Kathryn O. Galbraith & Wendy Anderson Halperin (illustrator)
Peachtree Publishers, 2011
This is one of those books you can look a half-dozen times and find something new each reading. I am a little bit in love with the illustrations, I'm not gonna lie. The text is good too, but the illustrations keep sucking me in and begging me to follow them on a journey. They're in-depth, 'layered' illustrations, reminding me a little of Jan Brett illustrations in that there's the central image on the page, and then so much more going on either along the borders or in the background itself. It's obvious that Wendy Halperin did her homework before illustrating Planting the Wild Garden - the details are incredible. You have seriously, simply, got to see them.
The book itself is a gentle look at the wild garden - the 'garden' of nature, where the wild things 'plant' more wild things and everything grows with carefree abandon. It begins with a farmer and her son planting their 'real' garden, and drifts along to looking at how Nature plants its own seeds for trees or weeds and grasses. Animals help plant seeds in the wild garden, as do people - unknowingly. The text rolls along like a light breeze, drifting and floating - giving a glimpse of the many, many different ways things are planted and grow. It would be a great introduction to a "seeds" unit in an elementary classroom, or just some quality storytime at home. A very pretty book with a little education slipped in for good measure.
Giveaway Alert:
Thanks to the generosity of the great folks at Peachtree Publishers, I am delighted to announce that I am going to be giving you the chance to win a copy not only of this book, but of the other three titles I'm reviewing as part of the blog tour also! That's four wonderful new books you could win! Entering is simple: Check back here, and leave a comment on one of the "Fins, Wings, and Other Things" posts - only comments on blog tour posts count, but you can comment on every one (that means you could get 5 entries total!). On April 30th, I will randomly select a winner, and contact you. So please, leave me an email or some way to get in touch with you! Contest only open to the US. Good luck!
For more blog tour fun, check out today's other stop: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!
Book provided by publisher for review.
I have read this book to student's from PreK through fourth grade. At every grade level students have made life to text, text to text and text to self connections. It is a beautiful book that explains the way plants grow in the wild. I highly recommend it to all.
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