Review Detail

María Luz Duarte and her family own a farm, but when the land loses its goodness and food supplies run low, her father must leave home to find work. María Luz must tend the garden on her own. Then a new teacher moves into the area and shows her how to grow cash crops, how to improve the soil and how to avoid the greedy coyote (middleman). Hope begins to spring up in the village like María Luzs radishes.

The Good Garden demonstrates sustainable farming techniques as the solution to the problem of food insecuritythe inability to grow enough food to support ones familyin small farms around the world. Based on the lifes work of Don Elías Sanchez, a Honduran teacher, the book shows readers how practices like terracing and composting result in more productive farming.

This picture books length is a bit long for very young readers, but elementary-age children will appreciate the narrative. The content, which effectively communicates the problem of global food security, uses simple, but not simplistic, language while telling a compelling story. Colored pencil illustrations warm the pages and provide a friendly, welcoming feel to readers. Many of them feel sun-drenched as the Honduran hills. They pull the reader into the story with colors that communicate the characters feelings.

The book features an explanatory note, brief bio of Don Elías Sanchez, ways children can help, a list of organizations that provide aid and a glossary of Spanish words.