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Planting a Rainbow
In this perennial classic by Caldecott Honor–winning author Lois Ehlert, little ones learn the colors of the rainbow as they watch a plants grow in a beautifully vibrant garden. Through brilliant, textured cut paper collages, the story follows the progress of a mother and daughter in their backyard as they plant bulbs, seeds, and seedlings and nurture their growth into flowers. Bold, spare text and dazzling illustrations will inspire readers to take a closer look at the natural world and maybe even start a garden of their own. Celebrate Earth Day, spring, and the basics of gardening while improving color recognition with Lois Ehlert's Planting a Rainbow !
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
72 people are currently reading
2240 people want to read
About the author
Lois Ehlert
84 books196 followersLois Ehlert has created numerous inventive, celebrated, and bestselling picture books, including Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Holey Moley, The Scraps Book, Mice, Ten Little Caterpillars, RRRalph, Lots of Spots, Boo to You!, Leaf Man, Waiting for Wings, Planting a Rainbow, Growing Vegetable Soup, and Color Zoo, which received a Caldecott Honor. She lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
November 8, 2016
Every year Mom and I plant a rainbow.
Each letter in the word 'rainbow' is a different color.
In the fall we buy some bulbs and plant them in the ground.
This book is a good book if you want to teach a child about plant names. Although the text is extremely simple, We have some red flowers, and orange flowers, the names of all the flowers are listed (on the flower, or on the Popsicle stick that marks each plot) in every single picture. So you have terms like zinnia, tiger lily, and delphinium littering the pages. If you want your child to go around being able to identify flowers like phlox and bearded iris, this is a good start.
The next step, and really the most important step, is to walk with your child around the neighborhood and point out and identify the flowers and plants and trees yourself. LOL So this requires a little studying and knowledge on your part.
My grandfather and grandmother were nature experts, and I cherished walks with them on which they could magically (it seemed to me) identify every single flower and tree and bush we came across. My grandmother could also identify any bird song or bird call. She was an amazing woman. They taught me a lot. If you want your child to have this kind of childhood, you yourself have to know nature - or have parents or in-laws who know nature.
It's definitely fun and beneficial for kids. Kids love nature.
Which doesn't necessarily mean kids love gardening. After all, that's more 'work.' Simply going on a walk and practicing identifying plants is more 'fun.' And kids love being experts on stuff. :) I'm warning you right now that forcing your children to garden will ensure they have no interest in it. I recommend only doing what they are interested in as far as gardening goes, and if they lose interest, let it go instead of pushing it.
Children also might have an interest in cooking/eating what is grown in a vegetable garden. See Growing Vegetable Soup by the same author.
In this book, the genderless child (never pictured) and mother (never pictured) love gardening together and plant a variety of colorful plants every year together.
If you are familiar with Ehlert, you'll know that her pictures are fun and colorful.
Another fun inclusion in this book is her color section. She styles this after The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the pages are cut - first very short, and then longer and longer - and form a rainbow when shut. As you unfold each page, there gets to be more and more surface area with each color. So the red pages are the shortest, and the purple pages are longest. Children find this fun and inventive. I like it, as well. Children's authors should feel free to be fun and creative.
Tl;dr - A fun, colorful, bright book about flower identification. A welcome addition to any library.
Ages 2-6.
Each letter in the word 'rainbow' is a different color.
In the fall we buy some bulbs and plant them in the ground.
This book is a good book if you want to teach a child about plant names. Although the text is extremely simple, We have some red flowers, and orange flowers, the names of all the flowers are listed (on the flower, or on the Popsicle stick that marks each plot) in every single picture. So you have terms like zinnia, tiger lily, and delphinium littering the pages. If you want your child to go around being able to identify flowers like phlox and bearded iris, this is a good start.
The next step, and really the most important step, is to walk with your child around the neighborhood and point out and identify the flowers and plants and trees yourself. LOL So this requires a little studying and knowledge on your part.
My grandfather and grandmother were nature experts, and I cherished walks with them on which they could magically (it seemed to me) identify every single flower and tree and bush we came across. My grandmother could also identify any bird song or bird call. She was an amazing woman. They taught me a lot. If you want your child to have this kind of childhood, you yourself have to know nature - or have parents or in-laws who know nature.
It's definitely fun and beneficial for kids. Kids love nature.
Which doesn't necessarily mean kids love gardening. After all, that's more 'work.' Simply going on a walk and practicing identifying plants is more 'fun.' And kids love being experts on stuff. :) I'm warning you right now that forcing your children to garden will ensure they have no interest in it. I recommend only doing what they are interested in as far as gardening goes, and if they lose interest, let it go instead of pushing it.
