Bud is the son of a very orderly, straight and narrow kind of couple, depicting a typical professional, clean cut, organized modern family that are attempting to accept Bud's unruly love of plants and gardening.
Although they give him space to plant and trim and make dirt piles in the garden, in the kitchen and in his bedroom, their inner character just can't seem to succumb to this way of being! Particularly when Bud's grandfather comes to visit the couple feels they must hide Bud's gardening side fearing the seeming disorder will all but insult grandpa.
Refreshingly, the opposite occurs after a storm turns Bud's hard work into a mess to reckon with. Everyone comes together in the end to happily restore Bud's original creation.
A very lovely story indeed, creating space for a child's creativity to thrive and helping the adults come to terms with letting go of often old, stiff ways of being that get in the way of everyone's happiness.
A great dose of love emerges from this book, I highly recommend reading for children feeling their gifts do not have space to grow and for parents having a difficult time with children that may stretch their norms, even if it's a simple as allowing children to build a fort with couch cushions and making 'messes' that may make us feel uncomfortable.
Thank you Kevin O'Malley for bringing Bud to life and for planting love in our hearts.
Oh, and, creating a garden, in potted plants or outside, is a wonderful annual activity to engage children and adults in, of all ages.