Quiet in the Garden

Aliki
HarperCollins (2009)
ISBN 9780061552076
Reviewed by Grayce Richardson (age 5) for Reader Views (3/09)

“This picture (on the book’s cover) reminds me of Texas Bluebonnets. I like the little boy and his rabbit. This book is six stars. He had a picnic and I want to make my own garden. I like butterflies. I like how the animals asked questions. I want to plant my own flowers. Mom, can we do it after school tomorrow?”

Parent’s Note:

I was instantly captivated by the cover illustration and the rest of the book did not disappoint. The book has several things to offer children. The boy tells the overall story of what being quiet in the garden lets him hear and see. All sorts of insects and animals make their home in the garden and they have little conversations with each other, serving as sub-text to the main story. Additionally, Aliki uses a lot of onomatopoeia to capture the sounds he hears, which I love. Those three aspects of “Quiet in the Garden” really enrich it for the child’s overall experience. And best yet, at the end, he has a page dedicated to planting a garden, written for child understanding. Nicely done.

        

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