The different plants are shown sprouting under and above ground, and youngsters will delight in the bird- and mole’s-eye perspectives. Inside a colorful garden, some plants “grow up,” while others “grow down, and still others grow “around and around.” This catchy, rhyming refrain, with some variation, introduces children to an abundance of garden vegetables and legumes, including corn, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, broccoli, beets, green beans, okra, onions and tomatoes, as well as the ambiguous pumpkin, and follows them from seed to plant to lunch. More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.

It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy-they will make messes and mistakes-but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible.

Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness.

“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.

Moondance by Frank Asch