In the Garden

by Emma Giuliani (Author)

In the Garden
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Marvelous wonders await in this extraordinary garden book. From season to season, children follow the life of a garden as each page reveals new treasures hiding under lift-up flaps. Peek inside the curious tulip bulb and discover the peas inside a peapod. Watch a ladybug help with pesky aphids and search for ripe strawberries under the leaves. Rich in detail, Emma Giuliani's bright, immersive illustrations and flaps in fantastic shapes, sizes, and colors carry the reader into the enchanted world of gardening. Discovering different facets of the garden-fauna, flora, and the work necessary to help it grow and thrive-will delight gardeners of all ages.
Select format:
Hardcover
$28.95

Kirkus

Starred Review
Visually and conceptually idyllic.

Publishers Weekly

Starting with the end of winter and ending with its return, Giuliani's engaging oversize introduction to gardening functions like a season of BBC's Gardeners' World--one perfectly suited to young readers. Eight colorful graphic spreads follow two siblings in black silhouette gardening through each season's arrival ("the Beginning of Summer") and continuation ("High Summer"). In appealingly plainspoken prose, the pages convey seasonal characteristics ("A cold wind blows") and offer gardening tips ("In the winter, cover the soil with mulch"). Using a multitude of flaps that promote interactivity and lend an intimate sense of discovery to the text, Giuliani offers facts about flora and fauna phrased in accessible and scientific terms: in "Spring," a magenta bean's "seed coat or integument" folds back to reveal a "plumule or bud," while an adjacent flap discusses dormancy and germination. One by one, other flaps (shaped like a winter squash, a ground cherry) reveal the kind of glad surprises that a garden can provide; together, the contemplative text offers a growing season's worth of activities and cares. All that's missing is Monty Don. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5--Giuliani showcases the life cycle of a garden from season to season in this interactive and informative book. Plum and her brother Robin (depicted as silhouettes) work in their garden from winter to the return of winter, providing insight about the plants, processes, and animals that make up their day-to-day work with the earth. The narrative unfolds in large full-page spreads with flaps to reveal details about particular aspects of garden upkeep and how the change in seasons creates life. Readers will learn about everything from how the water cycle impacts the garden to what certain seeds and bulbs become. Simple illustrations with sharp colors pair nicely to highlight the intricate workings of the siblings' garden. From the flap that reveals what tools Plum and Robin keep in their shed to what the inside of winter squash looks like, each provides tactile fun. The format allows readers to see the garden's evolution and get a holistic view of how backyard life grows and thrives. VERDICT An excellent purchase for public and elementary school nonfiction collections.--Molly Dettmann, Norman North High School, OK

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Take a walk through a year in the life of a family's garden, from the bleak emptiness of January to a lush riot of colour in July. Help pick the apples in September and toast marshmallows to celebrate the end of another year. Really gorgeous! This would be the perfect beginners' guide for new gardeners young and old, giving hints and tips about what to plant and harvest when.
- Library Girl and Book Boy (UK)
Emma Giuliani
Emma Giuliani is a graphic designer and illustrator living in Paris. Her previous books include Egyptomania and Welcome the Day.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781616898939
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Princeton Architectural Press
Publication date
April 07, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF001000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Activity Books
JNF037030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Flowers & Plants
JNF022000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Gardening
Library of Congress categories
Toy and movable books
Seasons
Gardening
Lift-the-flap books

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