A review by backonthealex
Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures by Tricia Springstubb

4.0

Khalil and his family live in the upstairs apartment of a two family house. Mr. Hagerty lives alone in the downstairs apartment. Summer has come and Mr. Hagerty has been working on his garden in the backyard, while Khalil has been hunting for some interesting bugs and rocks, or just laying in the grass reading a library book. Mr. Hagerty often helps Khalil with hard, unfamiliar words and Khalil helps Mr. Hagerty find his misplaced items. Gradually they become friends, even sharing chocolate cake and cold milk together when it gets too hot. But both are discouraged - Mr. Hagerty with his vegetable garden, Khalil with the lack of good buried treasure. One night, they both get an idea that is sure to make the other very happy. And not only do their ideas work, but they become even better friends, happily enjoying each other's company and celebrating with some more delicious chocolate cake. Springstubb's text is warm, layered, and straightforward, just like the friendship that develops between these two lonely people and Taherian's oil and colored pencil collage illustrations done in a predominately green palette really demonstrates that warmth and layering. I just love a good intergenerational picture books and so do my young readers, most of whom see their grandparents regularly. And my kids got a kick out of the ending. I was only sorry we couldn't explore the illustrations together, but we had to read it on Zoom.