hermoso y tranquilo

Marvelous detail to the illustrations, but not quite as much detail in the actual storytelling.

A lovely book.

What a gorgeous book! I loved the illustrations-would make a great read aloud!

I expected this to go in a different direction, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Excellent illustration!

Fantastic art and storytelling. It probably works best as a one-on-one read, but I like it so much that I will try it as a read-aloud for storytime. I think that with the right tinkering, I can make this work for storytime!

A mysterious man's nighttime topiary change a community for the better, bringing a sense of pride and drawing them together.

Gorgeous illustrations. Definitely picked this up for the unborn niece.

Truly magical. This is a picture book you'll want to linger over and read time and time again.

Each night a new masterpiece is created on Grimloch Lane.  The Night Gardener transforms a tree each night into a fantastically sculpted creature--a topiary--and a true work of art.  The story reveals how this small act of art creation has the power to transform a community in addition to the actual trees.

The brilliance of this story is that it feels infused with magic.  It is the magic that the creation of art engenders in both the creators and those who experience the completed artworks.  There are no potions or magic powers other than the creativity and artistic ability of the Night Gardener, himself. The Night Gardener is a beautiful way to show how art and the feelings it creates can change our lives in big and small ways inwardly and outwardly.

The topiaries change what the environment looks like but it is temporary.  The leaves will change color and fall off during the winter.  The feelings they created, however, and the new perspectives, the new ways of seeing will never leave this renewed community.