Liam, an imaginative and determined boy is out for a walk in his dreary city when he discovers an open stairway to an unused railroad bed. He runs up to explore and finds that there are wildflowers and plants growing! Excitedly Liam begins to tend to the plants: pruning, watering, and singing to them. It turns out that the plants are just as curious as Liam, and they begin to spread through the city.
The bold illustrations, rendered in acrylic, are realistic. Placement and size vary: vignettes show Liam watering or admiring his plants and full or double page spreads provide a view of the changing city. The strength of the illustrations is such that the story is clearly understood even without text.
Initially, dull shades of brown, gray, and muted brick reds portray an industrialized city. As Liam's plants begin to thrive, the colors become vibrant, bright, and happy. The sky is an eye-popping azure, the daisies are bright white, and the grasses are lush greens. While there still are smokestacks, abandoned cars, and boarded up buildings, the overall sense from the images is one of joy.
Liam’s uplifting tale encourages a love of gardening. This book would be a super read-aloud for Pre-schoolers to 2nd graders and would be a good lead in for a discussion about the benefits of plants to our health and communities. A simple seed project or gardening activity would be a natural follow-up. ( )

A wonderful book about growth and renewal in a barren cityscape and the boy catalyst. I love the illustrations. ( )

A boy who lives in a city without a lot of greenery finds an abandoned garden on the top of an old elevated train track. Over time he cultivates the garden and it grows and grows. As others follow his gardening example, gardens spread all over the city, transforming it into a garden paradise, ha ha.

The illustrations are quite lovely, very calming. The variety of greens and vibrant blues make for very arresting illustrations, especially towards the end. There's also a somewhat sequential art/comic book feel to some of the illustrations. All in all it's very charming. ( )

Liam, a redheaded boy, discovers he has a green thumb when he transforms a garden languishing high above the city. The title of Peter Brown's uplifting picture book plants a clue to the double entendre waiting within these pages.

Full review:
http://www.twentybyjenny.com/47Books/... ( )