GRANDPA’S GARDEN

In this picture book, a community garden is the scene of a delightful vegetable feast.

Grandpa’s community garden is full of vegetable wonders that bring people together from all walks of life. One by one, Gardella introduces readers to each of the ingredients for a healthy meal that the grandkids assemble. They begin with that classic staple, lettuce, then move on to radishes, celery, and more. The author describes the appearance and role of each part of the salad: “These are the beets, pickled or plain, / Painting the lettuce with their rich, red stain, / And bringing some softness to the luscious salad / That comes from Grandpa’s garden.” Confusingly, Gardella’s verse style echoes that of the classic rhyme “This Is the House That Jack Built,” but misses the opportunity for each line to build on the previous one to create a long, continuous string of steps for salad-making. As the meal takes shape, readers will find that one of the most important additions to the salad does not grow in the garden, but instead is the multiracial family that sits around the table to eat it. Donnelly’s brightly colored, highly detailed illustrations demonstrate how to prepare the ingredients, such as putting the lettuce in a salad spinner and grating the carrots. Together with Donnelly’s instructive pictures, this engaging story encourages sustainable practices and a community mindset in its readers, who may still be learning where their food comes from.

A sweet tale about coming together to enjoy home-grown food.