The poem tells of a fairy who worships the natural world in all seasons. Stories, naming and adventures emerge with observation in this graphic detailing of an overgrown rustic setting. For a child who wants to know more about how plants grow, I recommend Gail Gibbon's From Seed to Plant. Gibbons discusses the parts of a flower, pollination, the needs of a plant, a plant project and lastly a page of facts and definitions about plants. Ms. Gibbons has a remarkable talent for combining science and mystery and a non-fiction style that reads very like prose.
Gardens make for great stories.
Throughout runs a reassuring theme of the cyclical nature of life. The realistic pictures create a special warmth and Jamie has a friend in every picture to help a young listener participate in the story telling. Nancy Carlson fans will be happy to happen on Harriet and the Garden. While Harriet concentrates on catching a pop-fly, she tramples Mrs. Hoozit's prize dahlia. Full of fear, guilt and sadness, Harriet runs home and hides.