INSIDE THE COMPOST BIN

How to make compost, with the eager aid of thousands of hungry creepy-crawlies.

In this handy guide for would-be garden composters, general directions for creating and using compost paired with illustrations that teem with tiny soil residents are followed by even more explicit procedures and advice featuring ingredients and temperature charts. In the appealing pictures, a light-skinned parent and child with large, shiny eyes tend to a small, leafless tree, which plainly “needs love,” by filling up a nearby bin with organic detritus that is attacked by armies of small, wriggly, accurately depicted creatures erupting out of the cutaway subsurface for a “feasting frenzy.” Correctly turned and cured, the resulting product makes a great addition to garden soil—as the now flowering, plainly prospering tree at the end demonstrates. “Composting starts with a simple, plain bin, under the shade of a big old tree,” Plan concludes encouragingly. “It starts with you choosing to turn trash into treasure.” The substantial ensuing “guide for adults helping kids” includes advice about bin selection and placement, lists of types of waste recommended to maintain a healthy carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, and helpful troubleshooting suggestions.

The scoop on garden soil’s best friend, rich and comprehensive despite its brevity.