kirkusreviews.com
There is no drought of picture books
about animal friends making a garden. The hook in this one is the message that
when plans go awry, there may still be a rainbow at the end.
It is spring. Badger has dozens of
jars of seeds that he saved from last summer to plant the “perfect garden.” His
friends Red Squirrel, Weasel, and Dormouse help him by raking and clearing the
ground, marking the rows with string, and making holes for the seeds. They
celebrate their efforts with muffins and mulberry juice. Over the next three
days damp weather accelerates from showers to a heavy downpour, and Badger is
unable to rescue his precious seeds from washing away. Badger tries to distract
himself from his sorrow with chores and projects (and naps). Then one sunny
summer day his friends rush in to tell him he has the perfect garden after all;
the seeds just found new places to grow. The attractive, full-page
illustrations show flair and gentle humor (Badger’s yoga practice will have
readers chuckling). The animals are lightly anthropomorphic; all wear some sort
of human garment or accessory, and the texture of the animal fur is beautifully
realized.
While lacking the timelessness of
Kadir Nelson’s If You Plant a Seed (2015) and the humor of Janet Stevens’ Tops and Bottoms (1995), the message of coping with
unmet expectations and not giving up hope is worthwhile. (Picture book. 5-8)
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