(2) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Morrison. Family + gardening = a great summer feast. Li'l Sissy, the youngest of three African American siblings, tells how she and her siblings help their uncle John cultivate a garden in an empty lot between high-rise apartment buildings in their neighborhood. A gentle giant who towers above the kids, Uncle John lets them choose which plants to grow. Brother chooses corn and lima beans, Sister onions and tomatoes, and Li'l Sissy okra. Uncle John prepares the soil, the kids plant the seeds, and they all water, weed, and watch. At summer's end, at the family cookout, everyone enjoys the grilled meats, but the succotash outshines the rest because Uncle John and the kids grew the ingredients. Morrison's (R-E-S-P-E-C-T, rev. 7/20) color-saturated illustrations hint at his graffiti-art background, radiating the yellows of summer heat and the earth tones of the garden while emphasizing the bond that Li'l Sissy and her siblings enjoy. The wide-brimmed hat she wears, which mirrors her uncle's, suggests that Li'l Sissy will inherit his passion for gardening. Loosely based on the New York City childhood of late author Ford, this visually lush story paints a memorable, sensory-rich portrait of family bonding through gardening.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Melissa Crowton. Feeling homesick after moving "more than an ocean away" to America, Millie suggests to her class that they build a garden on the school's roof. After gathering supplies, planting seeds, and lots of waiting ("good things take time," their teacher tells them), the children's efforts are rewarded with the first sprouts' appearance. Then the garden takes off, and everyone harvests vegetables and celebrates their success. When Millie takes her first bite of carrot, "it tastes like home." The calm mixed-media illustrations, which feature a diverse and determined group of students tending to the garden, enhance this uplifting story about finding belonging and purpose somewhere new.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Largely forgotten today, American writer Celia Laighton Thaxter enjoyed a significant literary career in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Both her life and her writing revolved around Maine's Appledore Island, and it is here that this picture-book biography takes root. Thaxter comes alive as a gardener from her earliest years (when the family lived on White Island), coaxing blooms to life amid the rocks, with vivid colors punctuating Root and Schmidt's narrative: "Pink morning glories opened to the sun, and Celia found green moss and purple starfish in rocky pools." Sweet's illustrations follow the text's lead, depicting the main character ankle-deep in a tide pool surrounded by bright, stylized flowers in purples, pinks, oranges, and reds. Both Celia and the island backdrop are dressed in muted gray-greens, causing the colors to pop all the more. Readers learn that Celia's lighthouse-keeper father moved the family to Appledore Island and built a hotel where "artists and writers [came] to stay"; after she married and moved to the mainland, that network f­acilitated her career. Hand-lettered excerpts of Thaxter's writings--both poetry and prose--frequently appear in the margins, artfully commenting on the narrative. The telling is elliptical; readers who wonder at the abrupt disappearance of Thaxter's husband must comb through the two-page timeline, printed in a tiny font, to learn of their estrangement. But Thaxter's devotion to her titular garden shines bright. Also appended are a biographical note and a bibliography.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Riley Samels. A narrator asks a young Black farmer about his plans for the seed in his hand. Eat it? "Oh no! I'll let it grow." At each stage of the pumpkin's growth, the child refuses to harvest the plant; finally, it's grown big enough to enter in a contest at the fair. Is that the end? Oh no! The giant pumpkin is hollowed out for use in a pumpkin regatta. The predictable growth narrative benefits from the uncommon ending (pies and jack-o'-lanterns are both rejected end-uses) and from the uncluttered, collage-style illustrations with strong, repeated textural elements. Back matter includes a history of giant pumpkins, a color photo of an Oregon pumpkin regatta, and "plentiful pumpkin facts."

