The Weedy Garden - by Margaret Renkl (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A weedy backyard garden becomes a vibrant ecosystem that is home to an impressive array of plants and animals for any child patient enough to observe it"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

This debut picture book from acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author Margaret Renkl--with collage illustrations by her brother, fine artist Billy Renkl--invites readers to observe and wonder about the various inhabitants in the vibrant ecosystem of a wildlife-friendly backyard garden. Features backmatter.

If you were hungry squirrel in the weedy garden, where would you find an acorn? If you were a cottontail rabbit, where would you hide your bunnies? And if you were a child, sitting still and listening, what would the weedy garden say to you?

Margaret Renkl, a beloved regular contributor to The New York Times and two-time recipient of the Southern Book Prize, writes beautifully about our changing natural world. In her debut picture book, she asks questions that draw young readers deeper and deeper into the garden, inviting observation and conversation along the way. Each page turn introduces a new plant or animal friend, buzzing and dancing with quiet wonder. The fine artist Billy Renkl, Margaret Renkl's brother and frequent collaborator, brings the weedy garden to life through his signature mixed-media collages. Includes backmatter with more information about the residents of the garden, eco-friendly gardening tips, and instructions on how to make your own collage art project at home or in school.

With evergreen themes of patience and respect for the natural world, The Weedy Garden will appeal to readers of Plant the Tiny Seed, On Meadowview Street, and Peter Brown's The Curious Garden.

Review Quotes

The natural world glows in these pages. . . this book pays attention to everything and reminds children to do the same. - School Library Journal
Margaret Renkl invites readers to imagine themselves as different animals living among the thriving blooms. . . . Succinct text. . . results in a soothing read-aloud, with poetic, sensorial language brimming with vocabulary-boosting descriptors. The 'slender green snake' in a 'glimmering world' paints as vivid a picture as the splashy multi-media collaged art provided by Billy Renkl, the author's brother. Bursting with primary colors, his deeply layered floral extravaganza pops. . . . Linger over this exquisite garden filled with earthly delights. - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Renkl's arresting mixed-media and collage illustrations showcase a wide variety of plants, some sharp in lines and deep in color, others soft and muted, as though they could be peeled back to reveal more of this hidden world. . . . The rich evocative language paired with the second-person narration makes for a gentle read together experience or a transitional book for readers gaining confidence. - Booklist