Daisy rewilds

A "born naturalist," redheaded young Daisy is delighted to discover that when she skips bathing for five weeks, moss sprouts behind her ear and seeds start taking root. Daisy's literal blooming alarms her parents, but horticulture-loving Auntie Betsy is all in, and together they transform Daisy into a walking garden. "By July, pussytoes were shooting from her shoulders, and fleabane was dancing on her wrists," writes McNamara (The Bug Girl), and as the child continues to sprout, pollinators and birds flock to her flourishing form. Ink and watercolor illustrations by Kerascoët (I Walk with Vanessa) exude sunny abundance and playful grace, showing Daisy fully embracing her "rewilding" as an expression of both budding autonomy and green principles. After a summer of glorious growing, Daisy replants her offshoots throughout the neighborhood, transforming the previously manicured suburban landscape into a haven of indigenous plants. There was a time when children were told to wash in order to avoid growing potatoes behind their ears; this sustainability fable seems to turn a variation on that old warning into a child's triumph and a community's ecological awakening. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A note about rewilding concludes. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group. Illustrator's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions. (July)

A nature-loving kid becomes the most lush garden in the neighborhood. Daisy, a "born naturalist," started composting baby food when she was just a year old, and she began sleeping on leaves at age 3. Her later years brought on extensive experimentation. Her greatest idea yet is "rewilding" herself, letting nature literally grow on her. At first, no one notices the moss behind her ears, the ferns on her toes, or the yarrow around her ankles. But soon the "blooming miracle" is apparent to all. Her parents enlist green-thumbed Auntie Betsy's help. Making a home in the family garden, Daisy thrives under her aunt's tutelage and care. When a neighbor wishes that the whole block looked like Daisy, she uproots herself and starts planting--just as she'd always planned. McNamara's latest offers an engaging entry point into conversations about rewilding and biodiversity. Countless plant puns sprout up on each page, adding delightful bits of humor. Kerascoët's full-color illustrations expertly set the mood, starting with a muted palette that explodes with color--a vibrant reminder of nature's beauty. Stellar pacing helps readers appreciate the beauty of individual flora and fauna while building vocabulary. Daisy is tan-skinned; one parent is light-skinned, and the other is brown-skinned, as is Auntie Betsy. Backmatter provides more context on rewilding, the process of restoring land to its wild, uncultivated state. A botanical wonder indeed.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.