Grow happy

Creating and caring for a garden serves as an apt metaphor for self-care in this sensitive story from the father-daughter team of Lasser and Foster-Lasser. Kiko, a girl with a black bob, explains how she "grow[s] happiness by making good choices" while simultaneously planting an actual garden-finding the perfect place to plant it, tending to it, and addressing challenges that arise ("I can't change the weather. But if the air gets too cold, I can cover my garden in a cozy blanket"). All the while, she offers parallels that show how she cares for herself in the same way ("Just like my garden, I have some bad times, too. I pay attention to those feelings"). Crinkly, textured papers bring pleasing warmth to Lyles's (Lucy and Lila) mixed-media collages, creating an atmosphere of positivity to match the girl's confident attitude. Ages 4-8. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

K-Gr 2-Kiko is a special gardener: she knows how to grow happiness. For this task, Kiko makes smart choices, such as finding an ideal location to plant the seeds, providing plenty of sun and water, and caring for the plant until it starts to grow. Through this analogy, the authors communicate to kids that taking care of one's mind and body can result in a sense of happiness and well-being. However, unforeseen circumstances, in this case poor weather and a plant-hungry bug, can arise. Lyles's use of bold colors-yellow and reds are juxtaposed with shades of green and orange-lends a springlike quality to the illustrations and matches the sunniness of the subject matter. The medium-size print makes this a solid selection for read-alouds or storytimes. VERDICT A charming and to-the-point book for addressing mindfulness with young children, perfect for classrooms and libraries.-Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.