This is a sweet and inspiring little picture book (the art work is incredible by the way)
about a boy named Liam who completely changes the dull and drab city he lives in one plant at a time. Liam takes a sorry looking patch of wild flowers and turns it into an flourishing, expanding garden. He didn't have a clue as to how to garden, but he figured it out by reading books and learning from his mistakes along the way. Even after a harsh winter that returns his garden to square one, he doesn't give up. He studied and planned a way to revive it from its winter sleep.
Not only is this book a great way to exemplify growth mindset to your students, it can also serve as a great tool to learn about personification. Peter Brown gives a little extra charm and magic to Liam's garden by assigning it attributes such as curiosity and an adventurous spirit. In doing so, the sweet little garden becomes a companion to Liam and eventually to members of the city.
Look below for a concise summary of the literary devices used throughout this book. :
Theme: Growth mindset, making a difference, nature
Narrative devices:
Opening: Brown uses setting description to illustrate how bleak and dreary a place can become without any presence of nature.
Throughout the story: Personification-
p. 5 "the plants patiently waited while Liam found better ways of gardening."
p. 7 "...the garden grew restless. It wanted to explore."
p. 8 "Liam and the curious garden explore every corner of the railway."
p. 16 "...the plants soon awoke from their winter sleep."
p. 17 "The garden had always wanted to explore the rest of the city, and that spring it was finally ready to make its move.'
p. 18 "The garden was especially curious about old, forgotten things.
Closing: A glimpse into the future. Brown shows his readers a grown up Liam with a family of his own, still taking care of his garden.He also uses illustration to show how the city has completely transformed.
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