The girl in this book grows chocolate rabbits, tomatoes as big as beach balls, flowers that change color, and seashells in her garden.
How d... read full description
reviews
Mar 08, 2010
Tasha
rated it: 
A little girl helps her mother in her garden. It is a nice garden, but if the little girl could create her own garden, it would be very different! There would be no weeds. No plants would die. If you imagined the flowers different colors and patterns, they would change. Rabbits would not eat lettuce, instead they would be chocolate rabbits meant to be eaten. There would be lots of birds and butterflies, and unique things would suddenly grow. This beauty of a book will inspire children to
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Jan 28, 2011
Eva
rated it: 
3.5 - This is nothing like the description which is very bland. I'm surprised I already had this listed to-read and I must have found it elsewhere because there is no way I'd have added this - much less went and found it - on that description alone. (That description is also on the inside front flap of the book. You'd think someone could have come up with something a little more, well, uh, descriptive.)
An interesting little piece of info - there is a family by the name of Henkes in my dev More...
An interesting little piece of info - there is a family by the name of Henkes in my dev More...
Dec 08, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
One of my favorite Henkes books, it is rich with bright lively illustrations as he tells the story of a little girl (from the perspective of a little girl) she who fantasizes and gushes about what her own garden would be like if she had one. This is prompted from her helping her mother in the garden. In this story, Henkes illuminates the beauty of imagination and wonder; the main character talks of "flowers that change color just by thinking" about it, the chocolate bunnies she would e
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Apr 14, 2011
Lisa
rated it: 
Chocolate rabbits and strawberry lanterns, and flowers that change their colors and have patterns? Sign me up! No carrots and things such as buttons and umbrellas? No thank you. But, that’s what makes this book such fun. Every reader/listener is encouraged to think about what their ideal garden might contain.
A lot of imagination, some humor and some whimsy, and a lot f fun.
I’m not sure I was wild about the illustrations, especially given what they could be given that the More...
A lot of imagination, some humor and some whimsy, and a lot f fun.
I’m not sure I was wild about the illustrations, especially given what they could be given that the More...
3 comments
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Mar 17, 2010
Joey
rated it:
After reading the description, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this but I ended up loving it! It's surprisingly cute.
While helping her mother in the garden, a little girl daydreams about what her garden would look like if she had one. Tomatoes as big as beach balls, chocolate rabbits instead of real ones, flowers that can change colour just by thinking about it and when you pick a flower, a new one pops up!
I especially enjoyed the jelly bean bush and the strawberr More...
While helping her mother in the garden, a little girl daydreams about what her garden would look like if she had one. Tomatoes as big as beach balls, chocolate rabbits instead of real ones, flowers that can change colour just by thinking about it and when you pick a flower, a new one pops up!
I especially enjoyed the jelly bean bush and the strawberr More...
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Mar 09, 2010
Josiah
rated it: 
The lovely, brightly colored pastels used by Kevin Henkes in this book are truly a thing of beauty. The style of illustration used in My Garden is my favorite among the diverse styles that he employs. No other author is better at taking a simple scene, such as the wished-for perfect garden of the small girl in this book, and creating around it a real sense of the wonder and awe of life from the perspective of a child.
There is a lot of good in this spritely, memorable picture book, More...
There is a lot of good in this spritely, memorable picture book, More...
Mar 16, 2010
Todd
rated it:
I love Kevin Henkes' body of work: his novels like Sun & Stone and Olive's Ocean; Lilly and her purple purse; Wemberly; Owen; and the more recent triumphs such as Kitten's First Full Moon, Old Bear, and Birds. My Garden continues the beautiful palate and drawing style of Old Bear and A Good Day, but the story stumbles. What should be an exploration of a girl daydreaming about how her garden grows (with patterned sunflowers, chocolate bunnies, and seashells) comes across as selfish. The text t
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Dec 24, 2010
Snorkle
rated it:
I loved this book! The illustrations were so sweet and I loved how bright the garden was, without feeling overwhelming or tacky. The little girl's garden was magical and whimsical, I loved her imagination and design. The story was sweet and simple and the ending left you feeling satisfied and happy. The moment I was done with this book I had a big smile across my face and I wanted to find someone to share it with. I'd definitely recommend it - it's one of my new favorites!
*Taken from m More...
*Taken from m More...
