What do you think?
Rate this book
Little Homesteader
Little Homesteader: A Spring Treasury of Recipes, Crafts, and Wisdom
Families looking for nature-based fun away from phones and screens will adore this wholesome children’s collection of cooking, crafting, and gardening projects, locally printed on 100% recycled paper.
In the Little Homesteader: A Spring Treasury of Recipes, Crafts, and Wisdom, young readers can try their hand at various spring-themed projects as well as learn interesting seasonal wisdom, and nature-related facts along the way.
Packed with fun ideas to keep kids occupied during holidays or at weekends, readers can discover the joy of sowing seedlings, learn how to care for baby chicks, brew dandelion tea and, craft windchimes from foraged materials.
The activities from author and homesteading teacher Angela Fanning include eco-friendly practices, such as recycling or reusing materials, and encourage readers to respect nature.
All the activities are broken down into steps, clearly explained and accompanied by AnneliesDraws’ adorably wholesome illustrations. The gardening and planting activities will suit any space, as they will work equally well on windowsills as in gardens.
The latest from the Little Homesteader series, with these books readers can get creative, practice handy self-sufficiency skills, handcraft items for themselves or as gifts for loved ones, learn about nature, and celebrate the best of each season.
Find even more nature-centered seasonal fun in: Little Homesteader: A Summer Treasury of Recipes, Crafts, and Wisdom.
Ivy Kids brings you beautiful, sustainably printed books to rewild your child, nurture creativity, and foster a deep connection with the living world. Winner of the Sustainability Award at the Independent Publishers Awards 2022, Ivy Kids books are planet-friendly, printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, locally to where they will be sold.
In the Little Homesteader: A Spring Treasury of Recipes, Crafts, and Wisdom, young readers can try their hand at various spring-themed projects as well as learn interesting seasonal wisdom, and nature-related facts along the way.
Packed with fun ideas to keep kids occupied during holidays or at weekends, readers can discover the joy of sowing seedlings, learn how to care for baby chicks, brew dandelion tea and, craft windchimes from foraged materials.
The activities from author and homesteading teacher Angela Fanning include eco-friendly practices, such as recycling or reusing materials, and encourage readers to respect nature.
All the activities are broken down into steps, clearly explained and accompanied by AnneliesDraws’ adorably wholesome illustrations. The gardening and planting activities will suit any space, as they will work equally well on windowsills as in gardens.
The latest from the Little Homesteader series, with these books readers can get creative, practice handy self-sufficiency skills, handcraft items for themselves or as gifts for loved ones, learn about nature, and celebrate the best of each season.
Find even more nature-centered seasonal fun in: Little Homesteader: A Summer Treasury of Recipes, Crafts, and Wisdom.
Ivy Kids brings you beautiful, sustainably printed books to rewild your child, nurture creativity, and foster a deep connection with the living world. Winner of the Sustainability Award at the Independent Publishers Awards 2022, Ivy Kids books are planet-friendly, printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, locally to where they will be sold.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published March 22, 2022
7 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Angela Ferraro-Fanning
17 books32 followersAngela Ferraro-Fanning is a self-taught homesteader living on a six-acre farm in central New Jersey. After 10 years of owning and operating her own graphic design business, she sought a lifestyle more in tune with the seasons and Mother Nature.
Angela started growing and preserving as much of her own homegrown produce as possible. This quickly grew from a home garden to a permaculture farm bustling with Clydesdales, geese and ducks for eggs, an apiary with ten beehives, sheep and a small orchard.
She shares her passion for self-sufficient, eco-friendly living on her Instagram, YouTube and Substack accounts.
Angela started growing and preserving as much of her own homegrown produce as possible. This quickly grew from a home garden to a permaculture farm bustling with Clydesdales, geese and ducks for eggs, an apiary with ten beehives, sheep and a small orchard.
She shares her passion for self-sufficient, eco-friendly living on her Instagram, YouTube and Substack accounts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 23, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is the second book in an ongoing series based on the seasons. I loved the winter volume, and again, this was another adorable book full of fun, colorful and festive illustrations. Tidbits of information (edible flowers, wonderful weeds). Recipes (green smoothie, kale chips, and more) and crafts (how to press flowers, blossom bath salts, and more) that will keep everyone busy all Spring long!
