SATURDAYS WITH DADDY (ZARIA'S GARDEN)

A child spends a day learning to garden in this picture-book series starter by mother and daughter Johnson and Johnson.

Zaria’s dad has a surprise: He’s built a garden just for Zaria at his farm. Using a cultivator, he clears a spot and shows Zaria how to dig with a trowel. Zaria jots down the “OWW” gardening principles in her notebook: “Observations,”“Weed,” and “Water.” The authors highlight each part of the process so that readers see Zaria observe insect pollinators, pull weeds, and check soil for moisture, among other tasks. After an earthworm hunt, Zaria picks strawberries to bring to her grandmother’s house. The pleasant illustrations by Rhododendron Art show Zaria as a cheerful Black child with curly hair and a ready smile. The story implies that Zaria’s parents are divorced or separated, but it ably depicts a co-parenting arrangement. However, Zaria’s garden seems too fully grown for a single day of gardening; for example, the first image of it shows only plant beds, but flowers and a tomato suddenly appear in it later. The approachable, first-person narration contains tense shifts that may confuse young readers, but Zaria’s enthusiasm and the crossword and maze at the end are entertaining, and advanced terms, such as permaculture, are clearly defined.

An energetic, family-centered introduction to environmental gardening.