The Weedy Garden: A Happy Habitat for Wild Friends by Margaret Renkl and illustrated by Billy Renkl is a lovely, adorable and sweet read. The illustrations pop. I would like to see this as a series that shows “weedy gardens” around the country, so we can get an idea of climate and environmental differences.
This book is a prose poem (a few lines on a page) telling us what you will find in a garden that is seemingly just a “weedy garden.” There are bees, snakes, squirrels, and even magical frogs (which you don’t have to lick to see them change colors, just watch where they hide). It is just fun. You don’t go too deeply on the main pages, so it is good for multiple ages, as young as a good listener of four and up. The included extras about each animal, flower, and insect you will find in the story, will allow things to go up to ages eight or nine. This is a much deeper look at things.
The popping illustrations are what really grabbed my attention. They are rich, deep, dark. The illustrations comment that they were collage, and there is a little information about what this is and how you can do some yourself. Therefore, it is a great classroom rainy day activity or a couple of kids on a snow day.
To be published in late February or early March 2026, this is going to be a book that I will be recommending as a good from baby shower to birthday to holiday gift.