Children also might have an interest in cooking/eating what is grown in a vegetable garden. See Growing Vegetable Soup by the same author.
In this book, the genderless child (never pictured) and mother (never pictured) love gardening together and plant a variety of colorful plants every year together.
If you are familiar with Ehlert, you'll know that her pictures are fun and colorful.
Another fun inclusion in this book is her color section. She styles this after The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the pages are cut - first very short, and then longer and longer - and form a rainbow when shut. As you unfold each page, there gets to be more and more surface area with each color. So the red pages are the shortest, and the purple pages are longest. Children find this fun and inventive. I like it, as well. Children's authors should feel free to be fun and creative.
Tl;dr - A fun, colorful, bright book about flower identification. A welcome addition to any library.
Ages 2-6.
May 10, 2012
This is a story about a little girl and her mother who plant seeds in their garden. The girl sees these different coloured flowers come out but thinks they are rainbows.
This is a great book for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. Nursery can use this to be introduced to colours. Reception children will develop their KUW of how plants grow. We could bring in some real plants and flowers for the children. KS1 /2 will be able to use this to learn about the life cycle as part of science and perhaps base a lesson around growing their own seeds and watching them grow. This should also help children care for the environment and respect all living things.
This is a great book for EYFS, KS1 and KS2. Nursery can use this to be introduced to colours. Reception children will develop their KUW of how plants grow. We could bring in some real plants and flowers for the children. KS1 /2 will be able to use this to learn about the life cycle as part of science and perhaps base a lesson around growing their own seeds and watching them grow. This should also help children care for the environment and respect all living things.
September 16, 2020
NEWTS Readthon
Career: Wandmaker
Subject: Herbology
Prompt: Puffapods-flowers on the cover
Grade: A, Acceptable
Career: Wandmaker
Subject: Herbology
Prompt: Puffapods-flowers on the cover
Grade: A, Acceptable
May 17, 2016
I use this every year for spring-flower-gardening story time. It is always a big hit with preschool. We end by making a flower picture on a flannel board. 1992
A girl picked this (I had her select, so she would listen to a story instead of going to the Early Learning computer.) tonight and had Ms. Piggy (her stuffed animal?) name all the colors (a boy and his dragon got in on the act too). 5/22/12
Used this for a preschool garden program, since we had it in a big book format and I had 2 day cares show for the program. Didn't have enough flannel pieces to do the flower picture. 5/13/14
Used this for both Lap Time (we haven't gotten inter-branch mail for 5 days so didn't have my regular book) and Story Time (were I let the 2's make my a flannel flower picture). 5/12/15
Used as the 4th book since I had a class come at the end and I hadn't used it. We then made a flower picture on the flannel board.
A girl picked this (I had her select, so she would listen to a story instead of going to the Early Learning computer.) tonight and had Ms. Piggy (her stuffed animal?) name all the colors (a boy and his dragon got in on the act too). 5/22/12
Used this for a preschool garden program, since we had it in a big book format and I had 2 day cares show for the program. Didn't have enough flannel pieces to do the flower picture. 5/13/14
Used this for both Lap Time (we haven't gotten inter-branch mail for 5 days so didn't have my regular book) and Story Time (were I let the 2's make my a flannel flower picture). 5/12/15
Used as the 4th book since I had a class come at the end and I hadn't used it. We then made a flower picture on the flannel board.
June 17, 2013
We really enjoyed this book, the whole family. Bright colorful pictures, all about planting colorful flowers so you have a rainbow garden, this book is a solid level 1 reading book, as long as you don't count the names of the flowers. A great book to expand your vocabulary for flowers, although, even I had a difficult time remembering how to pronounce some of the names of the flowers.
March 20, 2021
Planting A Rainbow (My Kindle Review)
Today’s the first day of Spring, so this book was a perfect way to celebrate it. We see a beautiful garden, planted by a girl and her mom, slowly grow from the Fall to into Spring with many kinds of colorful plants. Simple put, a nice simple story with the colorful art that makes this garden a beautiful rainbow. A (100%/Outstanding)
Today’s the first day of Spring, so this book was a perfect way to celebrate it. We see a beautiful garden, planted by a girl and her mom, slowly grow from the Fall to into Spring with many kinds of colorful plants. Simple put, a nice simple story with the colorful art that makes this garden a beautiful rainbow. A (100%/Outstanding)
May 5, 2019
Very nice pictures.
This book has grown on me as I have become more interested in gardening. Used for "colors" storytime in April 2019.
This book has grown on me as I have become more interested in gardening. Used for "colors" storytime in April 2019.
January 29, 2019
Updated January 28, 2019: after planting several rainbow gardens as a family, this book was more enjoyed and understood this time.
