It begins with the child watching and learning how bees gather pollen and distribute it as they move from flower to flower, and that bees will also eat pollen. Other animals are also discussed and include butterflies, bats and possums.
The action takes place in the grandparents' garden. The child and adults observe what's happening. They eat lunch and talk about what they've seen and how colours and smells help attract some of the animals to pollinate, and some plants don't need animals at all because the wind helps to do that job.
Pollination helps highlight the importance of this process for the life of plants and the survival of animals. Without pollination there are many foods we wouldn't have access to, and items like cotton wouldn't be available for making clothes.
Wonderful, slightly retro-style colourful illustrations depict all these activities, so readers can feel a part of the experience.
Pollination: How Does My Garden Grow? is an important part of nature's life cycle. Christopher Cheng and Danny Snell have done a great job of creating a narrative nonfiction picture book packed full of details that will help children (and adults) understand something that happens around us all the time, but which we might not really see or take much notice of.
A great book for learning about the environment, sustainability, garden and animal life. Something that everyone can benefit from.
Teachers' notes are available to download from the publisher's website.
Title: Pollination: How does my garden grow?
Author: Chris Cheng
Illustrator: Danny Snell
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing, $24.99
Publication Date: February 2023
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781486313235
For ages: 5 - 9
Type: Junior Non-Fiction