This is the second book in an ongoing series based on the seasons. I loved the winter volume, and again, this was another adorable book full of fun, colorful and festive illustrations. Tidbits of information (edible flowers, wonderful weeds). Recipes (green smoothie, kale chips, and more) and crafts (how to press flowers, blossom bath salts, and more) that will keep everyone busy all Spring long!
April 25, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Little Homesteader: A Spring Treasury is a beautiful book for children full of wonderful little ideas, activities and pieces of information. I received the pdf version of this so I've screen shot some of the activities to do with my daughter sometime soon. This is so adorable and the activities are really lovely and fun to do with your children, both male and female. This is the type of book to be treasured and passed down from generation to generation! The illustrations are adorable and the information is easy to follow and understand for both adult and child. What an absoluteblittle treasure of a read!
Little Homesteader: A Spring Treasury is a beautiful book for children full of wonderful little ideas, activities and pieces of information. I received the pdf version of this so I've screen shot some of the activities to do with my daughter sometime soon. This is so adorable and the activities are really lovely and fun to do with your children, both male and female. This is the type of book to be treasured and passed down from generation to generation! The illustrations are adorable and the information is easy to follow and understand for both adult and child. What an absoluteblittle treasure of a read!
May 6, 2022
This is an amazing book filled with activities and recipes that will be fun for both children and adults. Teachers could use it in the classroom or it would be a valuable resource for homeschoolers. I’m looking forward to trying some myself.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
April 4, 2022
It takes a lot to get a 5 star rating from me, but this darling children's book ticked all the boxes. It's brimming with sweet, fun, homesteading-related projects and information for children. Colorful illustrations are packed in it, too. It gives instructions for how to do things like make lilac syrup, give a duckling a bath, press flowers and start a watercress cutting garden. The illustrations are decidedly young, with the kids looking nearly like toddlers (see cover) but even older kids will love the projects. There's lots of information packed in there too, but not in an overwhelming way.
Delightful.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
Delightful.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
May 24, 2022
*3.75/5
In this children's book, we are presented with everything spring related, but mostly stuff such as flowers that bloom in spring, insects that one may find in their garden during that time, as well as some very important and funny facts about them.
And of course, I have to mention the amazing and imaginative crafts and recipes, that are featured in this. Because I believe that they can be used to provide important lessons or serve as bonding experiences with other children or with adults (parents, teachers, care givers in general.)
Plus, I obviously have to mention how much I loved all the beautiful illustrations!
But, at least to me, this book wasn't perfect.
Yeah, it's home-y and wholesome, what you'd expect from a children's book.
But I also found my self being somewhat taken aback by the amount of info that was being presented in every page, and by the end of my reading journey, I had forgotten most of it.
I don't know if this says more about me, than it doesn about the book itself, but I kinda feel that if I, a 27 year old woman, who still likes to read children's books, couldn't pay attention to this, then why would the target audience?
Plus, I found many of the activity ideas in this one, to be somewhat complex, so I suggest to the adults that may be thinking about testing some of them: don't let the little ones to do them by themselves. This goes to pretty much all of the activities but especially to the ones that involve cooking and cutting!
Overall, I understand why some people will find this cute and informative. I just thought it was okay.
If you made it this far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :)
I received a free e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In this children's book, we are presented with everything spring related, but mostly stuff such as flowers that bloom in spring, insects that one may find in their garden during that time, as well as some very important and funny facts about them.
And of course, I have to mention the amazing and imaginative crafts and recipes, that are featured in this. Because I believe that they can be used to provide important lessons or serve as bonding experiences with other children or with adults (parents, teachers, care givers in general.)
Plus, I obviously have to mention how much I loved all the beautiful illustrations!
But, at least to me, this book wasn't perfect.
Yeah, it's home-y and wholesome, what you'd expect from a children's book.
But I also found my self being somewhat taken aback by the amount of info that was being presented in every page, and by the end of my reading journey, I had forgotten most of it.
I don't know if this says more about me, than it doesn about the book itself, but I kinda feel that if I, a 27 year old woman, who still likes to read children's books, couldn't pay attention to this, then why would the target audience?
