The Bear’s Garden by Marcie Colleen (review)

A little girl in the city grows a plant in a tomato can, which then drops a seedling into the ground. The girl takes immaculate care of the seedling, giving it love and attention until it flourishes into a small garden. When the girl is supposed to go away for an extended time, she doesn’t want her garden to die; she leaves her teddy bear to supervise the garden, and other people take up responsibility and help the garden grow, building plots and a gate around the area. Inspired by the real Pacific Street Brooklyn Bear’s Community Garden, this story is a sweet reminder of how powerful communities can be when they come together to create something beautiful. Green shades against dark tones sometimes want for contrast, but they give this readaloud an earthy feel that may inspire viewers to plant a garden of their own, while the mixed-media art breaks up the geometry of the city blocks with organic details and interesting textures in characters’ clothing: the Black protagonist is particularly adorable, with pink bows in her hair and tiny shoes. The simple, lyrical text will also be easy for younger would-be readers to follow, and the girl’s garden really does become “a place to grow,” “a place to play,” and “a place to love.” An author’s note includes information about the real community garden.