THE CIRQUE DES GRAINES

In this picture book, rapt garden plants enjoy fantastical circus acts performed by seeds.

In the arena of their garden, all the plants are waiting expectantly to see “The One and Only, / The Cirque des Graines!” Each of the three acts demonstrates the circus performers’ particular ways of self-seeding. First up are the maple seeds, the “Graines Nomades,” who wear “papery pantaloons” and put on a dazzling aerial display full of twisting, swirling arabesques. Next come the Acacias, contortionist acrobats who bend and warp themselves to send their seeds spinning. Finally, the Wisteria stage a rough-riding daredevil act in their “buckskin pods” to release their seeds. In her third picture book featuring growing things, Glenn—a former flower arranger at California’s famed Chez Panisse restaurant—again blends botanical realism with a magical atmosphere. The text, with its onomatopoeia and poetic diction, deftly enacts the seeds’ kinetic performances: “Maple tree whirlybirds / Hover and hum with a / Sibilant sound.” The author’s enchanting watercolor illustrations dance across the page in lovely shades that capture both the artistry and the strength of the performers.

A beautifully told and illustrated circus story that casts a potent spell.