Butterfly Gardens

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

Little Zoie is upset at the prospect of moving from British Columbia to
Saskatoon and leaving all her friends. She is comforted by the promise
of a garden at her new home and the thought of making friends with the
birds and butterflies that inhabit it.

She researches gardening in the Saskatoon geographical zone, making use
of many resources, including publications by the Canadian Wildlife
Federation. She becomes interested in naturalized, xerascaped gardening,
which uses indigenous, drought-resistant plants and is conducive to
attracting wildlife. When the family moves to Saskatoon, she plants a
garden at her new house. Her enthusiasm is not contained by the home
project and is carried over to the school setting. Her gardening ideas
are well received by her new Grade 4 and 5 classmates, and the principal
approves a school garden based on her plans. The class, with parental
and community support, plants the garden.

The story is prevented from becoming a rather clinical account of the
planting of a naturalized garden by the introduction of a
mystery—someone repeatedly vandalizes the garden. Zoie’s discovery
of the identity of the culprits and the reasons for their actions adds
some tension and suspense to the straightforward narrative. The dialogue
rings true, and the interactions between the characters are believable.
Zoie’s attitudes and concerns are in keeping with those of a real-life
10-year-old. Butterfly Gardens is recommended for young naturalists and
budding gardeners.