The Garden Friend Children's Book & Craft Event

A special, free event of book reading and crafting to connect children to their imagination and the nature around them.
About this Event

"Dear Garden Friend, stay here with me and watch my garden grow." Read along and make your own Garden Friend in our special event, just for kids!

Follow The Garden Friend, a lovable acorn-topped character, in its story of nighttime adventures through the garden - and beyond. Then, learn to make a Garden Friend of your very own, to hide in your garden at home. Through this delightful rhyming narrative, children are encouraged to explore the natural beauty and wonder of a garden. Curiosity about the natural world grows through the child’s greatest asset: their imagination.

NHG welcomes author Mary Frances Baker to read and present The Garden Friend, a bilingual book that invites a child to share in the joys of appreciating nature. After the bookreading, the author leads a crafting period where each child will make their own Friend. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing at the event.

• 10:00-10:30 Mary Frances Baker reads The Garden Friend, and leads a crafting session to make your own Garden Friend in our Classroom.
• 10:30-11:30 The author signs and sells her books in our Boutique.

El Amigo del Jardín

Sigue al Amigo de Jardín, un personaje encantador con un sombrero de bellota, en sus aventuras nocturnas a través del jardín y más allá. Luego, aprende a hacer tu propio Amigo de Jardín, para esconderlo en tu jardín. A través de esta encantadora narrativa, se anima a los niños a explorar la belleza natural y la maravilla de un jardín. ¡La curiosidad por el mundo natural crece a través del mayor tesoro del niño: su imaginación!

$5 per child. For the best experience, our event is limited to 24 imaginative gardeners aged 2-10. Those younger may have their parents or friends help with the craft portion. Please, we prefer that a parent or adult accompany the child attending, and remain available during the event.

BONUS! Stay after the book reading and crafting and participate in our 'Friend and Seek'! Take pictures of your new-found friend in the gardens, and while you're outside look around for our special hidden Garden Friend. The one who finds it wins a copy of The Garden Friend book signed by Mary Frances!

AND, Save the date for the Garden Friend's next book: The Garden Friend Visits the Gardener, COMING UP Saturday, August 22nd!

• Instagram: @the_gardenfriend
• Website: http://www.thegardenfriend.com

Mary Frances Baker spent her childhood exploring every nook and hollow of the ravine behind her house. She delighted in making bug homes out of sticks, in chasing frogs and lizards, and in collecting pockets-full of honeysuckle and clover blossoms. She hopes to bring this same wonder and curiosity to children today, by sharing stories and pictures that awaken in their imaginations. Mary Frances lives in the big city of Dallas, Texas. When she is not singing with the youngest of musicians, she is looking for ways to escape into nature with her family.

Mary Frances Baker pasó su niñez explorando cada rincón del barranco detrás de su casa. Le encantaba hacer casas con palos para insectos, perseguir ranas y lagartos, y recoger flores de madreselva y trébol. Su esperanza es llevar esta misma maravilla y curiosidad a los niños de hoy, compartiendo historias e ilustraciones que despierten su imaginación. Mary Frances vive en la gran ciudad de Dallas, Texas. Cuando no está cantando con los músicos más jóvenes, busca maneras de escapar a la naturaleza con su familia.