This article originally appeared in the July-August 1998 Children's Advocate newsmagazine, published by Action Alliance for Children.

Growing minds

By Joy Shioshita

With this issue's gardening theme, we've gathered a wonderful crop of picture books that value nature, community, and cycles of growth. Thanks to Helen Anderson, Catherine Nichols, and Laura Remer at Oakland Public Library for recommending some of the titles featured here.

The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson. A little boy plants a carrot seed and faithfully tends it, watering it and pulling up surrounding weeds. Although his parents and older brother repeatedly tell him that "it won't come up," the silent, determined little boy keeps nurturing the seed. Eventually the child harvests a magnificent carrot at least as tall as he is. Johnson's bright orange and green pictures of the carrot seem even more fanciful in a book that otherwise uses tones of only yellow, brown, and white. (Harper, 1973, $3.95)

Chestnut Cove, written and illustrated by Tim Egan. In whimsical Chestnut Cove, children ride long-legged birds past T.J.'s bakery, and "everybody always tries to help one another out"—until King Milford announces that whoever grows the largest, juiciest watermelon will inherit the entire kingdom. Although the cove's residents initially laugh at the idea, they increasingly become preoccupied with "all the wonderful things they could have." Everyone gardens. Some build fences, while others constantly stand guard over their melons, neglecting the rest of the community. The cove-dwellers rediscover their cooperative spirit only after beloved Eloise, a pig, falls onto a cliff ledge, requiring a rescue effort. In celebration, everyone shares their watermelons. (Houghton Mifflin, 1995, $14.95)

City Green, written and illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. Told from a child's perspective, City Green describes how Marcy and her neighbors establish a community garden on their block's empty lot. Almost the entire neighborhood pitches in, clearing trash, then planting flowers and vegetables. Bad-tempered Old Man Hammer tells them, "You're all wastin' your time." Perceptive young Marcy thinks he's "cranky" because he misses his building, which once stood on the lot. DiSalvo-Ryan's warm blend of watercolor, pencil, and crayon illustrations depict the diverse community gardeners, including people of various ages and ethnic backgrounds—parents, children, seniors, a nun, a girl using a wheelchair, and a father carrying an infant on his back. Eventually even Old Man Hammer shares their enthusiasm. (Morrow, 1994, $15.00)

The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small. With her Papa and Mama out of work, Lydia Grace Finch reluctantly leaves her home to live with city-dwelling Uncle Jim. The Gardener consists of Lydia Grace's letters to her parents and Grandma, written during 11 months of the Depression era. Lydia Grace describes the train ride, her unsmiling uncle, work in the bakery with friendly Ed and Emma Beech, and most of all, her gardening. Beginning with seeds planted in cracked teacups and bent cake pans, Lydia Grace constantly finds new ways to brighten the world around her. Small's Caldecott Honor-winning illustrations make wonderful use of perspective, color, and facial expressions. Some of the artwork suggests sad and lonely moments not conveyed in Lydia Grace's plucky, upbeat letters. (HarperCollins, 1997, $15.00)

Home Lovely, written and illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins. Tiffany and her mom move into a desolate trailer, where Tiffany stays home alone during the afternoons while Janelle works. Locked in the trailer, Tiffany eats popsicles, plays with dolls, and watches TV. One evening, while taking out the trash, she spots some seedlings and develops a new interest. Tiffany examines the plants, noticing three distinct types, and then replants them in the front yard. Expecting flowers or trees, she watches the seedlings' growth. Bob, the mail carrier, disappoints Tiffany by identifying the plants as tomatoes, potatoes, and melons. Their friendship develops as Bob offers gardening tips and brings flowers for Tiffany to plant. (Greenwillow, 1995, $15.00)

Jack's Garden, written and illustrated by Henry Cole. Jack's garden contains an amazing ecosystem of insects, flowers, birds, and other life, all described in the cumulative narrative style of "The House That Jack Built": "This is the rain that wet the seeds that fell on the soil that made up the garden that Jack planted." Cole depicts the garden's cycle from planting through blossoming. A two-page spread of realistic, colored-pencil illustrations accompanies the introduction of each new element. Curious readers will find a cumulonimbus cloud, a stinkbug, a wild geranium, a goldfinch, and many more garden-dwellers clearly labeled. Cole also includes brief instructions on starting your own garden. (Greenwillow, 1995, $15.00)

Mr. Carey's Garden, by Jane Cutler, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Mr. Carey has plants that are "full of holes," so his three neighbors each offer different advice on how to exterminate the snails in his garden. Mr. Carey replies with a refrain: "I appreciate your suggestion. But I see it in a different light." His neighbors can't understand Mr. Carey's snail-tolerant attitude until, one moonlit night, they all coincidentally suffer from insomnia and decide to take a walk. In Mr. Carey's garden, they see "lacy shadows," "broad, gnawed leaves," and "glistening trails that shine like silver ribbons in the moonlight." Mr. Carey sits on his porch, enjoying the magical, snail-filled scene. Karas' illustrations convey the snails' unusual splendor. (Houghton Mifflin, 1996, $14.95).

Oliver's Vegetables, by Vivian French, illustrated by Alison Bartlett. "I don't eat vegetables," Oliver declares. "I only eat french fries." This humorous story shows Oliver's conversion as he visits his grandparents and explores their expansive garden. Each day, Oliver searches for potatoes but finds a different vegetable that Grandpa convinces him to sample. "Potatoes are very important, so they must have big leaves," Oliver says, pulling up rhubarb. He happily eats rhubarb pie, pea soup, beet salad, and other fresh-from-the- garden dishes. When Oliver's bewildered mother returns and finds Oliver eating his usual french fries, little does she know... Quirky and vibrantly colored acrylic paintings illustrate the story. (Orchard, 1995, $13.95)

Pumpkin Pumpkin, written and illustrated by Jeanne Titherington. Jamie plants a pumpkin seed and watches as it gradually becomes a sprout, a flowering plant, and a full-grown pumpkin that Jamie carves into a jack-o'-lantern and harvests for new seeds. Soft, colored-pencil illustrations convey Jamie's fascination with the pumpkin plant and the garden's other life forms. (Morrow, 1990, $3.95)

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