From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-A book for readers willing to invest time and effort in planting outdoors. Winckler describes the relationship between climate and plants and explains why a gardener should think twice about trying to adapt a plant to one's backyard: "Forcing a plant to grow where it does not belong is like making penguins live in a tropical rain forest." An advocate for organic gardening, she explains the science of composting and sheds light on insects and reptiles that help or hurt gardens. Tangential topics such as heirloom plants selected to preserve particular traits and food banks that are sometimes beneficiaries of community gardens raise this title above the more prosaic ones. Color photos and drawings depict plants, tools, and insects. There is a mail-order list for seeds and supplies and a further reading list that's slanted toward mature gardeners. Sharon Lovejoy's Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots (Workman, 1999) is another thorough guide.
Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 6-10. Trying to fit a gardening overview into only 64 pages seems very ambitious, and this slim volume is certainly not a complete reference. But plenty of useful information appears in the brief chapters, and the focus on organic gardening makes this particularly useful for eco- and health-minded kids. Loosely organized into the stages of planning, planting, maintaining, and harvesting a garden, the chapters offer a basic introduction to key concepts, such as growing zones, native plants, and compost. The book also addresses Native American gardening traditions and community gardens as well as Earth-friendly topics such as organic pest control (ladybugs and toads) and heirloom gardens. The format seems targeted to a younger audience than the text, and some of the tips are vague and adult-oriented (for example, when plants show signs of disease, readers are instructed to "call your county extension office"). Even so, interested young people will glean some basics and find useful resources for further exploration. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
