Who is in the Garden? [Hardcover]

Vera Rosenberry (Editor, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

A tour through a garden brings encounters with its inhabitants, including wrens, a praying mantis, a box turtle, and more.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Leafy, verdant watercolors conjure a child-size Eden in Rosenberry's (When Vera Was Sick) sprightly ramble of a picture book. Tucked behind a stone wall surrounding a thatched-roof cottage (the opening vista of an English country garden is sure to delight the heart of Anglophiles), a bouquet of natural delights awaits a young visitor, first seen flitting through the open gate. "Who is in the garden?" poses the text, as readers follow the boy on his circuit of discovery. From wrens that "weave their way, in and out, in and out" of birches to a garter snake concealed in a grape arbor and "wiggly pink worms squiggling all through the dirt," there's much to see and hear. The simple story line comes full circle in a final spread of the boy hiding in a bean vine teepee--surrounded by a sort of visual chorus composed of all the aforementioned flora and fauna--to become himself the mysterious "who" in the garden. Rosenberry offers both rhythm ("Listen for songs in the cosmos and thyme as honeybees hum to and fro from their hives") and texture ("chattering birds crack the crunchy, striped seeds"), while her artwork is informed by a naturalist's eye for detail. Delicate, precise brush strokes blend with an impressionist's appreciation of light to create a most welcoming retreat. Budding gardeners may be inspired to launch impromptu explorations of their own backyards. Ages 4-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreS-K-Who is in the garden? Various birds and insects, a snake, a field mouse, and a turtle, sometimes hiding among the many flowers, trees, vegetables, and fruits. Clear, finely detailed watercolors define the setting of this appealing, sometimes wild garden. The pictures are from the perspective of the garden's explorer, a lively and curious African-American child. The spare text speaks to this child (and incidentally to the listener): "On round, crisp cabbage, a stiff mantis sits so still-so still-she hopes you can't see her. But you can." There is no plot or drama here, just an enjoyable garden tour.-Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823415295
• ISBN-13: 978-0823415298
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,804,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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