On Meadowview Street Author:Cole, Henry Upon moving to a new house, young Caroline and her parents encourage wildflowers to grow and birds and animals to stay in their yard, which soon has the whole suburban street living up to its name. — Caroline and her family have recently moved to Meadowview Street, in a development where all of the properties look alike and there's not a meadow i... more »n sight. The girl is about to go in search of one when she notices a small flower. "It's beautiful! Caroline said to herself. And all alone." She asks her dad to work around it while mowing the lawn, hurries inside to find string and sticks, and builds a "small wildflower preserve." As other flowers bloom, she enlarges the area. Dad puts the lawn mower up for sale, and, with the help of her parents, Caroline (surely an heir to Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius) sets about transforming her suburban backyard into a teeming ecosystem. Soon there are butterflies, birds, a pond, flowers, trees, and a real meadow on Meadowview Street. "And soon, the Jacksons' yard changed. And the Smiths'. And the Sotos'." Cole's economical text and tender, acrylic paintings tell the story with simplicity and energy as the barren strip of grass evolves into a lush habitat. This lovely picture book offers children a quiet approach to embracing the natural world.
Henry Cole is the celebrated illustrator of many books for children, including the Bad Boys series by Margie Palatini, and is also the author and illustrator of the novel A Nest for Celeste.
"The story shows how it's okay to do something different and/or non-conventional, like saving a wildflower in your yard and turning your yard into a meadow. This book is a sweet story, but it's an especially wonderful book to illustrate the value of creating an outdoor habitat in your yard. I got one for my children (5-7 yrs) and I also got one for my friend that has just started developing her outdoor habitat, the book confirms that a change in your yard can bring such pleasure to you, your neighbors and the creatures that live there."« less