Ask the Author: Georges FINE
Answered Questions (3)
Georges FINE
Right now, I’m working on several exciting projects!
• I’m adapting "The Inspiring Gardening Book for Kids" for Europe by including a European Hardiness Zone Map and replacing some plants with species that are better suited to local climates.
• I’m creating an improved gardening logbook for children, building on the one featured in "My Gardening Guide and Log Book", to make it even more engaging and practical for young gardeners.
• I’m also working on a book dedicated to planting and caring for decorative bushes and small trees, offering kids and families guidance on growing beautiful, lasting greenery in their gardens.
• Finally, I’m diving into the past with a book about the Carboniferous era, a fascinating time when plants first began to populate the Earth’s land, shaping the world as we know it today.
Each of these projects shares a common goal: inspiring young readers to explore and appreciate the natural world, whether through hands-on gardening or learning about the deep history of plants on our planet!
• I’m adapting "The Inspiring Gardening Book for Kids" for Europe by including a European Hardiness Zone Map and replacing some plants with species that are better suited to local climates.
• I’m creating an improved gardening logbook for children, building on the one featured in "My Gardening Guide and Log Book", to make it even more engaging and practical for young gardeners.
• I’m also working on a book dedicated to planting and caring for decorative bushes and small trees, offering kids and families guidance on growing beautiful, lasting greenery in their gardens.
• Finally, I’m diving into the past with a book about the Carboniferous era, a fascinating time when plants first began to populate the Earth’s land, shaping the world as we know it today.
Each of these projects shares a common goal: inspiring young readers to explore and appreciate the natural world, whether through hands-on gardening or learning about the deep history of plants on our planet!
Georges FINE
Inspiration often comes unexpectedly, and for me, it happened in May 2023 during a visit to the breathtaking Monet Garden in Giverny (Normandy, France). It was a family outing, and while sitting on a bench on the border of the Nympheas pond with my 6-year-old son, I took in the scene around us—colorful flowers in full bloom, bees and butterflies busily flitting from petal to petal, and despite the many visitors from all over the world, a peaceful atmosphere.
At that moment, I imagined a story for children, featuring a young gardener who would care for such a vibrant garden and all the insects, critters, and animals thriving within it. I imagined a child, a little older than my son, marveling at nature as we did that day. That vision became the spark for my first book, "The Little Gardener and the Butterfly Ballet".
To celebrate Claude Monet and the beauty of impressionism, I decided to illustrate the book with spread illustrations created in an impressionist painting style, using MidJourney AI. This artistic choice brings a dreamy, painterly feel to the book, echoing the magical atmosphere of Monet’s garden and immersing young readers in a world of color and wonder.
After this book, I turned to non-fiction, hoping to inspire young readers to explore the fascinating world around them and encourage them to care for nature through hands-on activities like gardening. This led to "My Gardening Guide and Log Book" and "The Inspiring Gardening Book for Kids", where I combined practical gardening guidance with fun activities to help children connect with nature in a meaningful way.
At that moment, I imagined a story for children, featuring a young gardener who would care for such a vibrant garden and all the insects, critters, and animals thriving within it. I imagined a child, a little older than my son, marveling at nature as we did that day. That vision became the spark for my first book, "The Little Gardener and the Butterfly Ballet".
To celebrate Claude Monet and the beauty of impressionism, I decided to illustrate the book with spread illustrations created in an impressionist painting style, using MidJourney AI. This artistic choice brings a dreamy, painterly feel to the book, echoing the magical atmosphere of Monet’s garden and immersing young readers in a world of color and wonder.
After this book, I turned to non-fiction, hoping to inspire young readers to explore the fascinating world around them and encourage them to care for nature through hands-on activities like gardening. This led to "My Gardening Guide and Log Book" and "The Inspiring Gardening Book for Kids", where I combined practical gardening guidance with fun activities to help children connect with nature in a meaningful way.
Georges FINE
The idea for "The Inspiring Gardening Book for Kids" grew from my previous book, "My Gardening Guide and Log Book", which introduced young beginners (ages 8-12) to five easy-to-care-for flowers and encouraged them to track their growth. After publishing that book, I wanted to go further—offering kids a wider variety of flowers to grow.
I thought back to my own childhood: if I had received a book about pollinator-friendly plants at age eight, I would have started gardening right away! But what if the flowers in the book couldn’t be planted at that moment? I wanted to make sure kids could start growing plants in any season, whether indoors or outdoors.
So, I carefully selected flowers that were easy to care for, non- or mildly-toxic, and that could be planted throughout the year. Since some flowers are tricky to grow from seed, I also included bulb planting.
Beyond just listing plants, I wanted to spark curiosity about nature, so I added fun activities—like building an insect hotel or using edible flowers in salads and drinks. The book also explains key gardening concepts, such as the plant life cycle, the interactions between plants and animals, and essential gardening practices like preparing the soil and year-round garden care. My goal was to create a book that would not only teach kids how to garden but also help them connect with nature in a hands-on, engaging way.
I thought back to my own childhood: if I had received a book about pollinator-friendly plants at age eight, I would have started gardening right away! But what if the flowers in the book couldn’t be planted at that moment? I wanted to make sure kids could start growing plants in any season, whether indoors or outdoors.
So, I carefully selected flowers that were easy to care for, non- or mildly-toxic, and that could be planted throughout the year. Since some flowers are tricky to grow from seed, I also included bulb planting.
Beyond just listing plants, I wanted to spark curiosity about nature, so I added fun activities—like building an insect hotel or using edible flowers in salads and drinks. The book also explains key gardening concepts, such as the plant life cycle, the interactions between plants and animals, and essential gardening practices like preparing the soil and year-round garden care. My goal was to create a book that would not only teach kids how to garden but also help them connect with nature in a hands-on, engaging way.
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