Plus, I found many of the activity ideas in this one, to be somewhat complex, so I suggest to the adults that may be thinking about testing some of them: don't let the little ones to do them by themselves. This goes to pretty much all of the activities but especially to the ones that involve cooking and cutting!
Overall, I understand why some people will find this cute and informative. I just thought it was okay.
If you made it this far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :)
I received a free e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2023
beautiful :). annelisedraws is one of my favorite artists
March 3, 2022
I try not to overuse the word adorable when reviewing children's books but, well, this one is just plain ol' adorable. In addition, I spent my earliest years on a family farm and it brought back some memories. True, I don't recall ever giving a bath to a duckling but, hey, I bottle fed a lamb. See, I have credentials.
All kidding aside, this book is packed with ideas and projects for children and, who knows. children in grownup bodies, too. True, all the ideas won't work for everyone, such as I doubt many city dwellers have access to ducklings, but the ideas can spark other ideas and perhaps get the children and adults working together. The. suggestions include both inside and outside activities, too, I might note, as well as focusing on healthy habits and possibilities. For instance, it tells how to blend the perfect green smoothie and brew Sweet Violet Syrup. It makes a point of listing what is needed before you start, too. All these and many, many more ideas are, well, adorably illustrated and showcase different races of children working together. While true, the book doesn't get into the harder aspects of homesteading, nor does it seem to explain the difference between homesteading and simply being a farm kid, but it's a wonderful reminder of the joy and creativity of living and using nature. I should note here, too, perhaps, that the book is printed on recycled paper or, as is noted early on, "We print out books on TRASH." That concept alone is another idea worth talking about with children, perhaps as they are trying to press flowers as instructed.
Thank you #NetGalley and #QuartoPublishingGroup for allowing me to briefly time travel back to my own childhood and be reminded of the joys of not just country life but how marvelous it is to be a child discovering wisdom of looking at things with open eyes and being open to new ideas.
All kidding aside, this book is packed with ideas and projects for children and, who knows. children in grownup bodies, too. True, all the ideas won't work for everyone, such as I doubt many city dwellers have access to ducklings, but the ideas can spark other ideas and perhaps get the children and adults working together. The. suggestions include both inside and outside activities, too, I might note, as well as focusing on healthy habits and possibilities. For instance, it tells how to blend the perfect green smoothie and brew Sweet Violet Syrup. It makes a point of listing what is needed before you start, too. All these and many, many more ideas are, well, adorably illustrated and showcase different races of children working together. While true, the book doesn't get into the harder aspects of homesteading, nor does it seem to explain the difference between homesteading and simply being a farm kid, but it's a wonderful reminder of the joy and creativity of living and using nature. I should note here, too, perhaps, that the book is printed on recycled paper or, as is noted early on, "We print out books on TRASH." That concept alone is another idea worth talking about with children, perhaps as they are trying to press flowers as instructed.
Thank you #NetGalley and #QuartoPublishingGroup for allowing me to briefly time travel back to my own childhood and be reminded of the joys of not just country life but how marvelous it is to be a child discovering wisdom of looking at things with open eyes and being open to new ideas.
March 16, 2022
I so enjoyed reading and looking at the details of the words as they played with the drawings on every page of this delightful book. It makes me so ready for Spring! It is filled with colorful and delightful Spring season life to be explored in the out-of-doors. The pastel artwork fills every page with all shades of beautiful.
There are lessons to learn while watching life regenerate in the flowers, the vegetables, and the fruit. Included in this soaked-in-sunshine book are lessons for growing plants, for knowing when to plant specific vegetables while watching for certain Spring flowers to peak at dedicated stages of growth, or how to use ripe strawberries to make strawberry jam or a fruit leather.
There are lessons of animal care plus time with bugs and beetles and butterflies. Spring holidays deserve their own classes.
Every page is packed full of lessons, great drawings that create a whole lesson unto itself. I found that I learned new things throughout this great book. It is ready-made for homeschool families, for weekend and weekday families who love to share the natural world with their children, and for all readers of all ages who love being outside in nature. This book is written and illustrated for easy understanding with such depth. as well.
