Despairing that you can’t get little Hailee off her phone or that you only see young Dylan by the green glow of his endless videogame? You might want to use gardening to get them outdoors in the fresh air, interacting with living things vs. electronics.

“Gardening, whether kids are doing that at home, at school, or in the community, positively impacts children's health, their wellbeing, their development, and ultimately the environment,” said Laura Mylan, Chief Strategy Officer, External Relations, Children & Nature Network, a nonprofit that seeks to connect the next generation to our natural world.

Books are a great way to gear up excitement in kids for gardening. Mylan said, “Reading is a great way to introduce some of these bigger concepts that are a little bit more abstract, like seasons or the cycles of the sun.” Here, some great picks that’ll help you along that path.

Neighborhood children brave the outdoors sun to build a community garden amidst an urban setting. And no, their parents did not have to leave a trail of Snickers to entice them out. “It’s empowering by showing kids that they have agency and can come up with great ideas that are both fun and meaningful,” said Mylan.

Part of the Natural World Board Book series; there is also My Little Pond, My Little Forest, and My Little Ocean. In this one, cute little critters (Hedgehog, Mouse and Sparrow) show the reader all about their garden home. Your tot will be able to distinguish a daisy from a tulip in no time flat.

As mother and daughter plant bulbs and seeds in their backyard, readers learn the basics of gardening. Illustrated with really cool paper collages.

An introduction to nature through poetic text and wonderful collage designs that will delight young ones. Can you have too much collage? We don’t think so.

Look for the 75th anniversary edition about the little seed that could, a favorite for generations. “It’s a great story, both about nature and planting, and about patience and perseverance as well,” said Mylan.

Inspired by a giant flower, a little gardener tries to make the rest of his field flower and grow. Can he do it? (He thinks he can, he thinks he can…)

Sisters Corn, Squash, and Bean teach children about the seasons and other indigenous wisdom. If your kids weren’t curious before, they will be once they dive in.

In this National Book Award winner, a young girl celebrates nature by strewing seeds across Maine. Perfect for the child more interested in dropping than picking up.

A lovely collection of poems about our connection to nature. A big paean to getting the heck outside and a Caldecott Honor Book.

“This is great one for introducing the concept of seasons, of the life cycle of a flower, and the idea that this tiny, little thing that can have a big impact,” says Mylan. Includes a piece of detachable seed-embedded paper to plant, which is a terrific nudge to get outside and get gardening.

Dr. Seuss's famous mustachioed orange creature is probably responsible for making environmentalists out of millions of kids over the decades with his impassioned cry, “I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees.” A must for any kid's library.

Through a year of gardening, a girl and her grandmother get real down and messy learning how a garden’s ecosystem works.

Wanna get hands on dirty with your kids? These easy-to-follow activity cards in five different categories invite children will provide options all year round.

Ready, set, plant! Action-oriented children will have just what they need with this compendium of detailed directions for 120 gardening projects. Illustrated with more than 1,100 photos.

This lyrical biography about the master gardener shows how, at age 12, she sculpted the harsh Maine landscape into a beautifully blooming wonderland.

This beloved swoon-worthy classic still holds up for tweens. Orphaned Mary Lennox finds an abandoned garden at her great-uncle’s house. Can she bring it back to life with the help of two new friends? Perfect for every angsty tween who feels overlooked and misunderstood.

Haiku poems that
feature the natural world
through many flowers.

Native American and botanist Kimmerer teaches young adults to listen to the earth and its plants to gain a broader ecological understanding of our world. School Library Journal said, "A book that is entirely in a class of its own, this belongs in every collection for teens.”

This award-winning memoir of the youth climate activist may inspire readers to join the movement! The autistic Irish author shares a year in his life, connecting with the natural world.

This book educates teens about sustainable practices and planting more native species and providing wildlife habitats, right in their yard. “Kids are experiencing climate anxiety today. Science tells us that when kids do proactive things to conserve nature, they're better able to manage some of that anxiety. They feel better about the world when they participate in helping it,” notes Moylan.

If you are looking to inspire an urban garden, this award-winner is it. A young Vietnamese immigrant creates a community garden with the help of his diverse neighbors.

Did we miss one of your favorites? Tell us on Instagram @scottsmiraclegro.