The Garden in the City

When their family moves, Ben and Caroline get a chance to have a garden of their own, ``right in the middle of the city.'' Though not strictly a how-to, Muller's book combines--in a manner reminiscent of Linnea in Monet's Garden --a cozy, uncomplicated story with abundant practical information. Her polished, softly tinted paintings are as successful in their horticultural presentation as in their stylish cityscapes--replete with sidewalk vendors and walled houses. As the children learn gardening fundamentals, Muller diagrams such projects as pressing leaves, making a spider from pins--even an easy recipe for ``Ben's fruit drink.'' A few points mislead: the garden plan shows the children's plots situated close to the north side of a wall, where they'd get little sun; Caroline is pictured sprinkling chemical fertilizer with bare hands, with the open bag next to her face--not a healthy practice. In addition, some directions are vague but, overall, the narrative, as it follows the siblings through the seasons, has an engaging quality. And though simplistic, much general nature lore is conveyed in just a few pages. Ages 5-10. (Feb.)