Set in a dystopian city where nothing green is left, a young boy cultivates a garden on an abdoned railway. Soon, the plants spread across the city as the gardeners spread too. A beautiful vision of hope and how good can spread.

I read this aloud to first-grade students on Earth Day. They loved the story of a town that was transformed by one gardener, a little boy named Liam. Beautiful illustrations! ( )

This book would be good for primary and intermediate grades. This book follows a little boy who is always outside and curious, in a dreary place where no plants or nature grows. When he is out exploring he finds a few little dying plants and soon cultivates a huge garden out of them. I would definitely keep this in my classroom books rotation, and likely do a read aloud of it too. ( )

Beautiful little children's picture book about a boy discovering gardening in the city--with a focus on the highline in New York. ( )

Liam lived in a city without any greenery, but he loved to go outside. One day he discovered a stairwell that led up to the tracks of a railway, so Liam ran up the stairs to get on the railway. He noticed a few plants that were dying. Liam then began to take care of the plants and the whole railway began to fill up with more greenery. When winter came, the railway was filled with snow, so Liam could not tend to the plants; he had to wait until spring. Instead of worrying about the plants until spring, Liam bettered his gardening skills. when spring came, all the plants were nearly dead, but Liam was able to nurse them back to good health and eventually the whole railway was consumed with greenery again. This time, the railway wasn't the only place with greenery; the town was filled with greenery thanks to the inspiration of Liam's first garden.

I liked this book. I really like how Liam inspired everyone in the town to start their own gardens which turned a town with no greenery into a green town. I think that shows children that they can do anything they set their mind to regardless of their age because Liam was just a young boy. It also shows students that it starts with one difference. Usually people don't try and make a difference because they think just one person can't make a difference. However, Liam was just one person and he changed the entire town. I definitely think this book will give inspiration to children to be the difference that they want to see in the world. ( )