The weedy garden A happy habitat for wild friends

A bumblebee, snake, squirrel, speckled toad, and more take up space in the "weedy garden" celebrated in this elegant picture book from sibling team the Renkls. Poetic, frequently alliterative second-person lines offer concise lyrical profiles: "If you're a green hummingbird glinting and gleaming... you dance at the first glad glimpse of trumpet vine." Immersive full-bleed spreads lend a diorama-like feel to jam-packed digital scenes that display vintage-looking species cut-outs and emphasize fauna's natural camouflage. A goldfinch plays "hide-and-seek among the black-eyed Susans," an earthworm tunnels "between the weedy roots," and flowers keep a cottontail rabbit's presence secret ("You push back leaves, nudge tufts of soft fur. While the hawk sleeps, you nestle your babies"). As more and more beings enjoy their treats ("Strawberries!"), a friendly message of creaturely community is conveyed to a final presented species--a pale-skinned human "child sitting still in the clover." Back matter includes more about the highlighted animals. Ages 4--8. (Feb.)

If you pause and observe, you'll find a flourishing ecosystem within a humble wildflower garden. Writing in a welcoming and authoritative second-person voice, author Margaret Renkl invites readers to imagine themselves as different animals living among the thriving blooms: "If you're a robin, you tilt your head, listening this way, listening that way. Do you hear an earthworm deep in the dark earth, tunneling between the weedy roots?" Some pages prompt deeper consideration of needs the garden fulfills--for example, the way that a cottontail rabbit hides its babies under leaves. Other pages simply revel in garden glories, like a turtle discovering "wild strawberries, warm in the sun." The book ends with a pale-skinned child sitting cross-legged, absorbed by the lively scene. Succinct text that makes frequent use of the phrase "weedy garden" results in a soothing read-aloud, with poetic, sensorial language brimming with vocabulary-boosting descriptors. The "slender green snake" in a "glimmering world" paints as vivid a picture as the splashy multimedia collaged art provided by Billy Renkl, the author's brother. Bursting with primary colors, his deeply layered floral extravaganza pops. Varied perspectives immerse readers in the hubbub while keeping the focus on the naturalistic animals. An author's note extends the introductory information--that robin really does hear a worm underground! Linger over this exquisite garden filled with earthly delights. (planting and container gardening how-to, artist's note)(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.