From School Library Journal
reS-Gr 2-This beautiful, earthy book is a child's hymn to harvest time. A young girl celebrates it all in one day, and thinks back on the efforts of both the gardeners and the plants. She picks, digs, and gathers fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers with great care and appreciation; then she and her mother bake, store, and can, getting ready for winter. The watercolor-and-gouache paintings, mostly double-page spreads, are rich in autumn colors. Each picture is framed by a border that echoes some of the plants within; these appear as if behind a scrim, reminding readers that the colors will fade and the plants will die down as the circle of seasons continues. The last painting shows the narrator asleep in her cozy bed as snowflakes fall outside; her cat, who has appeared in nearly every picture as a quiet helper, is also asleep. A bouquet of dried flowers and a pail of small pumpkins decorate the room. Under the scene is the last bit of text: "We have harvested our garden. All year we have worked so hard. All year our garden has worked so hard. Now it is time to rest."-Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Booklist
Ages 4-6. On a golden fall day, a girl and her mother harvest the fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers from their garden, then dry and can some of the produce for future use. That night a harvest moon, "as round and rusty as a pumpkin," rises as the child snuggles into bed and reflects on their hard work in the garden. This beautifully designed book features detailed watercolor-and-gouache paintings in rich fall colors. A muted border of flowers surrounds each picture or box of text. The directness and simplicity of the text and illustrations make this a fine choice for fall story hours. An attractive alternative to books about Thanksgiving, which place the holiday so firmly in the past or at the dinner table. This gets to the essence of the harvest in a story even young children can understand. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