April 15, 2024
A classic read aloud. Bright pictures with bold text in short sentences. Every plant is labeled too, which adds to early literacy to point out and name the plants. You can practice saying the plant names together.
September 24, 2012
Louis Ehlert books are wonderful for the colorful illustrations and introduction of new words. Many of the plants will be new to the kids and will present new vocabulary. I would use this book for a kindergarten or first grade, possibly second grade classroom, since there are less words throughout the book. This book could be used on a unit in teaching living v. nonliving. As a class we would plant our own plants to ingrain the steps in the book and other books we would have read. Since many of the pages focus on plants with particular colors I would have an art project where they would chose a color and paint/draw etc. their own plant.
February 28, 2014
This book so much fun! I love how they used the colors of the rainbow to help children understand how to plant seeds and tend to them. This book is quiet colorful and easy to read. Children will love it!
L.E: After reading this book allowed the children can plant their own seed in the classroom have each plant up by the window and the children can check its progress everyday and water it when they think it is needed.
Content:
1. Plants grow in the spring time.
2. Seeds need to be in warm soil to grow.
3. Vocabulary: Bulbs, Sprout, Seeds, Sprout, Sow, Blooms,
L.E: After reading this book allowed the children can plant their own seed in the classroom have each plant up by the window and the children can check its progress everyday and water it when they think it is needed.
Content:
1. Plants grow in the spring time.
2. Seeds need to be in warm soil to grow.
3. Vocabulary: Bulbs, Sprout, Seeds, Sprout, Sow, Blooms,
February 8, 2018
Lois Ehlert uses all the colors of the rainbow to teach children about how to plant a garden. The book starts with planting seeds then adding plants to their garden. Through the book you watch the garden grow as it gets warmer. She goes through all the colors of the rainbow and the different flowers that were grown. Lots of bright colors used and great illustrations!
January 3, 2019
A simple story about planting a garden doubles as a concept book to teach colors. The names of all the flowers are labelled as well. Bright, boldly colored paper-cut illustrations and sparse, large print will appeal to the youngest picture book audience. I especially like the staggered-length array of rainbow pages that feature the types of flowers found in the garden, according to color.
May 13, 2016
My daughter LOVES this book. As a nature-lover, I am happy to find child-friendly books that encourage planting flowers.
June 21, 2016
Planting a garden full of different colours.
Great for learning colours and seasons but I don't know about the whole complex flower names in a board book.
V @ 7 months old.
Great for learning colours and seasons but I don't know about the whole complex flower names in a board book.
V @ 7 months old.
February 22, 2018
Perfect book to teach about colors, flowers and gardening to a pre-schooler.
July 10, 2018
Bright clear illustrations on a white background make this a good one for a very littles one storytime. Simple text. I don't read all the labels of all the plants, just one or two a page.
April 6, 2025
I've been trying to read popular children's books that I might have missed as a child. Occasionally, I'll check out a book I think I haven't read, only to realize that I have, in fact read the book/had it read to me before. This is one of those books. As a child, it clearly hadn't made much of an impression on me, which makes sense. I was much more interested in complex narratives, and if I had interacted with a book like this, it would have involved me using my imagination to embellish the story.
However, reading this as an adult, I can appreciate the sweet, simple explanation of how plants grow. I liked the illustrations a lot, especially the use of color, and I liked how the names of the specific flowers were given. The flaps near the end were cool, and are probably really exciting for kids who want to engage in a hands-on way. From the perspective of someone who works with lots of different types of kids, I can imagine some kids being really fascinated by the gardening process, and this book being a great jumping-off point for lots of different questions about how gardening works.
However, reading this as an adult, I can appreciate the sweet, simple explanation of how plants grow. I liked the illustrations a lot, especially the use of color, and I liked how the names of the specific flowers were given. The flaps near the end were cool, and are probably really exciting for kids who want to engage in a hands-on way. From the perspective of someone who works with lots of different types of kids, I can imagine some kids being really fascinated by the gardening process, and this book being a great jumping-off point for lots of different questions about how gardening works.
March 3, 2020
Beautiful pictures, good for gardening storytimes. This book also goes through colours.
April 9, 2021
Mother and daughter spending their time together every year planting flowers who grow up to marvelous rainbow. Good if you want to learn flower's names quickly
April 28, 2021
Classic.
May 22, 2023
Lots to read if you want, but can be every simple
December 19, 2025
Beautiful illustrations!
May 2, 2021
Vibrant beautiful illustrations.
