Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

March 1, 2015

Gr 1-3-Beneath every garden lies a secret world down in the dirt. In this enchanting follow-up to Over and Under the Snow (Chronicle, 2011), Messner explores that underground realm. This yearlong adventure begins early in spring, with a young girl learning from her grandmother that the soil is still too cold and wet to begin planting. The pair make plans while earthworms and insects work in the dirt. As the year goes by, they tend to the garden, weeding, watering, and keeping away pests, and later harvesting vegetables. The illustrations are marked by rich brown earth tones, highlighted by brighter colors here and there (a red wheelbarrow, yellow boots) as the seasons reveal themselves slowly. Spreads detail the often unseen life all around the garden, such as a praying mantis that eats mosquitoes, pill bugs that chew through leaves, honeybees that pollinate flowers, and a garter snake that hunts grasshoppers. Neal effectively uses light and dark to show the contrast between night and day; an image of foraging rabbits by day is eventually replaced by a nighttime scene of skunks "[working] the night shift." Each page invites readers to linger over the quiet text, which gently moves the story along. Back matter includes an author's note and a complete listing of the many creatures mentioned throughout. VERDICT A beautiful, informative addition to any collection.-Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Messner and Neal, collaborators on the excellent Over and Under the Snow (rev. 1/12), bring their above-and-below perspective to a well-tended garden as it is transformed from early spring through late autumn. A child and her hardy gardener grandmother spend long hours at work and play above ground, while parallel efforts below, the preparation and maintenance of the soil, are the responsibility of worms and insects. Through the text's repetition of the title phrases and the illustrations' alternating visual perspectives, readers swoop up and down: down to examine seeds as they germinate in the critter-filled soil, then up to see plants emerge and birds, insects, and humans interact with leaves and fruit as they grow. The harmonious relationships above and below ground, and those between the two, emphasize the complexities of the garden ecosystem, as well as the joys of sustained engagement with the land. Neal's art is stunning, with muted greens and soft browns providing tonal symmetry to illustrations teeming with plant and animal life, and further underscoring the connections among all living organisms in the environment. danielle j. ford

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2015
Messner and Neal (Over and Under the Snow) bring their above-and-below perspective to a garden's transformation from spring through autumn. Repetition of the title phrases and alternating visual perspectives portray a child and her gardener grandmother working above ground as worms and insects parallel their efforts below. Muted greens and browns provide tonal symmetry to illustrations teeming with life and underscore connections among organisms. Reading list.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)