Rate this book

Jo MacDonald Had A Garden (2012)

by Mary Quattlebaum(Favorite Author)

3.79 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1584691646 (ISBN13: 9781584691648)

languge

English

genre

Middle Grade & Children's

publisher

Dawn Publications

review 1: Celebrate gardening with this cheery picture book that features Old MacDonald’s granddaughter, Jo MacDonald. The verses here are set to the same music as the original, except this time it’s all about planting a garden rather than the animals on a farm. In the garden there is some sun, some soil, a worm, seeds, water, animals, plants, and then food! Watching the illustrations, children will see the garden take shape and then watch the plants grow until they are ready to be harvested. Quattlebaum has cleverly written verses that can be acted out by preschoolers as the book is shared. At times, the children in the illustrations show the movements that could be done, and at other times they would be easily figured out by a savvy teacher or librarian. I can see lots of... more children this spring enjoying planting imaginary gardens all together. Bryant’s illustrations have a wonderful sense of detail to them. Each page has animals to glimpse in the garden, including a cardinal and a butterfly that are on almost every page. This is a book that children will enjoy looking at and exploring.Get your voice warmed up and be ready to wiggle like a worm with this new version of Old MacDonald! Appropriate for ages 2-4.
review 2: If you had a garden, what would you plant in it? Or if you do have one, what do you plant? First, we all know that “Old MacDonald had a farm.” Then we found out that on this farm his granddaughter Jo MacDonald Saw Pond. Now, Jo plants, tends, and harvests a garden on her grandfather’s farm, with help from her cousin Mike. So Mary Quattlebaum’s cute text, following the rhythm and tune of the well-known song, and Laura J. Bryant’s adorable water-color illustrations which accompany it, will acquaint youngsters with all the elements of a successful garden, including sunshine, soil, worms, seeds, water, birds, and rain, as well as the bountiful results. So, what did Jo plant in her garden and what will she reap? Many people have found gardening to be a pleasurable activity for a number of reasons, whether they have a big farm garden or a small city garden. It gets one outdoors and provides some good exercise. Furthermore, home grown food is tastier and more nutritious than store-bought produce, and it saves money too. The back pages of the book increase the educational experience of the reader by giving more information about the garden community, sharing some indoor activities that will enable children to enjoy garden-related fun year round, explaining how to be a gardener like Jo, and providing resources for helping young gardeners. There are also additional downloadable activities for this and all other Dawn Publication books at their website. less

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