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(1) 4-6 In this silly-spooky graphic novel for readers just venturing into middle-grade books, anthropomorphic veggie and fruit folk, having been brought to life by Witch Agnes, run a farm and sell (non-anthropomorphic) crops at a village market. Readers quickly learn the characters' personalities: Garlic, anxious and stressed out, is tenderly cared for by Carrot and resists invitations to step out of her comfort zone. "Nope, no adventures for me. I love gardening. It's nice and safe." When smoke starts coming out of what was assumed to be a vacant castle's chimney, Witch Agnes confirms everyone's suspicions: there is a vampire living there. Given her kind's vampire-resisting status, Garlic is volunteered (not by choice) to investigate the situation. Coached by Witch Agnes on all things vampire-hunting, and paired with curmudgeonly Celery, Garlic embarks on a not-at-all-scary adventure with a satisfying resolution. Both art and text are well paced, and humor abounds. Fashionable farm attire (think overalls and aprons) and apt slang phrases such as "Oh grapes" and "Cheese 'n' chives!" contribute to successful world-building. Speech balloons in various colors and shapes showcase characters' emotions and tones of voice, and bright motion lines pop atop dark autumnal hues and thick outlines. Especially notable is the cartoonist's playful exploration of scale and perspective--as well as the story's lighthearted approach to risk-taking, caretaking, and social-emotional growth.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Nathalie Dion. A dog starts its morning quietly, pretending to be asleep so it can hear its human call quietly, "Time to get up, Dutch." Then the two, a patchy mutt with bright eyes and perky tail and a redheaded young woman, spend the day working together in the garden. The plot is uncomplicated, the richness of the story coming from the affection between dog narrator and human companion and from their shared appreciation of the garden. Dutch uses expressive language to narrate the activities--"I roll in the dewy grass and breathe in the sweet, rich smells around me." The human clearly knows exactly what Dutch wants--a rest in the shade, a chance to sniff at new holes, and a romp in spray from the hose. "It's the bright time of year," says Dutch, and from the gorgeous front endpapers to the book's close Dion uses vivid greens and yellows to create that brightness. The scenes have the texture of chalk drawings, with smudges and lines blurring into the blooms on a tree, the indistinct edges of grass, and flowers crowding the garden walkways. This is a lovely celebration of a simple, perfect summer day shared between friends.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Curato. One person's angry words (a gray scribble in a speech bubble) hurt another. An empathetic witness reaches out: "One good listener...can make even the smallest voice heard." Curato's expressive mixed-media art, color illustrations with black-and-white photographic details, convey much of the quiet text's meaning, literally and figuratively. One newly blossomed friendship leads to more friends gathering to transform an abandoned space into a community garden. As for the original pair, "One sincere apology...can help heal big and little hurts." Thoughts on "Planting Seeds of Kindness in Your Community" and lists of books and websites conclude the offering.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(1) PS Illustrated by Zachariah OHora. As the sun sets over a rooftop community garden, it's time for the garden's vegetables to get some rest. "Turnips tucked in tightly. / Potatoes closing eyes. / Tuckered-out tomatoes / humming lullabies." In OHora's sweet and funny acrylic art, all the veggies have endearing facial expressions (even the tiniest peas and baby carrots). The (intentional) sleepiness of the book's action is balanced by the presence of a lively earthworm in a baseball cap who swoops through the color-saturated double-page spreads, athletically looping through tunnels and popping up occasionally to check out the dozing garden denizens. The childlike approach, appealing art, and relatable worm character are enough to connect story and audience, but at book's end the text makes the connection even more overtly: "Every veggie's snoozing, / beneath the moon so bright, / for nothing's more exhausting / than growing day and night." The accompanying illustration shows sleeping radishes just below the earth's surface and the earthworm further underground in its own snug home, all tucked up in its looooooong narrow bed, its single sneaker left by the entrance.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) 4-6 After his grandmother's fall derails the family's summer plans, eleven-year-old Ware's parents sign him up for the town's summer rec program. Ware, who loves medieval history and knights and chivalry, would just as soon spend his days alone; but then he meets a girl named Jolene outside the half-demolished church by the community center. Although she's prickly and independent (and way tougher than he is), Ware realizes that she could use a friend. As her backstory slowly reveals, Jolene has lived with her abusive, alcoholic aunt since her mother abandoned her as a toddler. Now, with the church land on which Jolene's income-producing garden sits about to be sold to developers, Ware comes up with an offbeat plan. With Jolene's help, and the promise of assistance from a city counselor's daughter (herself concerned with the proposed development's detrimental effect on bird migration), he begins to dig a moat around what's left of the church. Along the way, he confronts his parents about secrets they've kept and an overheard comment ("Why can't we have a normal kid?") while blossoming into his identity as an artist. The occasional disbelief-suspension required by Pennypacker's story line is grounded by her characters' multidimensionality and by Jolene's wry outlook--"I keep forgetting! We're in Magic Fairness Land!...Oh, no, darn. Still here in the real world."

