My Garden. DVD. 10 min. Weston Woods. 2013. ISBN 0-545-57129-4. $59.95; CD: $12.95; CD with hardcover book: $29.95.
PreS-Gr 2–Based on the charming book by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow, 2010), this is a delightful introduction to gardens. The young girl in the story helps with the family garden, which involves a lot of work for what she sometimes considers to be questionable results. (She does NOT like carrots.) Yet, as she works her imagination takes flight, and the garden she dreams of grows seashells, flowers that change colors, things that glow in the dark, and crops that would render you speechless with their size. The story circles back to reality, with a touch of whimsy thrown in, as no one truly wants to abandon their dreams—and—well, what if…? Henkes’s vivid and child-friendly illustrations are charmingly animated for this presentation as Cassandra Morris reads the story in a young voice that captures its mood perfectly. A read-along option is provided. This exceptional program will tie in naturally with plant and garden units, and serve as a seed for growing interesting creative writing assignments.–Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary,Federal Way,WA