Grandma takes Tess out to her garden, and together they collect wild foods while Grandma relates the "rules" of the garden, such as not taking too much and not littering. The Native American underpinnings are lightly handled both in the text and the splotchy watercolor art, but the lessons are well-worn, the tone is both too heavy and too sweet, and the story line is practically lifeless.

PreS-Gr 3-This first book by an author born in the Yukon and a member of the Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation is about respecting and caring for the planet. Tess, five, visits her grandmother's mountain cabin. The woman wants to teach the child about her garden, which consists of all of the plants growing wild on the surrounding land. The first rule is "that you must always take good care of our garden." Following that, she tells Tess to say a prayer of thanks while picking; to harvest just enough and at the right time; and to take care not to trample the vegetation or leave rubbish. For dinner, they gather wild edibles-lamb's-quarters, dandelion shoots, and blueberries. Wood's realistic yet impressionistic watercolors are glowing and lush, with dabs of color for light and shadow, wilderness landscapes, and close-ups of berries and woodland animals. This story would work particularly well for Earth Day or as part of a nature ecology unit. Though the title leans toward the didactic, it will attract interested browsers.-Laurie von Mehren, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.