I received an Advance Reader Copy/digital of this book to read in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group/Ivy Kids.
There are lessons to learn while watching life regenerate in the flowers, the vegetables, and the fruit. Included in this soaked-in-sunshine book are lessons for growing plants, for knowing when to plant specific vegetables while watching for certain Spring flowers to peak at dedicated stages of growth, or how to use ripe strawberries to make strawberry jam or a fruit leather.
There are lessons of animal care plus time with bugs and beetles and butterflies. Spring holidays deserve their own classes.
Every page is packed full of lessons, great drawings that create a whole lesson unto itself. I found that I learned new things throughout this great book. It is ready-made for homeschool families, for weekend and weekday families who love to share the natural world with their children, and for all readers of all ages who love being outside in nature. This book is written and illustrated for easy understanding with such depth. as well.
I received an Advance Reader Copy/digital of this book to read in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group/Ivy Kids.
March 11, 2022
As a budding homesteader myself, I am OBSESSED with this book. It is the perfect way to introduce your littles to homesteading. My children loved looking at all of the adorable illustrations and I especially enjoyed the recipes and crafts. I think that this is a book that you could come back to over and over again and get different take aways each time. This book would be adorable in an Easter basket!
June 10, 2022
What a sweet little gem! I'll be looking forward to the rest of this series.
April 6, 2022
Part of the Little Homesteader series, this spring treasury features a collection of cooking, crafting, and gardening projects based around seasonal plants and activities. It encourages preschoolers to try new ideas like how to brew dandelion tea, make a phenology wheel, bake kale chips, and more. Besides hands on projects, the Spring Treasury includes lots of nature observations and a healthy respect for the natural world.
I love this series. Last fall, we had the privilege of reviewing the Winter Treasury and this edition is just as beautiful. I was also delightedly surprised to see that that's even more activities and recipes. There's a beautiful page on different types of greens and another on edible flowers. All in all, this spring treasury is packed with information and a wonderful way to keep your kids learning during the spring season.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I love this series. Last fall, we had the privilege of reviewing the Winter Treasury and this edition is just as beautiful. I was also delightedly surprised to see that that's even more activities and recipes. There's a beautiful page on different types of greens and another on edible flowers. All in all, this spring treasury is packed with information and a wonderful way to keep your kids learning during the spring season.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
March 8, 2022
Love, love, love! I don't think I can rave about this book enough. I have a 4 year old daughter with a love for the outdoors and this book is the perfect kick-off to the spring season. It is the ideal mix of information and projects - paired with beautiful illustrations and lots of color.
I've been teaching my daughter how to forage for a while now and the section on edible flowers and wonderful weeds is a great addition to her knowledge base.
With an inviting and eye-catching title and cover this book is the perfect combo for kids and adults alike to learn together and enjoy the spring season! I look forward to checking out the other Little Homesteader seasonal books.
Thank you to Ivy Kids and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I've been teaching my daughter how to forage for a while now and the section on edible flowers and wonderful weeds is a great addition to her knowledge base.
With an inviting and eye-catching title and cover this book is the perfect combo for kids and adults alike to learn together and enjoy the spring season! I look forward to checking out the other Little Homesteader seasonal books.
Thank you to Ivy Kids and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
March 24, 2022A nice, engaging, spring project book for children (and whole families) that celebrates the natural world. Pages detail a range of projects, from creating a phenology wheel to dyeing easter eggs and brewing sweet wild violet syrup. Projects are paired with some age-appropriate learning about spring like spring animals and spring flowers.
The illustrations have a cutesy and vintagey vibe which makes this a charming book to flip through. There are a lot of fun ideas, though I will say that the recipes and instructions are things you can find online.
I think this can be fun for the right family.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.
The illustrations have a cutesy and vintagey vibe which makes this a charming book to flip through. There are a lot of fun ideas, though I will say that the recipes and instructions are things you can find online.
I think this can be fun for the right family.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.
March 29, 2022
Little Homesteader is a wholesome and loving children's book in a world that can sometimes feel uncertain or scary. It takes you back in time and connects you to nature and the little moments in life to feel grateful for.
