What do you think?
Rate this book
Over in the garden
A one to ten counting book set in a lively garden. This playful counting book introduces readers to a garden and the animals that live there. Sing and clap to the tune of Over in the Meadow, while searching for the hidden numbers on each page!
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Jennifer Ward
52 books44 followersJennifer Ward is the author of more than 25 award-winning nonfiction and fiction books for children and adults.
Her books have been translated into many languages and featured in Martha Stewart's Living, Ranger Rick, on NPR, television's Animal Planet network, and on many popular blogs such as Soule Mama.
Most of Jennifer's books are inspired by science and nature and artfully combine elements of STEM & literacy.
She writes full-time from her home in Illinois where she lives with her husband and two dogs and is easily distracted by everything outside of her windows - particularly if it has feathers!
Her books have been translated into many languages and featured in Martha Stewart's Living, Ranger Rick, on NPR, television's Animal Planet network, and on many popular blogs such as Soule Mama.
Most of Jennifer's books are inspired by science and nature and artfully combine elements of STEM & literacy.
She writes full-time from her home in Illinois where she lives with her husband and two dogs and is easily distracted by everything outside of her windows - particularly if it has feathers!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 17, 2017
The illustrations are pretty and charming. Who knew a snail could have so much personality? The rhymes have a solid, consistent rhythm, even if they don't seem all that creative. Also, the way each rhyme is structured "her little mantis one... her little beetles two... her little dragons three" confused me at first, but that might be my issue. I like how a number is hidden on each page. I couldn't find #10.
April 17, 2019
Over in the Garden shows ten different insects that live in a garden. They talked about the praying mantis, ladybugs, dragonflies, snails, bees, spiders, caterpillars, rolly pollies, and, and fireflies. They talked about some of the things they do like buzz, and nibble, and fly, and zoom, and many other things. At the end of the book, there are facts about each and every insect in the book.
I gave this book 5 stars, I thought this book was very engaging. The rhyming of the words made the story pop. The illustrations were also amazing.
I gave this book 5 stars, I thought this book was very engaging. The rhyming of the words made the story pop. The illustrations were also amazing.
March 17, 2012
This is a gorgeous lush book full of wonderful illustrations to go along with a whimsical story of the animals and their babies in a beautiful garden. Many are cute bugs. The story is in rhyme and I found myself singing it out loud to the tune of "Over in the meadow". Kids will love this book.
September 8, 2026
Age 4-7. I'm a little confused by the suggested age range of this book. It's basically a book meant to help kids learn how to count from 1 to 10. It's been my experience that ages 4 to 10 probably already know how to count to 10. So maybe a little younger group or at least at the lower end of that age range.
I like the concept of this book better than I actually like the book. It is a rhyming book intended to teach kids how to count to 10. The words are set to a little tune, and the music for the tune is included in the book. So that's good. Generally speaking each page has a different insect. The words describe that there is a mother and then X number of babies with X being 1 to 10. The illustrations generally show the mother and the correct number of babies. The exception is number five, which shows a total of five bees. I would think that would be confusing since on every other page there is a mother and then the number of children that are supposed to be there.
And last there is a glossary. Unfortunately, the words in the definitions are bigger than the word that is being defined. The definitions of a lot of these words would not be helpful to a child seven years old or younger because they use uncommon words and large words in the definitions.
I like the concept of this book better than I actually like the book. It is a rhyming book intended to teach kids how to count to 10. The words are set to a little tune, and the music for the tune is included in the book. So that's good. Generally speaking each page has a different insect. The words describe that there is a mother and then X number of babies with X being 1 to 10. The illustrations generally show the mother and the correct number of babies. The exception is number five, which shows a total of five bees. I would think that would be confusing since on every other page there is a mother and then the number of children that are supposed to be there.
And last there is a glossary. Unfortunately, the words in the definitions are bigger than the word that is being defined. The definitions of a lot of these words would not be helpful to a child seven years old or younger because they use uncommon words and large words in the definitions.
September 25, 2017
Very repetitive but beautiful art
May 18, 2020
Fun little rhyming book
September 12, 2022
Count to 10 with insects you might find outside in your garden.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2026
praying mantis, ladybug, dragonfly, snail, bee, spider, caterpillar, roly-poly, ant, firefly
Read
May 22, 2020AR 2.8
J read April 2020 and possibly once before that.
J read April 2020 and possibly once before that.
February 11, 2011
A cute counting book up to the number ten. The bold illustrations give great details of how bugs look. Each number addresses a different mother animal and her young and how they would move about in the garden. The repetative line "over in the garden" allows for many different writing activities for the young reader. See if your class can make a book about bugs they see in the garden! The end of the book includes 'fun facts' about each bug in the book, and there is also a simple song in the back of the book that can be adapted to the text on each page (so you and your students can sing their way through this book!).
