On the Other Side of the Garden

From one of the great creative teams in picture books, On the Other Side of the Garden is about a city girl learning to accept the change brought about by her parents’ separation after she is left at her grandmother’s house in the country.

The girl feels abandoned and lonely, but after venturing into the nighttime garden, she is befriended by an owl, a frog and a mouse. Her talkative new companions show her an extraordinary new world by the light of the moon. When the girl gets back in the morning, her grandmother seems neither alarmed or angry about the girl’s nighttime adventures. Instead she gently introduces her granddaughter to her new surroundings, making clear that the girl is welcome. And as the sun warms their backs, the two seem content to get to know each other better.

Buitrago’s stories convey large truths through understatement and suggestion. This story, beautifully illustrated by Yockteng, shows how a child can use her own bravery and curiosity to confront confusing and potentially frightening realities, such as a parents’ separation and being left with an almost unknown relative. There is an endnote about the plants and animals that might be found in such a garden.