The Little Green Girl

PreS-Gr 2-Mr. Aster, an accomplished and methodical gardener, is caught by surprise one day as an unusual seed blows into his garden. Given his natural propensity to cultivate and nurture plant life, Mr. Aster tends the seed with extreme care. As days pass, he is delightfully surprised as the seed grows into a little green girl shrub, which he plants in a place of prominence in his beautiful garden. Life is happy for Mr. Aster, the green girl, and all of the garden's wildlife until the little girl grows wistful after hearing the animals' stories of life beyond the garden. Reluctantly, Mr. Aster takes the little green girl on a trip beyond their garden walls, where they are introduced to a world of wonder and geographic diversity. This is a touching story of friendship, courage, and adventure. Mr. Aster is content with his settled and private life until the young girl enters his world. He stretches out of his comfort zone and discovers things and places that enrich his quality of life. The gouache and pencil illustrations are robust and colorful, depicting a lush and thriving environment. The illustrations are joyful and rich, supporting yet contrasting with the text and suggesting that there may be even more to experience in life if one takes the risk.