Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature with a focus
on diverse books here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Cara Chow, Denise Holmes, Joan Charles, Sharon Calle—and
I are so excited to be championing books
celebrating everything from gender diversity, people of color, the LGBTQ
community to ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, people with
disabilities and developmental challenges to controversial topics, unique
family situations and anything and everything I did not include. It is to say
we take a rightfully board view of diversity! We aim to shine a light on books
that bring both familiar experiences to those who do not often see themselves
represented in books and new experiences to those looking to expand their
worldview. Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe in the power of story to build
empathy and thus a better world for you and me and everyone. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.
Green Green, A Community
Gardening Story
By Marie Lamba and Baldev
Lamba • Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez
Picture Book (ages 2-5) • 32 pages
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux • 2017
ISBN 978-0-37-432797-2
Green Green, A Community Gardening Story is a picture book close to my heart. I am lucky
enough to live in an urban city that recognizes the need for community gardens.
My daughter and I have a garden plot in our neighborhood, where it is has been
wonderful to see the plants grow and neighbors come together. So, needless to
say, I was excited when I discovered this book.
The story opens with a
family, who moves from the country to a big, urban city. A cast of diverse
children in the neighborhood, start to notice their city developing up around
them. Green spaces are becoming smaller, and empty lots are filling up with
garbage. The children take matters into their own hands and start cleaning up
one of the lots. With help from the adults, they start cleaning, digging and
soon have a space for planting.
Written as a poetic
narrative, Green Green shows how
children can change their own world and bring people together by doing
something as simple as building a garden for their neighbors to share. The
message is powerful—it inspires community and fosters a love for cultivating
our natural environment, even in a big urban city.
The back matter of the book
provides additional information for readers about how to create their own
gardens and make spaces that attract pollinaters, like bees and butterflies.
Green Green
will give the reader an open invitation to talk about their community, the
environment and how to care for our world.
Buy this book:
Reviewed by: Denise Holmes