Botany Reading List for Homeschool Families
Botany is not only an interesting study, it’s an important study. MacBeth Derham and Christine Hamilton, Homeschool Connections science instructors, have put together a reading list for you that includes fiction and nonfiction for students of multiple ages.
Who is this list for?
- Homeschool moms putting together a unit study of botany studies for multiple grade levels.
- Students of Homeschool Connections middle or high school botany courses, who want to explore the subject more deeply on their own or create an additional transcript credit.
- Anyone who wants to expand their learning.
Books listed are upper-grade school through high school (and adult). Field guides can be used on nature walks. For preschool and early grade school, check the library for early field guides, picture books with fun facts, and books that focus on the geography of the region.
As with any book list, parental discretion is advised. Not all books are appropriate for all ages or all students.
Click on the book title for reviews or purchasing information (May contain affiliate links). Another resource to read book reviews is Goodreads. And to find used books for the best price, try Book Finder. Now, for that list …
Nonfiction:
American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation by DK
Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America Third Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
Edible Wild Plants: Eastern/Central North America (Peterson Field Guides)
Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods by Thomas Elias and Peter Dykeman
Practical Botany for Gardeners: Over 3,000 Botanical Terms Explained and Explored by Geoff Hodge
Latin for Gardeners: Over 3,000 Plant Names Explained and Explored by Lorraine Harrison
The Forest Unseen By David Haskell
The Triumph of Seeds by Thor Hanson
Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places by Steve Brill with Evelyn Dean
A Landowner’s Guide to Managing Your Woods by Anne Larkin Hansen, Mike Severson, and Dennis L. Waterman
Fiction:
Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter
The Harvester by Gene Stratton-Porter
The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare (Perdita’s flowery soliloquy)
Sonnets by William Shakespeare
Leaf by Niggle by J. R. R. Tolkien (philosophical)
Textbook:
Introductory Plant Biology 10th Edition.
Supplies:
Colored pencils, pens, paper, and a composition book.
