Anywhere Farm

Even children who live in dense urban environments can become small-scale farmers; all they need, Root (One North Star) explains, is “soil and sunshine,/ some water, a seed.” A neglected alley is the setting several children choose to start their planting efforts, and Root’s upbeat verse offers playful guidance to readers, using questions (“Where can you plant your anywhere farm?”) and rhyming responses (“An old empty lot/ makes a good growing plot./ But a pan or a bucket,/ a pot or a shoe,/ a bin or a tin/ or a window will do.” Karas’s (A Hat for Mrs. Goldman) smudgy mixed-media art warmly shows a community coming together as citizens young and old join in, building to the unveiling of a neighborhood garden/market. It’s a cheery celebration of community and the hands-on joys of gardening. Ages 2–5. Illustrator’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Mar.)