February 10, 2014
Over in the Garden
Author: Jennifer Ward
Illustrator: Kenneth J. Spengler
Reading Level: ages 5-9
Ward, Jennifer (2002) Over in the Garden Arizona: Rising Moon Publishing
Over in the Garden is a children's book about the lives of various animals/insects and their offspring. I believe its primary function is to be a counting book, but it's also educational, as it teaches the child about what parent animals and insects might instruct their offspring to do.
It's essentially a simple poem about counting. The illustrations are lush and absolutely gorgeous. Each page is a joy to view. I do believe this book would be quite welcome in a school library.
Author: Jennifer Ward
Illustrator: Kenneth J. Spengler
Reading Level: ages 5-9
Ward, Jennifer (2002) Over in the Garden Arizona: Rising Moon Publishing
Over in the Garden is a children's book about the lives of various animals/insects and their offspring. I believe its primary function is to be a counting book, but it's also educational, as it teaches the child about what parent animals and insects might instruct their offspring to do.
It's essentially a simple poem about counting. The illustrations are lush and absolutely gorgeous. Each page is a joy to view. I do believe this book would be quite welcome in a school library.
December 7, 2012
Not only does this book have colorful illustrations that make the book come alive, but it was a very easy read. This book provides awesome awareness by rhyming. It also covers counting 1-10. Throughout the story on every page there are hints about what bug will be on the next page. This book creates a song, which could be very funny to read out loud because then children can hear the rhyming through the song. Also a song could help children remember the counting. It is a cute book, that young readers will really enjoy.
May 24, 2008
Great for storytime -- reinforces phonological awareness through rhymes (I had the kids tell me the rhyme) and song (the musical notation for the rhymes is appended, but many children's librarians already know the standard "Over in the..." song). On each page there's a small, hiding hint as to which bug will appear on the next page. Would be great for one-on-one sharing!
April 21, 2012
I don't know what it is about this author/illustrator combination, but M does NOT like their books! I think they're fun and gorgeous, but M refuses to let me finish reading them to her. The rhyme scheme is repetitive and not like Dr. Seuss's, whose stories she does love, but I just don't get what's so offensive to her. This is the second book by them that she is not interested in "reading".
September 2, 2013
Over in the Garden is a fun filled poem that teaches young children how to count. Behind all the fabulous pictures in each page, lies a hidden number that the readers can take time in finding. This book not only teaches counting, but also gives fun facts about different kinds of bugs in the back of the book.
January 20, 2017
This was definitely one of my favorites as I could picture kids repeating more of the activities the animals are doing. Ten animals are featured and each mother child pairing perform some action that animal does. Featured animals are: Praying mantis, lady bug, dragonfly, snail, bee, spider, butterfly, caterpillar, roly-poly, ants, firefly.
March 21, 2008
The story is set to a song, which is fun to sing while reading aloud. On each page, the reader can search for a hidden number, but also, each page somewhere has pictured the number of and insect which will be found on the next page. It's very cleverly done.
April 11, 2012
Over in the Garden is a great book that allows for students to continue to improve their phonemic awareness, through rhyming. This book reinforces student counting from 1-10. It also provides great detailed illustrations of bugs.
September 23, 2016
This is a cute rhyming counting book.
The stunning paintings by Kenneth J Spengler are the real stars.
The stunning paintings by Kenneth J Spengler are the real stars.
July 3, 2008
This is one of my favorite "Over in the..." books. The pictures are rich and the rhymes are natural. A great hit at story time.
July 17, 2008
great fullscale pictures of bugs in this concept book with counting intermingled with bugs. counts through 10.
October 15, 2010
Illustration was amazing ! the rhyming fun book all about bugs!
June 6, 2011
Fantastic story about bugs with a rhythm and a number to find on every page.
June 10, 2011
I love books with great illustrations! This was beautifully done.
December 21, 2011
Jared loves all kinds of bugs. Hoping he'll like this one too.
August 18, 2016
Nov 2012
Aug 2016
Aug 2016
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2013
Another great and amazingly illustrated book by Jennifer Ward. My daughter really loved finding the numbers and the scary spider!
Read
September 30, 2014Potential sing-aloud book
May 14, 2016
Nice counting book for any kid who loves bugs. The pages have big, bold illustrations and there is a hidden number on every page (I still haven't found the 10).
January 16, 2009
My daughter really enjoys this book and the hidden "clues" on each page.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews