Published by Beach Lane Books

Summary:  A community rooftop garden takes shape, bringing together a diverse group of neighbors who grow an equally diverse collection of fruits and vegetables.  From “Garden ready, garden new/Garden so much work to do” to “Garden growing like a child, rosy, leggy, fresh and wild/Wild in this muddy mess, garden, thank you…Garden, yes!”, the brief rhyming text celebrates different stages of gardening.  A girl and a boy meet each other through the garden, and enjoy all the different aspects, even the rainy days and the bugs and worms that they discover.  The final illustration shows the whole group sitting down to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of their labors.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  This bouncy rhyming ode to gardens is a perfect summertime read.  Kids with gardens will connect with the different phases of growing produce, and everyone will enjoy finding details in the cheerful illustrations, such as the recurring appearances of a garden gnome and two toy vehicles: a blue truck and a yellow car. 

Cons:  A gardening activity at the end would have been nice.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A young girl introduces her new best friend, who is smart and she laughs at everything.  The two friends like to run around, quacking like ducks, then sit quietly under a tree.  Even though one loves strawberry ice cream and the other hates it, they are still friends.  When they’re drawing, she draws her friend and her friend draws her, and they make hearts around their pictures.  “She is my best friend I think.  I’ve never had a best friend so I’m not sure.”  As the two girls go their separate ways, each with a parent, the narrator reveals that they don’t know each other’s names, but they can find out tomorrow “because we are best friends.”  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  As she did in When’s My Birthday?, Julie Fogliano perfectly captures the voice of a very young child and explores what it’s like to instantly become friends with someone new.  Caldecott honoree Jillian Tamaki explores their friendship in green and peach illustrations surrounded by white space; she’s deserving of some Caldecott consideration once again for this book.

Cons:  I have a personal preference for illustrations using a wider palette of colors.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by The Blue Sky Press

Summary:  Roy loves dirt: digging in it, lying in it, rolling around in it.  He likes to bury things in dirt.  He eats it, sniffs it, and listens to it.  Mud is even better than dirt; it’s like “dirt gravy”.  When Roy doesn’t have access to dirt, he digs rugs, blankets, and newspapers.  One thing Roy does not love is baths.  At night, after his torturous bath, he sleeps, dreaming about digging.  In the morning, he returns to his same old dirt, but for Roy, it’s like brand-new dirt every day.  40 pages; ages 2-7.

Pros:  A David Shannon book about a goofy dog who loves dirt?  I probably don’t need to say anything else here, this will undoubtedly be a hilarious favorite with anyone under the age of 8 who comes in contact with it.

Cons:  I love this one-star review on Amazon: “This book has no message or meaning.  It is absolutely pointless.”  Um, yeah.  It’s a book by David Shannon with a silly-looking dog on the cover.  Kids (and adults) don’t always need a message.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Owlkids

Summary:  The stuffed fox narrator lives an idyllic life with his girl, Emi.  On the day that Emi finds the first golden leaf on the gingko tree, a storm comes and washes the fox away.  Torn and battered, he eventually lands on a beach, where a man finds him and brings him home to his daughter, Kiko.  In the same way they repair broken china with gold, Kiko stitches up the fox with gold thread.  A golden gingko leaf that was with the fox provides the clue needed to get him home again.  After spending winter, spring, and summer with Kiko, the fox is taken on a boat trip with the girl and her father.  They follow the trail of gold gingko leaves in the water until they get to Emi’s house, where there is a happy reunion, a new friendship between the two girls, and maybe even a romance? (Pure speculation on my part, but Emi’s mom and Kiko’s dad both appear to be single).  Includes an author’s note with additional information on two Japanese ideas: kintsugi, in which broken china is mended with gold, encouraging reuse instead of throwing away; and wabi-sabi, finding beauty in things that are imperfect and incomplete.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Edward Tulane fans, rejoice!  This beautiful picture book is also about the miraculous journey of a stuffed animal, an adorable fox in this case.  The themes of kintsugi and wabi-sabi are also beautifully incorporated into the story, not only with the fox, but with a broken branch on the gingko tree and Kiko’s broken leg.  Lots to think about and discuss here. 

Cons:  Keep the Kleenexes handy.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.