May 24, 2010
Tamara
rated it:
Adorable. The illustrations didn't speak to me like Kitten's First Full Moon but the text was extremely captivating.
Favorite Quotes:
In my garden, the rabbits wouldn't eat the lettuce because the rabbits would be chocolate and I would eat them.
The tomatoes would be as big as beach balls, and the carrots would be invisible because I don't like carrots.
At night, the morning glories would stay open, shining like stars, and the strawberries would glow like More...
Favorite Quotes:
In my garden, the rabbits wouldn't eat the lettuce because the rabbits would be chocolate and I would eat them.
The tomatoes would be as big as beach balls, and the carrots would be invisible because I don't like carrots.
At night, the morning glories would stay open, shining like stars, and the strawberries would glow like More...
Mar 02, 2011
Hilary
rated it:
A touch of whimsy in the garden. I wonder if Kevin Henkes has a garden similar to mine? I've planted pinwheels and umbrellas, added "chocolate" bunnies at Easter and well-dressed librarian-scarecrows in the summer... I plant oddly-colored and unusual plants out front, let pole beans (scarlet emperors) climb up the post to my mailbox. Out back is a bathtub overflowing with white petunias (and a mannequin reading a book while she soaks beneath them...). Jack-be-little pumpkins be-deck
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Jul 18, 2011
Abigail
rated it:
A young girl describes her own ideal garden in this paean to childhood imagination, envisioning a fantastic space with no weeds, chocolate bunnies that the girl can eat (rather than flesh-and-blood bunnies who eat the plants), flowers that automatically grow again, when picked, and soil in which anything that is planted - sea shells, jelly beans - will yield a crop. The colorful ink and watercolor illustrations have a simple, folksy feeling that accentuates the "simple" pleasures of a
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Apr 06, 2011
Kathryn
rated it:
I didn't know anything about the book and was surprised to discover it is not so much about actual gardening (though there is a real garden the mom and daughter plant) as imaginative gardening as the little girl dreams of having a garden with no weeds or dead plants, and wants to plant seashells (to grow seashells, of course!) and jellybeans to grow candy plants. And there would be no carrots, because she does not like them ;-) Overall, I appreciated the imaginative approach, though I do love
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12 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Jun 03, 2010
Becky
rated it:
Love Kevin Henkes, for both his writing and illustration. This would make a great gift book.
My favorite quotes are the same as Tamara's:
In my garden, the rabbits wouldn't eat the lettuce because the rabbits would be chocolate and I would eat them.
The tomatoes would be as big as beach balls, and the carrots would be invisible because I don't like carrots.
At night, the morning glories would stay open, shining like stars, and the strawberries would
My favorite quotes are the same as Tamara's:
In my garden, the rabbits wouldn't eat the lettuce because the rabbits would be chocolate and I would eat them.
The tomatoes would be as big as beach balls, and the carrots would be invisible because I don't like carrots.
At night, the morning glories would stay open, shining like stars, and the strawberries would
Mar 13, 2010
Trish
rated it:
For those of us in the mid-Atlantic, it’s been a rough winter, but just reading this book warms me up! Henkes’ little girl is her mother’s helper in the garden, but she fantasizes about her own garden, with ever-blooming flowers, chocolate rabbits, jelly bean bushes, hundreds of birds and butterflies, and tomatoes as big as beach balls. Henkes’ bright watercolors make the garden a fantastical place, and his little girl reminds us of life’s possibilities.
Jan 04, 2012
Laura
rated it:
Told from the perspective of a young girl, My Garden is about the changes she would make to her mother’s garden if it was hers. The girl’s ideas for the garden are very imaginative and invite discussion about what readers would want if they could have any sort of garden they desired. The final illustration suggests that maybe the girl’s ideas are not as preposterous as they may seem. It is not a complex book or story but may be of interest to young readers.
Nov 17, 2010
Allison
rated it:
Imagination as well as flowers bloom in this book. A young girl, after working in her mother's garden, imagines what her own garden would be like: flowers would change colors, seashells would grow on stems, and carrots would be invisible, because "I don't like carrots." Henkes' artwork is bright and bubbly, often busy pastels that might overwhelm without the blissfully white and simple text pages facing each illustration.
Apr 16, 2011
Kristen
rated it:
Keven Henkes is always amazing and, like all his books, this one is just as awesome. We see the imagination of children as the main character begins telling us what her garden would be like if she had one. She gets to help her mom in her garden but there aren't any chocolate bunnies there! This is a great book to read for the start of spring, and to let children create their own garden.