November 21, 2017
Text-Teaching-Connection:
"Planting a Rainbow" is a great kindergarten book to help reinforce colors!!!! The imagery in the picture book is awesome and engaging. Vibrant colors are definitely a good tool in this book, all of the flowers share colors and some are just single colors, as showcased by the child explanting how he creates a garden every year. While reading the book, have the students decipher and talk about the colors they see. Students need to make connections and this is a good way to keep students engaged. Students can also take the connection outside of the classroom. Ask the students to create a list of the flowers and their colors ver the weekend. It is a great home exercise and a good way to help get parents involved with your class.
"Planting a Rainbow" is a great kindergarten book to help reinforce colors!!!! The imagery in the picture book is awesome and engaging. Vibrant colors are definitely a good tool in this book, all of the flowers share colors and some are just single colors, as showcased by the child explanting how he creates a garden every year. While reading the book, have the students decipher and talk about the colors they see. Students need to make connections and this is a good way to keep students engaged. Students can also take the connection outside of the classroom. Ask the students to create a list of the flowers and their colors ver the weekend. It is a great home exercise and a good way to help get parents involved with your class.
May 5, 2017
This picture book is intended for ages 4 and up. Painting a Rainbow is a colorful way to teach a child how to plant flowers. It has small descriptions of the flowers and shows the more simple process of planting a garden.
Ehlert's picture book is educational and full of color that is eye-catching and inviting. The narrator is a child who explains the detailed process in a manner that is appropriate and easy to understand for the reader. Ehlert give the reader a detailed yet simplistic explanation of how to start one own's garden. This book is a great component for a spring time read as that is season that flowers begin to bloom and flourish. The illustrations are bold with the separation of each color of the rainbow popping from the pages.
5/4/2017
Ehlert's picture book is educational and full of color that is eye-catching and inviting. The narrator is a child who explains the detailed process in a manner that is appropriate and easy to understand for the reader. Ehlert give the reader a detailed yet simplistic explanation of how to start one own's garden. This book is a great component for a spring time read as that is season that flowers begin to bloom and flourish. The illustrations are bold with the separation of each color of the rainbow popping from the pages.
5/4/2017
February 12, 2025
A mother and her daughter plant a flower garden that has all the colors in the rainbow.
This is a heavy-hitting concept book. It teaches both colors as well as provides an introduction to gardening that shows the different ways to start plants (bulbs, seeds, and seedlings) and the names of decorative flowers most common to the Northwestern hemisphere's temperate climates.
The illustrations showcase Lois Ehlert at her best. They are bright colorful collages, making great use of white space. The section showing the flowers of different colors is designed to create a rainbow when the reader begins with red.
Planting a Rainbow would make an excellent spring book for young readers.
This is a heavy-hitting concept book. It teaches both colors as well as provides an introduction to gardening that shows the different ways to start plants (bulbs, seeds, and seedlings) and the names of decorative flowers most common to the Northwestern hemisphere's temperate climates.
The illustrations showcase Lois Ehlert at her best. They are bright colorful collages, making great use of white space. The section showing the flowers of different colors is designed to create a rainbow when the reader begins with red.
Planting a Rainbow would make an excellent spring book for young readers.
March 21, 2019
Today's storytime was Rainbow Magic in celebration of the official beginning of SPRING!
This book was a Harcourt Big Book which had GIANT pages. I love these books for storytime, especially for the bigger crowds. We learned the names of lots of different flowers, identified colors of the rainbow, and discussed how plants grow.
Extension activity: Coloring rainbows with crayons and making bracelets with Fruit Loops and pipe cleaners. Happy Spring, everyone!
This book was a Harcourt Big Book which had GIANT pages. I love these books for storytime, especially for the bigger crowds. We learned the names of lots of different flowers, identified colors of the rainbow, and discussed how plants grow.
Extension activity: Coloring rainbows with crayons and making bracelets with Fruit Loops and pipe cleaners. Happy Spring, everyone!
March 1, 2017
I love the illustrations! Big, bold, and colorful, the simple shapes really pop against the white background, making this great for storytimes. The six "cutaway" pages are especially effective at showing how the different colored plants and flowers make a rainbow. It reminded me a little bit of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." I think preschool-aged kids would enjoy naming the colors they recognize. It might be fun too to try pronouncing some of the more obscure flower names. I plan to use this one at a garden-themed library storytime in April. I may update this with how it went.
May 4, 2017
That punk Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today which means six more weeks of winter. Liar. I believe (hope?!) it will come sooner. This book will help get us through. It talks of making plans of a flower garden, from ordering the seeds in the winter to cutting for bouquets in the summer. So if you need a little color to get you through the rest of winter pick up this book and maybe some flowers from the market. 💐 #kidsbooksworthreading #kidslit #plantingarainbow #loisehlert #childrensliterature #kidsbooks #kidsbookstagam
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