Mara plants a seed

An empty lot undergoes a verdant transformation with the help of myriad visitors in this collaborative tale. First, a child named Mara, portrayed with brown skin, tidies a "tired and sad" lot before planting 50 sunflower seeds, few of which remain after a storm washes many away. As Mara checks daily for sprouts, critters arrive: a dog buries bones, ants march forth carrying violet seeds, worms dig tunnels, and more. Over time, sprouts emerge until, at last verdant, "the garden rustled and buzzed." Framed in carefully wrought thin lines, Bailey's softly washed scenes shift from dull grays and browns to sunny blues and greens, moving comfortably between underground cutaways, overheads of Mara investigating the soil, and idyllic floral-filled moments. While the book's empty-lot-to-garden conceit is well-trod ground, the emphasis on ecological interdependence offers readers an enduring takeaway. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 2--7. (Apr.)