Jul 25, 2010
Rukia
rated it:
This book is about a little girl who images what she could grow in her garden. How about seashell plants and jelly bean trees to begin with? Bunnies would not eat her plants because all of the bunnies would be made of chocolate! This is definitely a great story to read at story time and would promote all kinds of conversations and expand creative thinking with young children.Lovely illustrations!
Mar 13, 2010
Rosalie
rated it:
This new book by Kevin Henkes is about a little girl and what she thinks should be growing in her garden. How about seashell plants and jelly bean trees to begin with? Bunnies would not eat her plants because all of the bunnies would be made of chocolate! This is definitely a great story to read at story time and would promote all kinds of conversations with the younger set.
Jun 25, 2011
Ann
rated it:
I love the concept of this book - a little girl who, while helping her mother in their garden, imagines the type of garden *she* would have. Her imagination is endless, from planting seashells to grow seashells, to jellybeans to grow candy plants, to all sorts of things in between!
I love books that inspire and promote imagination, and this book does just that.
I did feel though that the book needed more connection (the things to plant felt a little too random for me). An More...
I love books that inspire and promote imagination, and this book does just that.
I did feel though that the book needed more connection (the things to plant felt a little too random for me). An More...
5 comments
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Aug 04, 2010
Karen
rated it:
I want a garden like this one! The illustrations are so beautiful, just like in the Old Bear story he wrote. The girl has such imagination about what makes a great garden. My favorite part is when she says "the carrots would be invisible because I don't like carrots." The illustration that accompanies that page is priceless!
Jan 27, 2012
Paula
rated it:
Gorgeous colorful illustrations accompany the story of a girl who helps her mother in the garden. But if she would have her own garden there would be so much more. Like rabbits made of chocolate instead of rabbits who eat the lettuce and tomatoes as big as beach balls. Nice large size for story time and very sturdy pages.
Sep 28, 2010
Kelli
rated it:
A little girl who likes her mother's garden imagines what the garden would be like if it was her own.
"In my garden, the rabbits wouldn't eat the lettuce because the rabbits would be chocolate and I would eat them."
The illustrations are compelling, but I miss the vivid colors I associate with Henkes.
"In my garden, the rabbits wouldn't eat the lettuce because the rabbits would be chocolate and I would eat them."
The illustrations are compelling, but I miss the vivid colors I associate with Henkes.
Oct 14, 2010
Gwen the Librarian
rated it:
Henkes wins again in his current series for the very young. I love the whimsy in this one - a little girl tells what she would grow in her garden: invisible carrots, "because I don't like carrots," seashells, and flowers that grow back as soon as you pick them. This one is such fun!
Jul 06, 2010
David
rated it:
A girl works with her mother in her garden and imagines what she would like her erfect garden to be like. Lovely book with very appealing illustrations. I really liked the final illustration. It's interesting that the girl seemed to only share the garden with the animals and not other people. Lots of potential uses in story hours, or creative writing, or art class. Ages 4 to 8.
Feb 06, 2012
Nicole
rated it:
A little girl dreams of her perfect garden, including flowers that regrow when picked and a jelly bean bush. Sounds like my kind of garden!The illustrations are bright and bold, this is ideal for preschool/Kindergarten and would be a fantastic read-aloud during a unit about gardening or flowers.
Mar 25, 2010
Amy
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I love this author! His books are written and illustrated with children of all ages in mind...and they truly are appealing on so many levels! This is another beautiful book that will make you want to run right out and plant a big, gorgeous garden! Perfect book for spring!
Dec 28, 2011
Carly
rated it:
In My Garden, a little girl with a big imagination describes her dream garden-- a garden complete with chocolate rabbits, seashells, and a jelly bean bush! A wonderful story that inspires kids to envision what they would have in their own dream garden.
Nov 10, 2011
Ashley
rated it:
This is a great book to talk to students about their imagination. I would also use this book to begin a writing activity. I would ask the students to think of something they would plant in their garden if they could plant anything and it would grow.
Apr 18, 2011
Kayla
rated it:
This is a great book to read in the springtime. Children will have fun imagining what kind of garden they would want to grow. All types of silly things grow in her garden, so children can use their imagination to decide what they would plant in theirs.
