On Meadowview Street [Hardcover]

Henry Cole (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2007 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Caroline lives on Meadowview Street. But where's the meadow? Where's the view? There's nothing growing in her front yard except grass. Then she spots a flower and a butterfly and a bird and Caroline realizes that with her help, maybe Meadowview Street can have a meadow after all.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 2—Caroline and her family have recently moved to Meadowview Street, in a development where all of the properties look alike and there's not a meadow in sight. The girl is about to go in search of one when she notices a small flower. "It's beautiful! Caroline said to herself. And all alone." She asks her dad to work around it while mowing the lawn, hurries inside to find string and sticks, and builds a "small wildflower preserve." As other flowers bloom, she enlarges the area. Dad puts the lawn mower up for sale, and, with the help of her parents, Caroline (surely an heir to Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius) sets about transforming her suburban backyard into a teeming ecosystem. Soon there are butterflies, birds, a pond, flowers, trees, and a real meadow on Meadowview Street. "And soon, the Jacksons' yard changed. And the Smiths'. And the Sotos'." Cole's economical text and tender, acrylic paintings tell the story with simplicity and energy as the barren strip of grass evolves into a lush habitat. This lovely picture book offers children a quiet approach to embracing the natural world.—Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, ME
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* When Caroline and her family move to a ticky-tacky suburban development, their street's pleasant name prompts an exploratory stroll to see if there really is a meadow on Meadowview Street. The girl doesn't get far before she spies a beautiful, solitary flower on her own lawn. Caroline cordons off the bloom, creating a small wildflower preserve that expands as her thoughtful additions (a maple, bird feeders, a pond) allow nature to take root and thrive. The jab at soulless suburbia and its faux-bucolic trappings may be most appreciated by adults, but the crucial message (especially about the importance of green corridors, migration paths for birds and beasts) will speak strongly to today's ecologically aware children. And it's all done without stridency. Cole's understated watercolors match the tale's gentle tone, while still showcasing the satisfying contrast between the antiseptic tract houses and the riotous, organic tangle of Caroline's front-yard Eden. The artwork also hints at the metaphorical blossoming of the lonely newcomer as the growth of the garden both parallels and prompts new connections with neighborhood children. Similarities abound with Sarah Stewart's The Gardener (1997), a natural companion, but this story's contemporary setting will have particular resonance for many young readers, who can identify with the empowered girl as they applaud her efforts' many benefits. Mattson, Jennifer

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (April 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060564814
• ISBN-13: 978-0060564810
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Forests & Trees
  • #22 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Environment

More About the Author

Henry Cole is the celebrated illustrator of many books for children, including the Bad Boys series by Margie Palatini, and is also the author and illustrator of the novel A Nest for Celeste.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creating a natural backyard habitat?, December 20, 2007

By 

Michelle Hudsonhonda "Michelle" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Meadowview Street (Hardcover)

The story shows how it's okay to do something different and/or non-conventional, like saving a wildflower in your yard and turning your yard into a meadow. This book is a sweet story, but it's an especially wonderful book to illustrate the value of creating an outdoor habitat in your yard. I got one for my children (5-7 yrs) and I also got one for my friend that has just started developing her outdoor habitat, the book confirms that a change in your yard can bring such pleasure to you, your neighbors and the creatures that live there.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing wildlife to your doorstep, November 16, 2009

By 

bookworm_mom (CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Meadowview Street (Hardcover)

This is a delightful book about a young girl, Caroline, who discovers after protecting a single flower in her front yard, that there are many more to protect. Quickly, she, with the support of her family, works to develop an habitat for many creatures - birds, insects, etc. This book shows that even a child can make a substantial difference in the world around her/him, and that children can make a positive environmental impact.

The illustrations are charming and the writing clear and concise. I highly recommend this book for any children interested in environmental issues.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Talk about the power of one :), March 6, 2010

By 

Ulyyf "Connie" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Meadowview Street (Hardcover)

Caroline has moved into her new home, on the optimistically named "Meadowview Street". (There's no meadow, and not much view.)

However, she notices a wildflower in her yard and quickly makes a small wildflower preserve... which grows, and grows, eventually including trees and a pond. As it grows, it becomes attractive to wildlife, and her neighbors are all taken in and make their own meadows.

It's a pretty book, and the message isn't as anvilicious as it might be. You know what it reminds me off, oddly? Weslandia, about a boy whose summer project changes his classmates.