CLARA'S MAGIC GARDEN

A girl and a magical bush both discover what’s special about them in this picture book written by a father-and-son team.

When lonely, young Clara hears a bush whispering to her in the winter, the white girl happily collects its berries and holds onto them until they can be planted in the spring. Soon, she takes them to her hidden garden, where the plants and flowers are her friends. She plants the berries, waters them, and gets rewarded with a sprout. When the bush matures, Clara is delighted, but the garden’s other plants consider the newcomer dreadfully plain. Feeling sad, the bush asks the wise old walnut tree for advice, and the sage replies: “Be patient and someday YOU WILL KNOW YOUR PURPOSE.” That fall, the bush turns red, becoming a burning bush, and it realizes that Clara’s joy is its purpose. By having the bush echo Clara’s loneliness, and resonate with the way the girl feels different, the Kolbabas allow young readers to identify with both plant and child, keeping scary feelings of being alone at bay. Their friendship and the recognition of the value of diversity offer comforting messages of acceptance and love. The straightforward prose doesn’t shy away from slightly challenging vocabulary words (magnolia, crimson) and longer sentences, making the tale best suited for independent readers. Despite some pages of lengthy text, Leuchovius’ beautiful paintings shine, showing by turns anthropomorphic and realistic plant life to heighten the story’s touching moments.

A sweet, uplifting garden tale about belonging.