"On the first Sunday of spring, Poppa bought a great
big blank canvas. He also bought a pair of matching
gardening hats for himself and Theo. Poppa put the
canvas out on the balcony."
The sparkle on Poppa's balcony is evident on the cover of this lovely art-filled and imaginative story. Combining love of family, gardening and art...it's a hit in the making and I will be sharing this wonderful book in weeks to come!
The calm tranquility of the garden where they have shared life and learning must be left behind when Poppa leaves his old house to move to an apartment. That apartment has no garden and no promise of one...it is too windy for flowers. Poppa and Theo must come up with a new idea for beauty in this new place. Ah, an imaginary garden seems just the thing!
They get busy with the plans. A big blank canvas, matching gardening hats and a lot of inspiration are the needed ingredients. They start with a stone wall. While Poppa mixes the paints and creates the stones, Theo adds a 'soft blue sky'. Before the work of the day is done, Poppa adds the soil needed to grow their 'garden'. Their next foray welcomes spring on tiny stems boasting crocuses and scilla. A robin and some worms add interest.
While Poppa takes a short holiday, Theo is in charge of caring for their garden. Worried, she seeks advice from her beloved grandfather. He reassures her with hints of what is to come, leaving her to use best judgement for the garden's growth. His trust pays off and Theo uses her memories of Poppa's old garden to set her course for the new one. But, something is amiss! It takes some clear thinking; but, when Poppa returns, the garden is perfect!
The warmth of the author's words is enhanced by the brilliant and glorious riot of colour the artist uses in her pen and ink drawings, using multi-media collage. They add dramatic detail, incidental learning about colour mixing and illustration, and art that encourages in-depth attention to each page.
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