I would love to have this book in my classroom, sharing ideas with my students on ways we can appreciate the earth and do fun activities together. It would also be the best spring book as the weather gets nicer.
The illustrations are lovely and sweet. This book will warm your heart!
I recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I would love to have this book in my classroom, sharing ideas with my students on ways we can appreciate the earth and do fun activities together. It would also be the best spring book as the weather gets nicer.
The illustrations are lovely and sweet. This book will warm your heart!
I recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2022
I was drawn to this children’s book by its appealing cover. It just looked so friendly and seasonal.
Inside is a mix of information and projects. Each entry is short and absolutely adorably illustrated. Some of my favorites include “Bathe Ducklings and Goslings; Spring Flowers and, Make Yummy Strawberry Jam.” I also learned something new when I read about phenology.
This title invites children and their adults to work together and enjoy the season. Both groups will have fun in the process.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Inside is a mix of information and projects. Each entry is short and absolutely adorably illustrated. Some of my favorites include “Bathe Ducklings and Goslings; Spring Flowers and, Make Yummy Strawberry Jam.” I also learned something new when I read about phenology.
This title invites children and their adults to work together and enjoy the season. Both groups will have fun in the process.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
June 23, 2023
As usual, the book is very interesting. Spring, a season that some already waited for. First, we have to look for signs of spring. What flower is the symbol of the beginning of spring? When that flower blooms, it's time to plant vegetables and other flowers. Then what to do with these flowers? And of course, Easter is also a symbol of Spring. What activities we can do during Easter? With so many things to see, to look for, and to make, this book will make children busy and appreciate spring.
March 24, 2022
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the illustrations and fun ideas for homesteading projects to do in spring. This is mostly accessible to people who already know what homesteading is, and could use some explanation for children.
I loved the illustrations and fun ideas for homesteading projects to do in spring. This is mostly accessible to people who already know what homesteading is, and could use some explanation for children.
March 29, 2022
This is such an appealing book, with it's bright colors and illustrations. I love that it includes information that is interesting to me as an adult, in a format that young children can understand. The activities would be enjoyable for both children and their adults. I will definitely be checking out the other books in this series.
April 4, 2022
What a lovely, wholesome book. Bright, beautiful colours and adorably cute illustrations. I especially loved the phonology page - how interesting! My other favourites were the pressed & edible flowers and the mini may baskets. All such lovely ideas. Kids will absolutely love this!
*Free e-copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Free e-copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2024
This is a beautifully illustrated wealth of knowledge for young readers about spring homesteading and foraging! It is loaded with activities appropriate for all ages. If you plan on using this as a resource, I recommend getting it a season ahead of time so that you can plan your garden/foraging to match some of the activities.
February 23, 2022
As this begins a four book series, an actual introduction to HOMESTEADING would've been helpful at the start. Some projects are awfully ambitious (but hey, if you'll loan me a duckling I'll happily bathe it!) but most are approachable, even in smaller spaces. Cheerful illustrations.
March 3, 2022
I received an ARC of, Little Homesteader: A Spring Treasury of Recipes, Crafts and Wisdom, by Angela Ferraro-Fanning. I love the Little Homesteader books. They are so cheerful, and give a lot of information of fun things to do, for not a lot of money.
May 17, 2023
This Seasonal set of books is wonderful. Informative on a level for kids to understand. Recipes and crafts are actually things kids would eat and like to make. My only complaint is that I wish the books were longer.
Want to read
January 5, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
March 23, 2022
An amazingly fun book full of ideas and recipes for the budding of spring. The pictures are adorable, the tips helpful and such fun ideas. I'm loving the series of seasons!
April 2, 2022
I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is an adorable book with amazing illustrations that will help kids with everything around the farm or house
This is an adorable book with amazing illustrations that will help kids with everything around the farm or house
April 5, 2022
So fun! Full of wonderful illustrations and activities!
April 19, 2022
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was too cute! loved this whole book, want to buy and read more from this series! Adorable!
February 8, 2023
Another delightful childhood homesteading book overflowing with inspiration and ideas for spring; gardening, planting, recipes and much more.
February 17, 2025
Children’s book about spring activities and information.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews