Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt

Up in the garden, a girl stands and plans. Her hands are full of seeds and her head is full of dreams. But before she and Nana can get started on tending their garden—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, and ripening fruit—they have to wait. Down in the dirt, things need to warm up and dry out. There’s a busy world under their feet, full of earthworms, pillbugs, and more.

Planning, planting, and harvesting will take all year. But there are two sides to the story—what happens above, and what happens below. Come meet the incredible creatures who make our gardens their home, bring the world to life, and help the greenery around us grow.

A story of patience, care, and coexistence, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt shows us the cycle of our seasons. It also introduces us to a cast of insects and animals who make our world vibrant and green. Written by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal, and published by Chronicle Books.