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Saturday, January 28, 2023

Logan's Greenhouse, written by JaNay Brown-Wood and illustrated by Samara Hardy. Peachtree. Penguin Random House. 2022. $22.99 ages 4 and up

 


"Many carrots have bright orange skin with 
ribbed lines on the outside. Is that a carrot? 

No. Those are oranges. An orange does have 
bright orange skin, but it has small dimples 
on the outside and not ribbed lines.

In this third book in the Where in the Garden? series, we meet Logan. Logan, in a wheelchair and with his pet chameleon on his shoulder, is on a search for carrots. They are needed for a planned pet playdate. He has many plants in his greenhouse. His search for carrots begins with a clear description of the vegetable itself: it grows from a seed and pushes downward into the ground, it has stems and leaves on its top, it's tapered, it has bright orange skin, and it's often long with roots at its end. 

Readers are then asked to help Logan with his search. Each vegetable and fruit considered has something in common with the carrots he is looking for; none are carrots. There are sweet potatoes, leeks, Brussels sprouts, garlic bulbs, radishes, oranges, beets, pears, and turnips. Logan really needs carrots. Will he find them in time for the arrival of his guests?   

The text is descriptive and useful for children learning to recognize variety in fruits and vegetables. Each one mentioned is carefully compared to what is already known about carrots. It takes time and patience (and some help from his chameleon friend) to finally come upon the desired vegetable. Bright colors and clear images are warm and inviting on this search that will surely interest young readers. A final full page spread shows attendees and their pets at a party that offers an extra look at all foods found on earlier pages. Finally, a recipe for Winter Carrot Soup is included. 

Spring is coming, although not 'just around the corner'. Still, you might be thinking about planting a garden, or expanding the one you already have. Perhaps you are wanting to add to your collection of books about gardening for your classroom or at home. 

The first two books in this series are Linh's Rooftop Garden and Miguel's Community Garden.

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