Book Review: Millie Fleur's Poison Garden
#CYBILS2024 Fiction Picture Book Nominee
Millie Fleur's Poison Garden
by Christy Mandin
Orchard Books, 2024
Garden Glen is a very bland place. Every house and every garden looks exactly like the other. That is… until Millie Fleur La Fae comes to town. Up on a scruffy hill, beside a ramshackle house, Millie Fleur plants her marvelously strange garden. She is proud of her beloved little garden, but the townspeople call it poison. Millie Fleur is going to have to take matters into her own hands and find the kindred spirits who appreciate everything the garden has to offer.1
audience: Elementary
tags: nature, fantasy, gardens/gardening
Bryant Baird [via Judge Cindy Mitchell]
This book is a great metaphor for people pushing away things that they don't understand or things that are different to them. Mandin writes a book for kids who feel weird or out of place, as well as those who may be on the other side and just like gardens ... This book is great for kids of all ages, especially those that feel different.
Read Bryant’s full review at Kiss the Book blog
Kirsten Caldwell (Judge)
This delightfully unique story encourages readers to embrace their true selves, even when others might not understand. The author's note adds an extra layer of intrigue, revealing that the story is inspired by a real Poison Garden in England. This book is perfect for children who love monsters and all things wonderfully weird.
Read Kirsten’s full review at Goodreads.
Book cover image, blurb, and tags sourced to Goodreads.com