What readers think of The Garden of Small Beginnings, plus links to write your own review.

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman is a joyful, witty and deeply insightful book. Filled with quirky characters and useful gardening tips.

Three years after her husband's death, Lilian is adjusting to being a widow and mother of two precocious girls. While working as a text book illustrator, Lili is chosen to illustrate a gardening book. To acquaint herself with gardening, she is requested to take a course at the botanical garden. Her supportive sister and her daughters join her where a charming instructor and a group of quirky students teach her about gardening, friendship and life.

I laughed, cried and did not want the book to end. The characters were interesting and real and I will miss them.

This is a treasure of a book that will both enrich and delight the reader.

I loved this book. After a winter of reading somber and slightly depressing books, it was a joy to read this funny and uplifting story. Full of undaunted women, handsome men who wore fitted t-shirts very well, and cute children, who said adorable things, this was fun.

This book should be in every woman's beach bag this summer, it's a really good read

The Garden of Small Beginnings is a delightful read. The characters sparkle and it is laugh-out-loud funny. It could be read in one afternoon but because I was enjoying the humor so much, I made myself read it in small chunks to get the most our of the feel good laughter and smiles. There are serious themes that are woven through: love and loss, grief and moving on, the importance of family. The everyday nature of a life for a widowed mom and her 2 young girls is told with the over arching theme of gardening. Each chapter begins with a bit of advice (how to grow garlic etc) for your garden and stories the journey this family has learning to be a part of a community garden.
For all the characters in this tale there are many small beginnings-a reminder to all that each day in our ordinary lives can bring these moments. As I read this book, I was constantly making a mental note of all the readers I know who would love this book as I did. The list was long, high praise for any book. Job well done, Abbi Waxman.

Once in a while a book comes along that is pure fun, and that is how I feel about "The Garden of Small Things," Yes, there is some sadness in the story, but most of all it is delightful. The characters are so real and so funny. The things the children say and do are spot on. The author must have children or nieces & nephews. The gardening tips are hilarious. If you want to read a wonderful story; this book is the one.

Really loved this book! Hilarious one moment, poignant in the next. Beautifully written story about grief. Gardening is a metaphor for healing and the cycles of life. The heroine is authentic, intelligent, and funny. Her relationship with her sister and her daughters is inspiring. The book is a fast read, so charming - I would highly recommend it.

Abbi Waxman has written a funny yet insightful book into being a widow. Using the garden as a metaphor, she takes you through the highs and lows of Lilian's life. Widowed at 34, Lilian is raising two daughters as she tries to move on with her life. As I widow myself, I could relate to Lilian's emotional roller coaster. I loved the way Waxman introduced each new chapter with a tip on growing a vegetable, her way of imparting a little wisdom about life. This book will make you laugh and cry, sometimes in the same sentence.

Widowhood was thrust upon Lili Girvan in the blink of an eye when husband Dan died in an auto accident. Lili lost her grip on life and was hospitalized for several months. Rachel, her younger sister, was able to step in and has continued to encourage and help Lili with the challenges of raising Annabel, age seven and Claire, age five. Lili still feels lost and misses everything about Dan including his wet towels left on the bed. Her life, however, has become routine and predictable.

Poplar Press, Lili's employer has called upon Lili, a gifted illustrator, for an extensive job. The Bloem Company will be releasing a book on vegetables and flowers and wants the illustrations created by hand using mediums such as watercolor, charcoal and pen-and-ink. The illustrations need to be artistic with a back-to-basics style. There is a catch. She must attend a six week gardening class. Accompanied by sister Rachel and kids Annabel and Claire, she is off to the Los Angeles Botanical Garden to attend Vegetable Gardening 101 run by Professor of Gardening, Edward Bloem. The class will plant a potager garden in which flowers, vegetables and herbs are grown together. More than the garden will grow and flourish.

One cannot downplay Lili's ruminations and feelings of life without Dan. The book, however, was not maudlin. It was a laugh a minute! So many belly laughs! Claire paints her face with red marker. She pretends to be a ladybug thinking this will help her plant and grow strawberries. How about a touch of dog optimism. A half-eaten chicken nugget is out of the dog's reach. The dog indicates that by law (Dog v. Child, 19__) he, the canine, owns the nugget.

"The Garden of Small Beginnings" by Abbi Waxman uses gardening to awaken one's senses to the cycle of life. Turning over the earth, planting seeds, and sitting in the warmth of the sun can create renewal and hope. An excellent tome from an upcoming author. I can't wait to read Abbi Waxman's next literary venture.

Thank you Berkley Books and BookBrowse for the opportunity to read and review "The Garden of Small Beginnings".

I approached this book unsure I would like it – once I started reading I could not put it down and am very sorry when the book ended! The writing is vivid and relational – pulling you into every situation making you feel that you are living it. Nuggets of wisdom pervade the book, invoking thoughts, self-analysis and remembrances. The gardening snippets throughout the book are both entertaining and informational – will keep some in mind as I plant my own garden! The book leaves you hoping that the story of Lili, Edward and their friends and family continues!