Polly Richards’ new children’s book links gardening and nature lessons

By AI, Created 8:48 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Polly Richards’ Adele and the Whispering Garden uses a backyard discovery to teach children about gardening, responsibility and environmental care. The book is available through major retailers as Richards expands it into a broader nature-focused series.

Why it matters: - Adele and the Whispering Garden turns a children’s story into a lesson on organic gardening, environmental stewardship and hands-on learning. - The book is aimed at helping children reconnect with nature, understand where food comes from and see small acts of care as meaningful. - The release adds to a growing push for children’s books that blend imagination with practical life lessons.

What happened: - Polly Richards, the pen name of Sharon Fredrickson, is highlighting Adele and the Whispering Garden in a one-on-one interview. - The story follows Adele after she moves into a new home and finds a forgotten backyard garden with a gnome statue and other magical guides. - The book is presented as available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. - Readers can find more information on the author’s website, Facebook and X.

The details: - Adele learns from Albert the gnome, Lulu the ladybug, Old Oak and Squiggles as she tends the garden. - The story shows plants moving from dull and lifeless to vibrant and colorful as Adele cares for them. - The book blends imaginative storytelling with real-world gardening lessons about how plants grow, what they need and how patience matters. - Richards said the book grew out of a lifelong love of gardening and childhood memories with her mother and great-aunts. - Richards said growing up in the Chicago area shaped the book, including time spent in a great aunt’s English-style garden in Beverly and a garden behind her family’s garage. - Richards also spent time as a teenager in a neighbor’s garden and later felt drawn to write for children rather than the romance novel she once imagined. - Before becoming an author, Fredrickson worked in corporate America as an IT project manager. - She later founded Ceallaigh Publishing and Whispering Earth Garden Consulting, companies focused on sustainability, education and nature-centered learning. - Richards has received the Mom’s Choice Award, International Impact Book Award, Literary Titan Award and The Under Covers Bookstore Award. - Book Excellence described the book as a charming and imaginative story that carries a message about curiosity, responsibility and caring for the world around children.

Between the lines: - The book is being positioned as more than entertainment. It is also a vehicle for environmental education. - Richards is building a personal brand around gardening, child development and sustainability, which gives the book a wider mission than a standalone title. - The nature-centered framing reflects a broader market for books that give parents and educators concrete ways to talk with children about the environment.

What’s next: - Richards says Adele and the Whispering Garden is the foundation of a growing series that will continue introducing children to organic gardening and environmental stewardship. - Richards wants the story to prompt children to plant seeds, grow food and notice the natural world more closely. - The book’s broader reach will likely depend on how well the series connects with families, teachers and young readers looking for educational stories.

The bottom line: - Adele and the Whispering Garden uses a magical garden story to make a simple point: caring for nature can start small, but the lessons can last.