The Weedy Garden: A Happy Habitat for Wild Friends by Margaret Renkl, illustrated by Billy Renkl (Greenwillow Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Fifteen animals plus one child enjoy a wildflower garden in all different ways: “If you’re a bumble-bee in the weedy garden, you carry grains of pollen from blossom to bloom. You’re a seed-maker dusted with magic. You’re a flower farmer dressed in gold.” Each spread contains a detailed illustration of the garden from that particular animal’s viewpoint. The child on the last page sits still in the garden, surrounded by all the creatures and observing the natural world. Includes additional information about the animals, information about planting a garden or a container garden that will attract wildlife, and a note from the illustrator about creating collage illustrations.

This is a great introduction to creating a wildlife garden that will get kids excited about seeing what kinds of animals might visit. The illustrations are rich and textured, and readers will have fun finding the animals in each one and seeing what they do in the garden. I loved the illustrator’s note, which presents the idea of creating mythical animals with collage, which would make a nice extension art project. Fifteen animals felt like a lot, and younger kids may need a few sittings to get through the whole book.

Growing Together by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Paola Escobar (HarperCollins, 32 pages, ages 4-8). A girl tells her small sunflower plant that its “new home is waiting,” and off they go to a busy community garden. They see friends and neighbors digging, weeding, composting, and watering to create colorful, tasty gardens. A variety of vegetables is introduced, along with herbs, and flowers, which not only add beauty but bring pollinators to the garden. At the end of the book, a table is set and spread with the bounty from the garden for everyone to feast on together in a joyful celebration. Includes a page showing what was grown in the garden with illustrations and a sentence or two of information.

The bouncing, rhyming text and busy, colorful illustrations introduce a wide variety of garden terms and products that will have kids begging to go outside and dig in the dirt.