Pistes d'exploration

Create lists of objects in our world that are typically orange, red, purple, etc.

Talk about rainbows (science) and the pot of gold (myth) at the end of a rainbow.

Sort into alphabetical order the flower and plant names from the text.

Talk about the seasons and what needs to be done in the garden at each time of year.

Make a lift-the-flap book about the seasons. Under each flap write something you can do in that season.

Discuss the cover: Which colours do you see? Which flowers? Which is your favourite flower? What is Québec’s provincial flower?

Draw a bouquet of flowers for someone special. Which flowers will you include? Which colours? Label your illustration.

Draw and label the parts of a flower (petals, stem, leaves). Describe the flower you chose. What kind of flower is it and what does it need to grow? What are the stages in a plant’s life?

The Gardener

Mots-clés

Picture book , colours , flowers , gardening , gardens , life cycles , plants , seasons

Commentaire descriptif

“Every year Mom and I plant a rainbow.” So begins this simple yet educational book that offers young readers an inside look at how a garden grows. Told from the perspective of the child, the narrative follows the seasonal cycle of their gardening activities: planting fall bulbs, ordering seeds from the catalogue, going to the garden center, sowing seeds, picking the flowers and starting all over again next year. Double-page spreads feature vibrant collage illustrations of plants, seeds and bulbs, and six pages of staggered widths depict a colourful range of flora, creating a bold rainbow effect. The inclusion of plant words (rhizome, bulb) and flower names (iris, hyacinth, zinnia, marigold) provides an excellent opportunity to learn new vocabulary. A tribute to the joys and pleasures of gardening, the book is also a reminder of the importance of respecting and caring for the environment.