mikai

There’s nothing like stepping into a garden and connecting with nature, and readers will revel in the pages of this beautiful picture book that celebrates these wondrous and inspiring places!

Gardens are glorious places blossoming with joy, wonder, and wisdom too. Whether it’s greeting the possibilities of each sunrise with the daylilies or appreciating what makes us as unique as the polkadot plant; whether it’s contemplating life’s thorns with the roses or standing as tall as a sunflower, spending time in nature can give us new ways of seeing. This flora-filled ode will inspire readers to observe the plants around them and appreciate the things that make each one--and each of us--special.

Monica Mikai (MonicaMikai.com) has illustrated numerous picture books, including Build a House (by Rhiannon Giddens), My Name Is a Story (by Ashanti), The Proudest Color (by Sheila Modir and Jeffrey Kashou), You Are Getting Sleepy (by Lori Alexander), and Stacey Abrams: Lift Every Voice (by Sarah Warren). What the Garden Tells Me is her debut as author-illustrator. She has a BA in art and elementary education from Rider University and an MFA in painting from the New York Studio School. When Monica isn’t working, you can find her outdoors enjoying nature with her husband and two sons.