In the book, Liam discovers a patch of wildflowers that are trying to survive in the city. Liam discovers the joy of being a gardener and rejuvenates the garden... which goes about exploring the city as it is tended, bringin a new look to the city. The book brightens as the garden grows stronger; the illustrations are so unique and the style of the illustrations caught my eye. Liam tends his garden with care and even a song or two and eventually color overtakes the dull, gray drabness of the city. The city is transformed into a green, colorful place of beauty and bounty. There's an underlying message in the book of stewardship and care of our surroundings. I thought this was a perfect cousin text to Eve Bunting's book Secret Place. It would be interesting to read both during a study of synthesis and see where the reading leads...
I read an online interview with Peter Brown and he was asked What is your idea of bliss? His answer: "My idea of bliss would be a life where almost every day included the following things: two cups of good coffee; reading, writing, and drawing in a big art studio that overlooked a beautiful place; a bulldog; plenty of music; a picnic; NPR; and a dinner party with seven of my best friends." Isn't that a great question... I'd add "finding a great book like The Curious Garden." You can see more about Peter Brown and his art on his website, which can be found at: http://www.somebrownstuff.com
My students and I love this book. We use it when we are studying the character trait "patience". Another great book that reminded them of this one was Rose's Garden by Peter Reynolds.
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