Welcome to today’s edition of Perfect Picture Book Friday!
I have a lovely book to share – perfect for spring time! It makes me want to get out and garden (and I have a black thumb, so that’s saying something! 😊) I’m sure it will have the same affect on you and any young readers you share it with.
As an added bonus, we have a little Q&A with the author, Chelsea Tornetto, who is also offering winner’s choice of a picture book manuscript critique or a copy of her beautiful book to one lucky commenter! So please leave a comment on this post by Wednesday April 20 at 9PM Eastern and you could be the randomly selected lucky winner! Check out Chelsea’s critique service HERE so you can see what she offers!
Now, let’s have a look at the book!
Title: Gardens Are For Growing
Written By: Chelsea Tornetto
Illustrated By: Hsulynn Pang
Publisher: Familius Publishing
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: gardens/nature, growth, family, cycle of life
Opening: “Shovels are for turning soil,
and clumps are meant for breaking.”
Brief Synopsis: A father shows his daughter how to take a patch of earth and till and plant and tend until it grows into a beautiful garden. As the garden grows more lush with every passing year, the little girl grows up.
Links To Resources: First, a treat! A little Q&A with author Chelsea Tornetto!
SUSANNA: How did you come up with the idea for Gardens Are For Growing?
CHELSEA: My husband puts in a backyard garden every year. When our daughter, Tessa, was small, my favorite thing about spring and summer was watching her hanging out in the garden with her dad. As she grew older the tasks she could/would help with changed, but the memories they made were always precious. It struck me how she was growing up just like the garden did each year. And Gardens Are For Growing was born!
SUSANNA: What do you hope kids will take away from it?
CHELSEA: I hope families are inspired to take time to get outside together! I also hope it helps them realize that the best, most powerful memories are usually made in the small moments. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a big fancy vacation to make lasting memories.
SUSANNA: What is your favorite part of being an author?
CHELSEA: I love the creativity of it. I love the challenge of finding just the right word to complete a rhyme or create a certain feeling. And I love giving my words to a talented illustrator and seeing their vision come to life!
SUSANNA: Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Chelsea! It’s so wonderful to know a little about the background of the books we love!
Next, some wonderful activity pages!
Why I Like This Book: This lovely story, told in rhyme, shows young readers the many things involved with growing a garden, from breaking up the earth, to sowing seeds and watering, to seeing earthworms, to watching things grow. With each turn of the page, the garden grows, going from a patch of earth, to neat garden with thin, young plants, until eventually it is a lush, mature garden. As the garden grows, a young girl grows alongside it, until the garden, the seasons, and the girl and her father together demonstrate the cycle of life. The art is bright and full of details, a wonderful complement to the text. Young gardeners (whether in the country with a true patch of earth, or in the city with a pot on a windowsill) will especially love this chance to learn about gardening, but it is a beautiful story anyone will enjoy.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Happy Passover and Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates! 😊
Don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to be randomly selected to win your choice of a copy of this book or a picture book manuscript critique from Chelsea!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
I’m ‘rooting’ for this PB to have great success. I love Chelsea’s profound comment, “most powerful memories are usually made in the small moments”. Truth. 🙂
This is what we need now for children to see how things grow, be more self-sufficient and enjoy the wonders most people take for granted. It all starts with a garden, their own little spot in the family’s larger growing area.
This book inspired me to start growing something! This book has such a powerful message and the illustrations just sing. Thank you so much for your review of this very special book. Thank you for your blog and PBBF! It is uch a joy to read the reviews and learn about so many wonderful books! Having a database of them is icing on the cake!!
Aww! This looks wonderful! I’d love to add it to my classroom library. Thank you for sharing!
I love stories about children engaging with parents/grandparents in outdoor activities like gardening. Reminds me of my childhood and planting our large garden with my dad. Great time to spend in nature!
I plant a vegetable garden every year and love the idea of the garden growing and the girl growing up in parallel. This author’s husband and daughter definitely have unforgettable memories to treasure always.
I just place d this lovely book on display in the store yesterday with other spring-themed books!
Love this book! Gardening is an awesome activity to do with kids. My son and I used to garden together, and he still helps me when I need some heavy lifting or extra height, LOL. Nice activity pages, too. Happy Easter!
What a wonderful way to look at gardening! You’re right, it makes me want to get out and work in my garden. If only we’d get above low 40s…soon says the robin. Can’t wait to see the whole book. Thanks for the great review. Happy Easter!
What a sweet story! I can’t wait to read this book. Congratulations!
What a warm inspiration – Soon(ish) I’ll feel the earth between my toes. I can’t wait to read this!.
I started a garden book ages ago about my daughter and her Papaw. This is great inspiration to have another go at it. Thank you!
My garden is covered under several feet of snow right now. Good thing there are books like yours to remind us that growing season is on the way!
Book looks great! My twins would love it! Hope I Win!
What a great giveaway and interview!