shapes and sizes, laid in different places - each time the question is, ‘Who’s in the egg?’ The children can look at the pictures and think about who may be in each egg, before finding out if they were right on the next page. Alongside the reveal of each baby, there is a simple fact which may lead to more conversation about what they know about each animal.
This is a beautifully illustrated book, which will fascinate children as they learn about some of the babies that hatch out of eggs.
Questions and prompts
Can you see the nest?
What could be in the egg?
Let’s find out more about …(when you have read the book why not find out more about the animals - you could find information online, then share the book again).
Give the children pictures or small-world toys (if you have them) of the creatures in the book - they can hold them up when they see the baby.
Who is in the egg? by Alexandra Milton.
The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin
This beautifully illustrated book with rhyming text about growing up captures the wonderful individuality of every child. Each child has their own talents and interests, and whatever they choose to be as they grow they will be loved.
The book may prompt discussions about what your children can do now, that they couldn’t do when they were younger. It could be the starting point for conversations about each child’s interests, strengths and positive qualities.
Questions and prompts
Can you find the balloon?
How do babies tell other people that they need something?
What ways can you tell people now? (think about the different ways children communicate - by taking someone’s hand, signing, using visuals, facial expressions as well as with words)
What do you love doing now?
What would you like to do when you’re bigger?
Tell the person next to you one great thing about them (discuss some ideas with the group/class first)
The wonderful things you will be by Emily Winifred Martin
Welcome to the World by Julia Donaldson and Helen Oxenbury
The rhyming text is all about welcoming a baby to the world - and to all the things they meet. From day and night, to grannies and grandads and cats and dogs, the book is a reminder of the wonder of seeing things for the first time.
This beautiful book could start a conversation about how the children have changed since they were babies - and all the things they now know and can do.
Questions and prompts
I wonder what the baby thinks about seeing day/night for the very first time?
What do you think you wanted to look at when you were a baby? (children may have heard about a favourite toy or experience)
Can you see something the baby has learnt to do (you could use the picture of babies sitting together, some are crawling).
What can you do now that you couldn’t do when you were a baby?
What would you like to learn to do as you get bigger?
Welcome to the world by Julia Donaldson and Helen Oxenbury.
My Tree by Amy Sparkes and Fiona Lumbers
This is a story about growth and about endings and new beginnings. The tree in the garden is a place for play, comfort and imagination. But, one night a storm comes and it is time for the tree to go and the adventures to end. An acorn on the ground brings hope and with care it grows, and grows and grows. And the adventures begin again.
This book shows how new beginnings can sometimes follow sad or difficult endings. It captures the joy of time spent in nature and even has some information in the back pages about how trees grow and change with the seasons.
Questions and prompts
Can you find a bee?
What is the baby doing? (look at the picture of the baby being held up to the tree together)
Can you show me the picture of the tree in winter?
Where would you go if you were playing on the tree?
How do you think she feels now the tree has fallen? How can you tell?
Can you say acorn?
Look at how the tree and the girl are changing as they grow...
My tree by Amy Sparkes and Fiona Lumbers.
All the Things You Will Do by Lucy Rowland and Neely Daggett
This gorgeous book is full of joy and excitement for the future. The rhythmic text suggests all the wonderful things children could do as they have new experiences and grow. While it may not always be easy to do something new or hard - this book is full of confidence that each child will do amazing things.
This book can support conversations about every child’s unique strengths and interests, as well as about carrying on when something feels difficult.
Questions and prompts
Can you find the flag?
Would you like to climb a mountain/sing/dance/paint?
Do you sometimes feel worried?
What helps you when you feel like that?
How could we help each other when something feels hard?
All the things you will do by Lucy Rowland and Neely Daggett
