Secret Gardeners is a sensitively written and encouraging story for all ages (but aimed mostly at younger readers) about restorative gardening, community, and stewardship by Maija Hurme and Lina Laurent. Due out 11th June 2024 from Pajama Press, it's 56 pages and will be available in hardcover format. Originally published in Swedish in 2021, this English translation by Sofia Karlsson & Jen Pulju Porter is seamless and smoothly done.

It's accessible and well written and although it's mostly aimed at 6-9 year olds (Lexile measure 760L) it's full of interesting background and gardening ideas and community, along with a lovely story which everyone will find touching. The author and publisher have also included an abbreviated glossary and a bibliography/links for further reading as well as short info blocks about no-dig gardening, composting, beekeeping, and more.

Four and a half stars. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, gift giving, and home use.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

When I requested Secret Gardeners I was expecting a book along the lines of The Gardener or The Curious Garden. Both of those books are fabulous, and certainly promote gardening, but Secret Gardeners offers something unique. Laurent provides the reader with a heartwarming story while dropping constant and incredibly helpful tips and facts. I also greatly appreciated how Laurent focused on safety and parental permission without coming across heavy handed.

While I was reading Secret Gardeners I kept thinking of specific friends, mothers, who I'd want to share this book with; like me they want to garden, but lack the knowledge on how to keep things alive. This book is ideal for anyone who wants to help a child interested in getting something to grow, Secret Gardeners is about science, community, growth, love, and so much more. If you've got a science loving kid out there make sure you pick this book up.

This was a very informative and well-thought out book about nature and gardening. The illustrations were super cute.

The possibilities are endless when 3 children find an abandoned garden. No one expects a garden hidden in the city and what develops from this children's story is a tale of rejuvenation; both for the people surrounding the green space and for the garden itself. The story builds around sustainable garden techniques taught by a friendly neighbor and in any good story the residents around the whole block get in on the action and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Illustrations are whimsical with factual information presented between the pictures. Children will enjoy the story and hopefully grow into the greater ecological ideas that are shared.

Wow - I love this book so much! This is a five-star children's book in my opinion. As a retired preschool/kindergarten teacher and homeschool mom, I have read many children's books. There are many great non-fiction science books for elementary aged children and also stories about scientific things, but this book is 100 percent both. it is a great story that could be read on its own, without the science, but even better, it teaches the science of the earth in such an engaging way. The illustrations are pencil drawings and watercolor and are beautiful! I love everything about this book!

Absolutely LOVE this book! It's a fictional story with a beautiful plot & characters AND it's a nonfiction read discussing no-dig gardens, the ground's network underneath the surface, sowing a seed, & the importance of bees. Follow three friends as they stumble across an abandoned lot & work with their neighbors to create a community space. Along the way, a sad old man helps to fix a well & then spends his days in his apartment staring longingly at the empty lot. Plants previously planted by the last gardener appear & the kids find out that the abandoned lot used to be a beautiful garden. Sadly, the mysterious owner of the lot had plans to sell it to be demolished to become a parking garage. The kids & the community come together one last time to save the lot. A story sprinkled with grief, loss, & ultimately, hope. A must-read for homeschools, nature programs, families who are interested in gardening, classroom science units, & so much more. We cannot wait to bring this beautiful story to our own local community garden for a story-time!

Secret Gardeners is a cute story jam-packed with helpful information about gardening in a way that is healthy for the earth. The story follows friends who start helping a neighbor garden in an abandoned lot. They learn about no-dig gardening, planting seeds and helping them grow, how bees pollinate gardens, and how to bring a community together. The language in the book is friendly and accessible, and it will inspire the curious child.

Cute book and very informational about gardening!
My 5 year old daughter loved it and its the perfect book for spring! It gave her a better understanding of the yard work we have been doing and why.
Her favorite page was the “Sowing the seed” one, and she can't wait to try it herself! Has enough story that it holds her attention while also throwing in a lot of information.
Cute book for and little gardener!

I really liked this one and the look into creating a community garden.
I liked that we got information throughout about planting and gardening.
I liked the illustrations too and the curiosity of the children.
I liked also how they wanted to care for the Earth and being something together for their community.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!