I really love all the vibrant colors and beautiful images in this book.

Belonging shows the urban renewal of a city neighborhood through the window of a young girl. Each picture depicts progress both in Tracy's age (conveyed by her belongings around the windowframe or the family scene in the backyard) and the growth of the plants, and community.

The folk art-style illustrations of this picture book are rich and detailed. Belonging would instigate a great discussion about inferring meaning from illustrations. Because of the close attention needed for each picture, this would be better for individual reading than groups. Recommended for all elementary age groups. ( )

Does the land belong to us or do we belong to it? Bringing plants, native plants back to urban landscapes and bringing communities back together. ( )