Logan's Greenhouse

The hunt is on! Red-haired Logan, who uses a wheelchair, wants to find a treat for his friends who are coming over for a pet playdate. It's definitely going to be carrots. Accompanied by his pet lizard, he begins his search. Their description? Carrots are long and orange. They grow from a seed downward underground, and above ground, they have straight-up spiky stems with skinny leaves. By the time Logan has cataloged all the attributes of a carrot, he has found every other vegetable (and fruit) in his greenhouse: turnips, radishes, sweet potatoes, pears, brussels sprouts, beets, oranges, garlic, and leeks. Finally, serendipity! Carrots! Now his friends and their pets arrive at the party and enjoy all the tasty greenhouse snacks. A recipe for carrot soup is appended, and colorful endpapers, reminiscent of millefleur tapestry backgrounds, display all the varieties of produce. Children will love the hunt for the elusive carrots ;as layered, hand-painted watercolors add texture and warmth to the quest in this delicious botany lesson for youngsters.

Accompanied by his pet chameleon, a boy searches for a carrot in preparation for a pet play date. Logan, a pale-skinned, red-haired boy who uses a manual wheelchair, surveys fruits and veggies in his greenhouse with the aid of a reacher. Which one is the carrot? In straightforward text, Brown-Wood provides descriptive clues and invites readers to compare and contrast possibilities to find the answer. For instance, a carrot has a few light and dark rings inside it; that purple root has rings, too. Is it a carrot? No, the author explains, that's a beet; beets have many more rings than carrots do. Carrots are bright orange with ribbed skin--what about that bright-orange, textured plant? But no--that's an orange, which has dimpled skin. Where could the carrot be? Fortunately, Logan's chameleon has a keen eye. The elusive carrot finally spotted, Logan and his reptilian pal join "some hungry pets and some hungry friends" for a delicious meal. In addition to learning about leeks, Brussels sprouts, and more, readers will develop their reasoning skills as they apply the author's clues. With bright hues, clear shapes, and friendly faces, Hardy's cozy cartoon illustrations add warmth to the snow-dusted setting, and a recipe for winter carrot soup will entice kids to eat their veggies. Background characters are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Young green thumbs will enjoy this engaging intro to winter fruits and vegetables. (Informational picture book. 4-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.