Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC ebook of Agnes and the Hen in exchange for an honest review.
Title: A Garden Called Home
Author: Jessica J. Lee
Illustrator: Elaine Chen
Publisher:
Publication Date: February 13, 2023
Publisher: Penguin Random House, Canada, Tundra Books
Description:
What makes the place we live feel like home? This is a warm-hearted and lush picture book about family, the immigrant experience and how a simple garden can foster a connection to the larger natural world.
Mama was born in a country far away from here. I love her stories about warm rain in winter and green mountains. And now Mama’s taking me there!
When a young girl and her mother go to visit her family, the girl notices a change. At home, her mother mostly stays inside. Here, her mother likes to explore and go hiking. The girl has never seen her so happy! Her mother tells her about the trees, bushes, flowers and birds. Did you know that tree roots make mountains strong? And that ài hāo (mugwort) is used to make delicious, sweet dumplings?
But her mother’s smile goes away when they return home. It’s cold and she doesn’t want to go outside. She goes back to wearing her big quilted jackets and watering her houseplants.
How can the girl show her mother that nature here can be wondrous too?
Includes a glossary of plants with Mandarin/English words.
My Thoughts
This is a sweet story with beautiful illustrations. While the main point is the blending of cultures and how every place has it’s own beauty, that isn’t my favorite part. I love the compassion and effort the narrator shows to make her mother feel better. Insead of just using kind words, the narrator takes action and does research to find information about plants in their new home. I can see this story inspiring families to create their own gardens.