Up in the garden and down in the dirt / Kate Messner ; with art by Christopher Silas Neal.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781452119366
- ISBN: 1452119368
- ISBN: 1452161364
- ISBN: 9781452161365
- Physical Description: 1 volume (unpaged) : illustrations ; 32 cm.
- Publisher: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, 2015.
Content descriptions
General Note: | Publisher, publishing date and paging may vary. |
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references. |
Target Audience Note: | Ages 4-8. K to grade 3. AD730L Lexile |
Study Program Information Note: | Accelerated Reader AR LG 5.0 0.5 Accelerated Reader AR LG 5 0.5 178076. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Gardening > Juvenile literature. Gardens > Juvenile literature. Soils > Composition > Juvenile literature. |
Search for related items by series
Available copies
- 23 of 43 copies available at Missouri Evergreen. (Show)
- 0 of 1 copy available at Rolla Public.
Holds
- 2 current holds with 43 total copies.
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
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The Horn Book Review
Up in the Garden and down in the Dirt : (Spring Books for Kids, Gardening for Kids, Preschool Science Books, Children's Nature Books)
The Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Messner and Neal, collaborators on the excellent Over and Under the Snow (rev. 1/12), bring their above-and-below perspective to a well-tended garden as it is transformed from early spring through late autumn. A child and her hardy gardener grandmother spend long hours at work and play above ground, while parallel efforts below, the preparation and maintenance of the soil, are the responsibility of worms and insects. Through the texts repetition of the title phrases and the illustrations alternating visual perspectives, readers swoop up and down: down to examine seeds as they germinate in the critter-filled soil, then up to see plants emerge and birds, insects, and humans interact with leaves and fruit as they grow. The harmonious relationships above and below ground, and those between the two, emphasize the complexities of the garden ecosystem, as well as the joys of sustained engagement with the land. Neals art is stunning, with muted greens and soft browns providing tonal symmetry to illustrations teeming with plant and animal life, and further underscoring the connections among all living organisms in the environment. danielle j. ford (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
School Library Journal Review
Up in the Garden and down in the Dirt : (Spring Books for Kids, Gardening for Kids, Preschool Science Books, Children's Nature Books)
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Gr 1-3-Beneath every garden lies a secret world down in the dirt. In this enchanting follow-up to Over and Under the Snow (Chronicle, 2011), Messner explores that underground realm. This yearlong adventure begins early in spring, with a young girl learning from her grandmother that the soil is still too cold and wet to begin planting. The pair make plans while earthworms and insects work in the dirt. As the year goes by, they tend to the garden, weeding, watering, and keeping away pests, and later harvesting vegetables. The illustrations are marked by rich brown earth tones, highlighted by brighter colors here and there (a red wheelbarrow, yellow boots) as the seasons reveal themselves slowly. Spreads detail the often unseen life all around the garden, such as a praying mantis that eats mosquitoes, pill bugs that chew through leaves, honeybees that pollinate flowers, and a garter snake that hunts grasshoppers. Neal effectively uses light and dark to show the contrast between night and day; an image of foraging rabbits by day is eventually replaced by a nighttime scene of skunks "[working] the night shift." Each page invites readers to linger over the quiet text, which gently moves the story along. Back matter includes an author's note and a complete listing of the many creatures mentioned throughout. VERDICT A beautiful, informative addition to any collection.-Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Library Journal Review
Up in the Garden and down in the Dirt : (Spring Books for Kids, Gardening for Kids, Preschool Science Books, Children's Nature Books)
Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Gr 1-3-Beneath every garden lies a secret world down in the dirt. In this enchanting follow-up to Over and Under the Snow (Chronicle, 2011), Messner explores that underground realm. This yearlong adventure begins early in spring, with a young girl learning from her grandmother that the soil is still too cold and wet to begin planting. The pair make plans while earthworms and insects work in the dirt. As the year goes by, they tend to the garden, weeding, watering, and keeping away pests, and later harvesting vegetables. The illustrations are marked by rich brown earth tones, highlighted by brighter colors here and there (a red wheelbarrow, yellow boots) as the seasons reveal themselves slowly. Spreads detail the often unseen life all around the garden, such as a praying mantis that eats mosquitoes, pill bugs that chew through leaves, honeybees that pollinate flowers, and a garter snake that hunts grasshoppers. Neal effectively uses light and dark to show the contrast between night and day; an image of foraging rabbits by day is eventually replaced by a nighttime scene of skunks "[working] the night shift." Each page invites readers to linger over the quiet text, which gently moves the story along. Back matter includes an author's note and a complete listing of the many creatures mentioned throughout. VERDICT A beautiful, informative addition to any collection.-Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.