Detailed, scientific-quality drawings, simple, accurate explanations, and fold-out pages make this a satisfying treat for gardeners young and old. Featuring six common fruits and vegetables, Schaefer details how each flower is pollinated, forms seeds, and grows into the plant under the flap. The layout is fitting for the naturalistic theme, since it is reminiscent of poetry, down to the repeated line, “. . . where once a flower bloomed.” She winds down by highlighting the planting cycle’s end in winter, and its beginning again in the spring. The final spread details the pollination and fertilization of a flower, as well as its parts. There are also planting directions for the seeds featured. A glossary allows those without garden experience to better understand the text. George’s illustrations are incredibly detailed, with intricate drawings of parts invisible on any casual visit to the garden. The multiracial children tending the garden are everyday kids with baseball caps and tennis shoes, showing that anyone of any age can harvest the fruits of their labors. Perfect for budding greenthumbs. (Picture book. 4-10)
