Goodnight Veggies

Here the illustrator works closely to the text, beginning on the front cover where we see snoozing carrot, perky beetroot and our narrator, the smiley worm, all beneath a moonlit, star spangled sky. The worm is quite enchanting, wriggling his way from page to page with his baseball cap, his one shoe and perpetual smile. It is sunset, and the veggie garden is being watered as the sun sinks. Their long day of growing is drawing to a close; the cuddly cauliflowers, droopy pods of peas and baby carrots settle for the night. There is rhubarb, reading stories to worn out broccoli, and the beetroots are simply … beat! The cabbages nod their leafy, sleepy heads, radishes doze in cosy garden beds. Meantime, worm slithers under and over ground, taking in all the sleepy veggies ‘for nothing’s more exhausting than growing day and night.’ The charming bond between text and pictures continues throughout as night draws in. The story ends with worm tucked up in his own little bed, in the soil below the sleeping beetroots. His cap is on the hat stand, his single shoe at the foot of his bed, family photos hang on the wall. This garden has been created on a rooftop, along with solar panels and raised beds for the veg. Will children spot the robin, mentioned in the text at the beginning…with wriggly worm in its beak, supper for its chicks? Perfect for a bedtime read.