Secrets of the Garden

Gr 1–4—Alice explains how she and her family plant, tend, and harvest vegetables in their large backyard garden. She and her brother wait impatiently for the first sprouts to appear and watch the seedlings mature. Soon Alice realizes that humans aren't the only ones ready to enjoy the crops. Rabbits, mice, and insects also eat plants, but sometimes they end up as food for other animals. Maisy and Daisy, the family's chickens, use visual aids to identify various food chains in the garden and show how they contribute to a backyard food web. Zoehfeld stresses the role of plants as the first link in food chains and explains the special role worms play in the continuing cycle. Her clear, conversational style conveys valuable information without overwhelming readers. Lamont's cheerful watercolor illustrations provide additional details on topics such as seedling identification and edible parts of plants. The depictions of the growing crops and the interactions of family members with one another and their garden exude positive energy. The conversations of all of the characters, including the chickens, are encapsulated in speech balloons. The book will raise readers' awareness of backyard food chains and encourage some students to try gardening themselves.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato