bookswithgin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
pwbalto's review against another edition
4.0
When I was a child, our neighbors had a gorgeous garden. A circle of rosebushes, giant perennials, flowering hedges, and a full vegetable garden. The husband experimented with hybrids, and succeeded in creating a new azalea, which he named after his wife. It's a pretty orange with raspberry spots, and my parents still have one or two in their garden.
Those neighbors have been gone, oh, twenty years now, and unfortunately their gardens have waned in size and vigor with each succeeding tenant of that house. A few years ago, the latest owners ripped it up entirely. In one afternoon. My mother called everyone in the neighborhood. People came with buckets and wheelbarrows and baskets to salvage Thelma's peonies, Ralph's daylilies, gigantic hostas and rare irises. It was a tragedy, to be sure, especially since those owners didn't last two years in that little house, but I like to think of the descendants of Ralph and Thelma's lovingly cultivated plants thriving in the yards of people who remember them fondly, and people who never knew them.
So I'm going to buy this book for my mother for Mother's Day. She taught me how to garden, and how to look at plants, and she has created landscapes and pockets and shields and beds and one of my fondest wishes is that my kids and I will have the energy to maintain all that beauty when it is our turn.
Those neighbors have been gone, oh, twenty years now, and unfortunately their gardens have waned in size and vigor with each succeeding tenant of that house. A few years ago, the latest owners ripped it up entirely. In one afternoon. My mother called everyone in the neighborhood. People came with buckets and wheelbarrows and baskets to salvage Thelma's peonies, Ralph's daylilies, gigantic hostas and rare irises. It was a tragedy, to be sure, especially since those owners didn't last two years in that little house, but I like to think of the descendants of Ralph and Thelma's lovingly cultivated plants thriving in the yards of people who remember them fondly, and people who never knew them.
So I'm going to buy this book for my mother for Mother's Day. She taught me how to garden, and how to look at plants, and she has created landscapes and pockets and shields and beds and one of my fondest wishes is that my kids and I will have the energy to maintain all that beauty when it is our turn.
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
Don't miss the author's note at the beginning of the story.
rhodesee's review against another edition
4.0
A lovely book about caring for the Earth and each other featuring an intergenerational relationship.
agudenburr's review against another edition
3.0
A cute story about how gardens last longer than neighbors.
florapants84's review against another edition
4.0
Such an adorable book by the same author of [b:Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova|18317569|Swan The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova|Laurel Snyder|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443095087s/18317569.jpg|26470654]! The illustrations were delightful, and I enjoyed the premise of the story, based "very loosely on a Talmudic story."
heypretty52's review against another edition
5.0
This book did NOT make me sob... Damnit, Laurel!! You did it again!
tashrow's review
4.0
Laurel lives next door to Honey. Honey has a large garden and she is always out working it it, rain or shine. Honey weeds the garden, shares carrots and tomatoes in the morning, offers up eggs to neighbors from her chickens, and on nice evenings has cookies after dinner that she shares with Laurel as the fireflies come out. But one day, a for sale sign is up at Honey’s house and she is moving away. Laurel is very sad and wonders at Honey continuing to plant things that she won’t be around to enjoy. The two plant an apple tree together and Laurel puts up a sign. Soon another family moves into Honey’s house and Laurel shows the children how to take care of Honey’s garden using all the skills that Honey showed her day after day.
Snyder has created a very rich picture book here that will work for even very young children. She explores the wonder of both gardening and friendships in this picture book with muddy knees bringing people together. Snyder never loses sight of her young audience here, keeping the language simple and the story tightly written. It’s a picture book that has a full, robust story that will lead to discussions and perhaps some singing to kale.
Cotterill’s illustrations are wonderful, fully embracing the joy of gardening in all weather and the wonder of the outdoors. Done in pen and ink, they were colored digitally in a style that evokes watercolors. They are filled with small details that show the garden and the care and time Honey puts into it.
A warm book about neighborhoods, caring adults and the connections forged over gardens, this picture book is a great addition to springtime stories. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
Snyder has created a very rich picture book here that will work for even very young children. She explores the wonder of both gardening and friendships in this picture book with muddy knees bringing people together. Snyder never loses sight of her young audience here, keeping the language simple and the story tightly written. It’s a picture book that has a full, robust story that will lead to discussions and perhaps some singing to kale.
Cotterill’s illustrations are wonderful, fully embracing the joy of gardening in all weather and the wonder of the outdoors. Done in pen and ink, they were colored digitally in a style that evokes watercolors. They are filled with small details that show the garden and the care and time Honey puts into it.
A warm book about neighborhoods, caring adults and the connections forged over gardens, this picture book is a great addition to springtime stories. Appropriate for ages 3-6.