Something Is Growing

Children's Literature - Kathleen Karr

Peter plants a seed in a crack by a city street. Lovingly watering and tending it, the seed grows into an extraordinary tree that soon overtakes New York with lush, rainforest greenery. Nosy Mrs. Cadoogan and her professor friend are at a loss to discover the perpetrator of the deed. Krudop's fantastical illustrations are wonderfully clever and original, and a head and shoulders above anything seen in some time.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-In the first illustration, opposite the title page, a little boy is shown gazing at a painting of an intrepid Amazonian explorer. He sees-as will astute readers-a tiny seed stuck in the frame. In the next spread, he is reaching for the seed; the story begins as he carefully plants it in a crack in a New York City sidewalk. When the neighborhood snoop notices the plant, she enlists the help of Professor Thornbine (who closely resembles Teddy Roosevelt) to get to the root of the problem, but by this time the plant is growing at a prodigious rate. Grass sprouts on the street, vines creep through the subway, roots entangle cars, and tropical wading birds feed near the Brooklyn Bridge. Neither adult notices Peter, who is carefully tending the thriving vegetation on each page. Finally, an encounter on the steps of the 42nd Street Library results in a grand thank you from the professor to Peter for introducing ``Gigantus floriticus'' to the city. On the last page a picture of that scene, complete with a seed in its frame, is sent off ``for the world to see.'' (The movers' overalls say ``in full bloom'' in Chinese). Larger-than-life acrylic paintings burst with greens, browns, and blues. Humorous details in the art will appeal to both children and adults, and perhaps lead to some reflection on city v. rain forest.-Susan Pine, New York Public Library

Lauren Peterson

Nobody notices the boy Peter planting a seed in a small patch of dirt by a busy street, but the result--an unusual, towering plant that quickly starts spreading out of control--attracts a great deal of attention. The neighborhood busybody summons Professor Thornbine to get to the bottom of the matter, but the grown-ups fail to see the boy gardener, even though he cares for his creation right under their noses. Krudop's superb acrylic paintings surround readers with lush vegetation, providing a sensation of plant life encroaching on the city. Younger children will enjoy seeing Peter outsmart the "adults and escape detection; older ones may pick up on some of the more complex but not well-delineated messages the author is trying to convey.