Gifts from Georgia’s Garden: How Georgia O’Keefe Nourished Her Art by Lisa Robinson, illustrated by Hadley Hooper

Gifts from Georgia’s Garden: How Georgia O’Keefe Nourished Her Art by Lisa Robinson, illustrated by Hadley Hooper. Neal Porter Books, 2024. 9780823452668

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4.5

Format: Hardcover picture books

Genre: Biography

What did you like about the book? This insightful look at the artist Georgia O’Keefe shows how she gained inspiration from the plants she grew in her garden. Incorporating quotes from the artist, the book explains her desire to make city dwellers slow down and really look at the parts of a flower, as if it had become their world for a moment. When she moved to New Mexico, growing her own flowers, as well as vegetables and fruit trees, O’Keefe also found inspiration in the rocks, skulls and bones that she gathered in the desert. There, she loved to invite friends to meals composed of food she grew herself, and the book even contains a recipe for Pecan Butterballs that she would bake and serve.

Short sentences of lyrical text describe O’Keefe’s life and home and her inspirations, and the deep matte colors of the artwork shows her in action observing, collecting, planting, and painting. The book really gives the reader a feel for how important these activities were to her artistic process, and can invite reflection on what spurs one’s own creativity. In addition to the recipe, the back matter adds information on O’Keefe’s life and sustainable gardening practices and includes a list of sources.

Anything you didn’t like about it? No

To whom would you recommend this book? For early elementary school readers who like reading about artists. A good choice for Women’s History Month displays.

Who should buy this book? Elementary school and public libraries

Where would you shelve it? Biography

Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Near the top

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Stephanie Tournas, Robbins Library, Arlington, MA

Date of review: June 9, 2024