Plant a pumpkin seed with a child and cultivate wonder. This simple act of reconnecting children with nature is Sharon Lovejoy's purpose and joy, and gift. In her newest book, Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots, she presents 12 spirited, easy-to-implement ideas for theme gardens that parents and kids can grow together. Illustrated throughout by the author's own lyrical watercolors, each garden includes a plan, the planting recipe (seeds, seedlings, and growing instructions spelled out step by step), and activities. There's the Pizza Patch, a giant wheel garden planted in "slices" of tomatoes, zucchini, oregano, and basil. There’s a Flowery Maze to get lost in, and a Moon Garden of night-blooming flowers (including a moonflower tent). And there’s Mother Nature's Medicine Chest.

Discovery Walks teach kids how the gardens work, and a chapter on gardening basics includes a child-friendly 10-Minute Plan for planting and maintenance. And you’ll find a list of the top 20 plants guaranteed to make gardeners out of kids.