posted on 03 Apr 2024

Anna’s Garden by Sarah Hewitt

I used to be a contented child who very much enjoyed her own company and didn’t like a lot of noise and fuss. It is therefore pleasing to come across a rare picture book that features a similar personality. Anna is a happy, self-contained and confident little girl who is single minded about her passion for gardening and keen to share her enthusiasm with others who will listen.

The cover shows her lying on the grass with a colourful cushion surrounded by blooming pot plants, well-tended bushes with busy bees on the sunflowers and chirruping birds against a blue sky. This promises to be a story about someone who really enjoys being in a garden. 

At the beginning of this charming book we see that Anna is interrupted by a girl with beautiful hair who tries to tempt her away from her gardening with a ball game. She politely refuses the offer to play and instead gives the girl a flowerpot with some shoots beginning to show:

‘But thank you for asking, here’s a present from me;

flowers will grow so pretty, you’ll see’.

Next, we are treated to the first of several wordless double page spreads that bleed to the page edges, provide breaks in the story and allow the author / illustrator to show her artistic talent. I love the delicate colour palette that contributes to building a quiet and restful atmosphere as she plants some seeds in the earth, smiling all the while. 

The format is repeated with further interruptions from a lively cat, a balloon blowing boy in a magical chair, a jolly looking hare, a cuddly bear and a friendly dog. All overtures are gently rejected and all are given the gift of a plant instead of playing with Anna. What I didn’t notice on the first reading is that time is passing because the flowers in the garden are slowly growing bigger until they are shown in full bloom. My five- year- old grandson pointed this out when I read it with him and he asked how many weeks had passed before they all come together to enjoy the splendid garden on the final double page spread. I can see lots of potential for young children to talk about how plants grow and what they need to flourish. They will also be inspired to create their own pictures of beautiful gardens filled with flowers and friends.     

Published by Tiny Tree Books, you will be able to buy this beautiful picture book from your local independent bookshop – who will be happy to order it for you if they don’t have it on their shelves.

Karen Argent

April 2024