Customer Reviews

And the Good Brown Earth

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Don't I just love that I have a nephew named Joe whose grandmother is called Gram! I can't wait to give this book to them as a gift along with a set of child's gardening tools. This book is a heartwarming tale for any child to read, however, so don't hesitate to ask your librarian for this one. The book carries a young child along with the cycle of planting and growing things in the garden. Every part of the cycle is the time for something, "digging time", "thinking time", "planting time", "weeding time", "resting time", etc. and this message is an especially good one for a child beginning to absorb the unhealthy concept of instant gratification - teach your children that everything happens in its own good time and to enjoy ALL parts of the cycle. In terms of gift giving, this is a good book for the winter holidays since it shows that the cycle of growing begins in the winter, not in the spring, as the earth rests and renews itself in preparation. The illustrations are joyous although they might be a little to loosely painted for some; we all have our own tastes in this regard. I loved this book and can't wait to read it each winter to remind my daughter of all the riches hiding in the earth down under the snow, waiting, waiting to be set free in the springtime...

A story of a year's changing seasons is always illuminating for children, especially for those so young that waiting for winter to turn into summer seems an eternity. Pair that progression with the growing of edibles, as in "The Good Brown Earth," and you have a peaceful story that will help youngsters appreciate the world in which we live.

Joe and his grandmother are the best of friends. They spend a great deal of time together tending to a vegetable patch. As the story opens it is fall and the pair are turning over the earth. Their next visit to the patch takes place during the winter as Gram thinks about all the good things in her gardening book, and Joe builds a snowman.

Of course, spring follows for planting and summer for growth. Best of all is the harvest when all "Gram's plants are standing tall and ripe and lush."

Repeated throughout is the phrase "And the good brown earth got on with doing what the good brown earth does best," a reminder of the value of our soil.

What a sweetly simple story about the transformation of a plot of "good brown earth" to a full fledged garden!

I love how Gram takes Joe with her to her garden spot and shows him what goes into the growing of a garden. Joe is even given a bit of land to grow his own garden (the results are wonderful!).

There's nothing overly specific, technical or scientific here, but in a way that's what makes it so wonderful, and for children who aren't familiar with how plants grow, it's a great introduction.

We visit the garden in various stages and seasons and the illustrations are so delightful and they not only illustrated the story but added to it as well.

Definitely recommended!