There once was a garden alive with flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
While gardener was pleased with the plants, he wasn't so sure about all the insects that called the garden home. He liked the bright red ladybugs, and he knew that the bees and the butterflies pollinated the flowers, but some of the bugs were nothing but trouble.
One day the gardener thought, If I get rid of the bad insects, my garden will be perfect - and he sprayed all the plants with bug killer. But the results were far from perfection! As his beautiful garden came close to ruin, the gardener began to see that the plants and insects were linked, that they depended on one another to
survive. But how could he undo the damage?
Accompanied by vibrant, beautifully detailed illustrations, this simple story of one garden introduces young children to the important concept of the balance of nature. Youngsters will be both reassured and enlightened when they find out how everybody's favourite insect- the ladybug- saves the day.
"Celia Godkin's language is simple and direct . . . The drama she reveals through her magnifying glass is real, complex and intense. . . Godkin's precise, yet graceful illustrations capture the warm fluidity of summer and the calm of a cared-for garden . . . a beautiful and wise book."
— ResourceLinks
"(This book) features some lovely artwork depicting insect and plant life."
— Books in Canada
"The text is simple and brief and is laced with just the right amount of biological information to teach children without losing their interest."
— Quill and Quire
"An exceptionally well done book that introduces the child to basic ecology. The beautifully detailed illustrations enhance the text and bring the garden to life."
— Countryside Magazine
Celia Godkin
Celia trained as a biologist and has worked as a scientific illustrator. An illustration job preparing signs for the Winnipeg zoo led to a collaboration on the book Endangered Species: Canada's Disappearing Wildlife. Encouraged by this success Celia illustrated an ecology story she had written years earlier and showed it to her publisher. The resulting book, Wolf Island, won the Children's Literature Roundtables Best Information Book Award and led to a succession of information storybooks.
A Children's Literature Round tables of Canada Information Book Award Honour Book
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