Grandpa's Garden Lunch

School Library Journal

Out of Caseley's fertile sketchbook springs another story blooming with bright colors and bursting with familial love. Sarah's grandfather likes to garden, and Sarah likes to help. Together they lovingly plant and tend vegetables and flowers, as well as herbs for Sarah's grandmother. And then they enjoy the fruits of their labors. As in her earlier books, Caseley makes an everyday situation special through her loving interpretation; from the bold yellow endpapers to the vivid borders surrounding every other illustration, this book is well designed. Appealing watercolor illustrations, childlike in their flat perspective and exaggerated lines, echo the simplicity of the story, yet offer unlimited possibilities for visual explorations, and the endearing characters are sure to draw readers in. The universal delight of children gardening has sprouted many books, from Krauss' The Carrot Seed (Harper, 1945) to Ehlert's Growing Vegetable Soup (HBJ, 1987). And countless books deal with the unique relationship between a grandparent and a child, including one that also features a garden--Stevenson's Grandpa's Too-Good Garden (Greenwillow, 1989). But Caseley's own homegrown brand of quiet humor and insight into childhood make this a worthwhile addition. --Dorothy Houlihan, White Plains Public Library, NY