We Are the Gardeners

March 25, 2019
Persistence and teamwork pay off in this picture book debut by the costar (with husband Chip Gaines) of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, who recounts her family’s gardening exploits. Relayed in the communal voice of four Gaines offspring, the narrative retains its chirpiness even when things go awry, as when the very first plant their father buys—a wispy fern—droops and dies, a victim of the kids’ overzealous watering efforts (“death by overhydration”). In pastel-hued pictures, Swaney (Mermaid School) underscores the young gardeners’ good intentions as they line up, each holding a watering can, to do their part, but they soon acknowledge that “by mistake, we loved that plant to death.” A replacement fern sips from a teacup after library books teach the children that “most plants have good manners and like to sip, not gulp.” The family eventually moves their garden outdoors, where their diligence yields bountiful vegetables and flowers, charmingly depicted in the art, despite occasional interference by villainous insects and “sneaky” animal trespassers. The arrival of a new baby boosts the feel-good quotient of this book about hard work and “everyday miracles,” a surefire hit with the Gaines family’s followers. Ages 4–8.

May 15, 2019
Preschool-G The trials, tribulations, and joys of gardening are brought to light in this entertaining tale of one family's introduction to caring for indoor plants and using that know-how in a garden, from Gaines of HGTV's Fixer Upper fame. After a fern dies from being overloved and overwatered, four children and their parents study up on what plants require. Once they feel ready, the family works together to design a fruit, vegetable, and flower garden. As the plot takes shape, the family gains knowledge about seeds, garden critters?both good (worms and ladybugs) and bad (aphids)?and pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Though the family has some trouble with animals eating their produce, they remember that every failure or setback teaches us something. Delicately detailed and engaging illustrations deftly follow the garden's progress. Packed with useful information in an easy-to-understand format, this will help children, and their adults, who wish to venture into the world of growing some of their own food and flowers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)