When Charlie and his dad follow a parade of their neighbours through the local park they discover everyone is walking towards a big pile of dirt!
But this isn't just any pile of dirt - this is compost. Charlie learns from his neighbors about the gardens they have and the delicious vegetables they grow in them. Mr Martino is growing tomatoes while Mrs Lee has onions and Mr Singh has herbs. Charlie is determined to become a gardener as well - and come up with something special to add to his neighbour's plans to make the best spaghetti sauce ever!
"Charming color illustrations enrich this excellent story for getting little ones interested in gardening!"
— Midwest Book Review
" Larsen's text starts out simple with plenty of repetition, making this an excellent book for a shared reading experience. As Charlie moves from his balcony onto the street, Larsen's sentences expand in length and complexity, mirroring Charlie's growing sense of community. Hudon-Verrelli's mixed media illustrations are sweet: the multicultural, multigenerational community is drawn with large heads, bright eyes, and smiling faces. This tale of community and self-empowerment has another layer to it as it teaches about gardening and composting. Hudon-Verrelli accurately depicts plants at various stages of growth. . . Charlie's Dirt Day will leave kids and adults with a sense of warmth and unity, and a curiosity about composting and gardening that just might encourage them to plant something."
— The National Reading Campaign
"The pleasure in the faces of Jacqueline Hudon-Verrelli's characters, especially that of young Charlie as he cradles his first potted seed, is wide and encompassing and joyous. Bravo and yum too!"
— CanLit for LittleCanadians
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