by Kristina Nelson

Created on: June 08, 2009

In a city where people spend more time inside, a curious boy investigates the outdoors. Rain or shine, he loves being outside. Unlike adults, who tend to despise the rain, this young boy walks merrily on a rainy day, which is how he comes upon an old railway.

The young boy, Liam, explores the railway like any inquisitive boy would. Instead of seeing the railway as ugly and uninteresting, he climbs stairs to discover a very small garden growing. He becomes worried about the garden and feels it needs special care to keep it from dying. Every day the boy returns to care for it.

After the garden spreads and thrives, winter arrives and the gardens are gone. However, instead of thinking sad thoughts about the snow covered ground, he teaches himself how to be a more knowledgeable gardener. He spends his time preparing for that same garden. A picture shows the young boy reading books with a flower on the cover.

Other pictures portrays how the young boy revives the garden with his new tools, and how as the garden grew and grew, and how he shared the garden with others in a sly way. Surprisingly, new gardeners start to show up and care for it.

Curiosity and gardens, combined in a beautiful story, show children that beauty is everywhere; we just have to look for it. It is written for children ages 4-8, and contains detailed, framed pictures on each page. The last page of this book contains the Author's Note, and how he was inspired to write this book, with the Highline Railway in Manhattan. It's a truly amazing story of how beauty is everywhere, and how it brings happiness. It is a book that will bring smiles to every reader, through its inspirational story.

This book could be coordinated with a gardening project with young readers, or shared at city garden clubs, which generally are organized by volunteers. When a 7, 9 and 12 year-old were asked what their favorite part was, they all said when the garden starts to "pop up" every where. It made them feel good inside and smile. This book is ideal for year round seasons, considering snow and winter are mentioned. Adults will enjoy this book themselves, as well as children.

THE CURIOUS GARDEN (Printed on Recycled Paper), by Peter Brown, illustrations in acrylic and gouache on board, text was set in Mrs. Eaves, Book design by Patti Ann Harris, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Hachette Book Group, New York, New York, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-316-01547-9, First Edition, $16.99 USA.

Additional Author Information:

Peter Brown, www.peterbrownstudio.com

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