"Bianca waits with Amy while Billy and Luna
put their outfits on. Luna gets to blow smoke
around the bees while Hanna lifts the lid. The
smoke calms the bees, and most of them crawl
further down into the hive. Some bees still fly
up. Soon, bees are buzzing in the air and on
the children's outfits.
"Just stay calm," Hanna says."
Luna, Bianca and Billy are neighborhood spies. Thery love to watch their community from the roof of their apartment building. Luna adds to her spy notepad when they notice something important. Today, the sad, old man isn't crying. Previously, they have noticed his crying when he looks at an abandoned backyard nearby.
They are off to investigate said yard. There is a house there, but no lights or action. Luna leans on the wobbly fence, and falls through it. All three step into the yard; it's time to investigate. A noise brings them to a halt. There is a lady there whose name is Amy, and she wants to plant a garden in the yard. The children check with their parents before coming back to give her a hand.
Pencil crayon artwork fills each spread with action and interest. Information boxes, step-by-step descriptions of the work being done, and captioned details make learning about no-dig gardening a real treat for all readers. Amy helps the children understand the need for growing their own food, and tells them about no-dig gardens that are being planted around the world ... in old tires, barrels, and abandoned lots. They learn about what's happening under the garden's surface, how people can work together to do what it takes to create a community garden, choosing and planting seeds and helping them grow.
As they work together, more and more people arrive to play their part in making the garden a true community effort. It's quite a wondrous thing; is it too good to be true?
""What are you doing here?" Bianca asks.
"We're taking measurements, a parking garage
is going to be built here." one of them explains."
What will happen? Can the garden be saved? One can only hope there is a lasting solution.
Blending fiction and nonfiction text makes this book a standout. Back matter provides additional facts to help broaden knowledge, a descriptive glossary, a list of thank yous for help given in writing it, and suggestions for further reading.
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