CLIP Review: The Curious Garden

Author & Illustrator: Peter Brown

Liam was a little boy with a big dream.


Liam lives in a dreary place.  He spends his days roaming among brown, dusty buildings and fields.  One day as he shuffles along, he decides to follow some old railway tracks and explore...where will they lead?  What he finds is quite a surprise.  Amidst all the dull, brown of his world he has found a tiny patch of seeds and flowers struggling to survive.  "Liam may not have been a gardener, but he knew he could help."  His pruning, watering, weeding and of course singing begin to have an impact on the little patch of plants. Soon it begins to spread throughout the city, even popping up where it doesn't belong. You'll have to see for yourself just how plants can survive in some very strange places!  It isn't too many years, before Liam has transformed his city and its people into quite a "blooming" gardening community. 


The illustrations move from drab browns to vibrant colors as the story progresses. Several pages are only illustrations, which allow for wonderful discussion.  I was immediately drawn to this book because I believe that, regardless of age, we all have deep inside us a desire to do something worthwhile with our lives.  It is good to be reminded that just like Liam, the efforts of one person, no matter how small, can help change our world.

Suggested age: 6 - 8 years

Author interview
An adorable 6 year old boy interviews the author/illustrator, Peter Brown.