Cannabis can be a complicated subject to broach with your young ones. Luckily, there are children’s books on cannabis available that help educate kids about the plant in an approachable way. Check out these SWEET JANE recommendations to help get you started.
Kids of Cannabis
This book, published in 2021, tells the story of Jack and his two friends Charlotte and Bruce. The three kids’ parents started a CBD juice company together, and they feel embarrassed to tell their classmates about it because of the stigma around cannabis. But, in this book, they decide to share. Through the kids, readers can learn the different types of careers available in the cannabis industry, from farmers to engineers to financers. This is the first book by author I.B. Sekandi, who is the co-founder of Careers Cannabis, a leading job-search-engine platform for jobs in the cannabis industry.
It’s Just a Plant: A Children’s Story About Marijuana
Written and illustrated by Ricardo Cortés—the No. 1 New York Times best-selling illustrator of Go the Fuck to Sleep, PARTY – A Mystery, and author of Sea Creatures from the Sky and A Secret History of Coffee, Coca & Cola—this book was published in 2020 and approaches cannabis in an educational, fact-oriented way. It tells the story of Jackie, a young girl who sees her parents smoking a joint in their bedroom and becomes curious about cannabis. Over the course of the day, Jackie talks to a variety of people in her community to learn about the plant, like a farmer, doctor, and police officer, as well as her parents.
What’s Growing in Grandma’s Garden
Based on a true story, this book is about a grandmother and her grandson who enjoy gardening together. They explore plants in the garden, such as fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs. Out of all the plants in the garden, Grandma has a particular fondness for cannabis, which she uses for healing and relaxation. She explains to her grandson what cannabis is and that some things are meant for adults. Susan Soares, the former executive director of C.A.R.E. and executive producer for The State of Cannabis NewsHour, wrote and published this book in 2019 to try to alleviate some of the fear around talking to kids about cannabis.
Asa’s Medicine
This book tells the story of Asa, a third-grader on his first day of school in a new state who is worried about making friends. Asa uses cannabis for a medical condition. At first, the kids tease him about this, calling him a “drug user.” But the school nurse explains to the class what Asa’s medicine is and why he needs it, teaching the children that everyone has different needs that should be respected. Author Ashley Wynn-Grimes, a Black female entrepreneur, medical professional, and the founder of Cannabis Nursing Solutions, published the book in 2020. With this book and her other work, she hopes to simplify cannabis education and reveal an underrepresented subset suffering from seizures, autism, and other disorders.
The Root Family’s Very Special Garden Book
Mskindness B. Ramirez, M.A. in education and the CEO of Club Kindness, created this children’s book to inspire conversations about cannabis between children and parents. The story, which is based on her family, is about a mom, dad, and two kids who have a garden that includes cannabis plants. The characters, all part of the Root Family, were designed by Aaron Madison, a family friend’s son, when he was 16, and they are based on the Ramirez family. The story takes the readers through the family’s process of sowing and harvesting plants, as well as using some of the plants to make medicine. First published in 2020, the book also includes a glossary at the end for kids to learn cannabis-related words.
Barbara Platts has more than a decade of experience in journalism, working in different forms of media from public radio and podcasts to newspapers and magazines. She’s won awards for her work as a columnist for the Aspen Times and currently works as the editor-in-chief for Lunch Ticket, a literary and art journal dedicated to issues of social, economic, and environmental justice.
She’s currently pursuing her MFA for creative nonfiction writing at Antioch University. Barbara was raised in Boulder, Colorado and has watched the medicinal and recreational cannabis scene blossom across the state over the past decade. She recently moved back to Boulder after a stint in Los Angeles. When she’s not working, Barbara can be found hiking with her fiancé and two adorable pups, skiing the steeps in the Colorado mountains, reading an intriguing memoir or news article, or spending time with friends and family.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @BarbaraPlatts.
