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This playful picture book introduces children and parents to the basics of organic gardening. Dimuzio, a veterinarian, watches in pride as her spirited pups bound out to the backyard in the springtime, searching for their favorite snack—green beans. But first, Dimuzio and her Papillon dogs, Johnny Angel and Beegee, must plant the garden. The book follows the trio as they cover step-by-step instructions to planting a garden, including deciding which types of vegetables to grow. Since green beans are Johnny Angel's favorite treat, they decide to grow five rows of beans.
Next, Dimuzio and her pups carefully prepare the soil while learning how earthworms help a garden grow. Dimuzio comically reminds her pups that while adding composted manure to the garden is helpful, pooping there is not. Once the seeds are planted, Johnny Angel and Beegee use their paws to cover up the rows of seeds with dirt. Then, the pair enthusiastically help Dimuzio defend the growing garden from pests and groundhogs while they wait for their beans to grow.
Dimuzio's picture book is a fun adventure for youngsters, written in a refreshingly lighthearted style. A young audience is sure to be delighted at the authors' unique style of harvesting green beans by plucking them with their mouths, not to mention the visual appeal of the photographic journey of the Papillons frolicking in the garden. Kids will also learn about important gardening concepts, such as starting a compost pile, aerating the soil, and practicing patience while waiting for their vegetables to become ready for harvesting. Parents can also glean a few helpful gardening tips, such as using ladybugs and marigolds to ward off pests.
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