Alfred is a young boy who believes that growing a garden is something of value he can share with people,  like Lulu, who lives at the other end of the street and has “so much to share”. Lulu’s whimsical garden is lavish with outsized blooms and outlandish colors and  filled with children playing together. In comparison,  no matter how hard Alfred tries to grow things in his yard, it remains brown, lifeless and barren. Alfred is despondent but determined to try one more time, picking up a package of wildflower seeds and hoping this will be the ticket.

Through a remarkable series of events, the seeds take root on Alfred, and purple wildflowers begin blooming all over him — in his hair, his nose, the pockets of his clothes. He feels embarrassed and conspicuous, especially as the birds and butterflies begin fluttering around the garden growing on him, but doesn’t let that stop him from his customary Friday meet up with Lulu.

The reader learns that Lulu considers Alfred a good friend who always shares blueberry muffins with her. Lulu is delighted to see Alfred in bloom, and transplants one of his wildflowers to her own garden. In sharing his wildflower with Lulu, Alfred becomes aware of all that he does have to share (with Lulu as well as with pollinators) and the friends enjoy their day together.

It’s a sweet story about learning to value what we have to share, and realizing that it doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s gift. The story may leave the reader with questions about why Alfred is so despondent when he has a good friend in Lulu, or why he doesn’t ask her for help with his garden but the illustrations, done in colored and graphite pencil and gouache include charming details, that may distract from the unanswered questions.

Recommended as an additional purchase for public and school libraries.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS
K-2 Resource Librarian, Scarborough Schools