"My nana's garden
is full of seeds
with plenty of flowers,
grasses, and weeds.
My nana's garden is lovely and wild.
"Blooming with life,"
Nana says with a smile."
In this charming walk through the seasons that a young child spends with her nana, readers are invited to experience the joys and peace the two find there together. Abundance is evident from the opening spread. Flora and fauna find a home within its confines. Nana sees weeds as food for bees, shares rainy days gathering fruit from trees, and warmly welcomes all manner of wildlife. As the seasons and years pass, the two spend endless hours together. There is much work to do, and so much more to see as the garden changes from the early warmth of spring, to the abundance of summer, to cool autumn nights when stars sparkle in the dark sky, to the quiet of winter.
Observant readers will notice that as the years go by, Nana needs more and more help. One winter, Nana's snow-covered chair sits empty and alone in the garden.
"In my nana's garden,
I curl up and cry.
The sun doesn't shine
in the winter sky."
Nana's spirit lives on as the child and her mother welcome spring growth once again. They continue Nana's work through many seasons and years. The child is soon all grown up, with a child of her own. The two continue to find comfort in the legacy of love and growth inspired by a very special grandmother.
The rhythms of Dawn Casey's simple, heartwarming words are matched by the beauty and affection shown in the double-page spreads created in watercolor and digital media. Delicate and filled with all that Nana and her family loved so much, they convey the touching loss of a loved one while honoring the legacy she has left.
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