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(4) 1-3 Pug Pals series. While their human is away, pugs Sunny and Rosy "vacation" at their human grandparents' house where they enjoy special snacks and the spacious yard. When Grandma accuses the (innocent) two of ruining her garden, an investigation reveals a friendly but clueless groundhog is the culprit. Abundant black-and-white illustrations adorn every spread of this cozy (if slight) mystery.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(2) K-3 Castrillón presents an almost-wordless story of a child uprooted by a family move from the countryside to the city and the growth in self, surroundings, and community that results. Lonely but hopeful, the protagonist tends seeds on the apartment balcony. Eventually, the neighborhood turns into an urban gardener's paradise, community members connect, and a flower shop opens downstairs. Circle motifs throughout support the themes of beginnings and endings, cycles and growth.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) PS Translated by David Boyd. Twins Chirri and Chirra explore new territory in their fourth gentle adventure available in English. Creatures have tunneled into the basement of their cozy cottage, so the girls hop on their bikes and follow the mysterious intruders (revealed to be badger youngsters) into the tunnel. Doi has created a compelling story with almost no tension, relying on intriguing world-building. Glowing, soft-edged pictures repay a leisurely search for details.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Villeneuve. A boy spending the summer with his aunt while his mother recovers from surgery makes a new friend by inviting a neighborhood kid to join him in throwing some mysterious dirt balls into an empty lot. This easygoing story about how gardens can foster community is illustrated with ink and watercolor art that, like a flower, lends grace to the urban landscape.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Marianne Ferrer. During a visit to her grandmother, young Arianne adventures through time and space in the garden--flying with dragonflies, swimming with fish, and catching a star with her butterfly net. Ferrer's soft, otherworldly illustrations, which play with size, shape, and perspective, pull the reader through Arianne's apparent dream. The book would work better if wordless; the few words are unnecessary and feel like an afterthought.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) K-3 In preparation for Cat County's Great Pumpkin Contest, cat Mimi produces one giant pumpkin, while cat Clara grows many beautiful little ones. Ultimately, this mellow autumn tale's straightforward text conveys that kindness and teamwork yield the best fruit of all. Playful pastel-toned, mixed-media illustrations reward viewers with literary and feline references ("I Want My Cat Back"; "The Power of Meow").

Reviewer: Katie Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Genevieve Simms. Mayumi's grandfather, who lives "halfway around the world" in Japan, builds a stone and gravel garden that the two can enjoy when she visits each summer. Simms's watercolor illustrations in soft, earthy tones show Mayumi and Ojiichan growing older--until eventually Ojiichan can no longer live alone and must leave the garden. Uegaki presents a quiet look at traditions, change, and the special relationship between grandparents and children. Glos.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) 4-6 Archer and Craig provide an overview of different plant food sources (including roots, leaves, flowers, and stems) and then, with an emphasis on the process, explain how to grow and cook them yourself. Readers are encouraged to try new foods and techniques with sixteen colorful fruits and vegetables. Novel recipes include chocolate beet cake and zucchini and polenta fries. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(2) K-3 MacKenzie, teased for her "always a mess" hair, turns to neighbor Miss Tillie for help. The story strikes an effective balance between Miss Tillie encouraging self-confidence and explaining step-by-step self-improvement to MacKenzie. While many skin tones are represented in the soft acrylic illustrations, MacKenzie and Miss Tillie share a deep ebony color, contrasted with bright blues, greens, and reds in the patterns and backgrounds.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) 1-3 Translated by Karen Li. Translated from French, this graphic novel for newly independent readers features tiny human Poppy and tiny panda Sam, who live together in a hollowed-out pumpkin in a garden of anthropomorphized plants and flowers. Their solution to the mystery of Basil's leaf nibbler also communicates a lesson in consent ("Everything tastes better when it's freely offered"). The book achieves accessibility through cute illustrations, large panels, and clear text.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. Arlo accidentally drops a book onto the mayor's head. The mayor retorts, "Books are dangerous...they act like seeds, which grow into ideas, and ideas turn into questions." Books get destroyed and the town suffers until Arlo's stories sprout a burgeoning book tree that inspires others to become book gardeners. The allegorical tale's striking mixed-media illustrations feature lots of books in many different languages.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty