Spring is just around the corner, and reading Kevin Henkes’ latest picture book is an excellent way to anticipate the change in seasons. In My Garden, the author of classics like Kitten’s First Full Moon and Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse blends the beauty of nature and the power of imagination for an appealing, if quiet, story.
After helping her mother work in the garden one day, Henkes’ young heroine has decided opinions about what will—and will not—grow once she has a garden of her own. “Tomatoes will be as big as beach balls, and carrots will be invisible, because I don’t like carrots,” she announces confidently. She also lends her green thumb to cultivating more sugary delicacies. Plant a jellybean? Grow a jellybean bush! And the only rabbits allowed are chocolate.
Colorful watercolor and ink illustrations adorn every page, bringing the garden in the little girl’s mind to life. One memorable spread shows her surrounded by butterflies and birds, “so that the air was humming with wings.” This fanciful tale is a sweet and simple read for the nature-loving dreamer in your family.
RELATED CONTENT
Interview with Kevin Henkes
Illustrated Q&A with Kevin Henkes
Review of Kitten’s First Full Moon
Kevin Henkes’ website
