Mrs. Nosy: A Composting Story

Everyone has had that nosy neighbor always interfering in their business. In Mrs. Nosy: A Composting Story by Lily A. Goldman, Sooz and her mother get to play a little trick on the inquisitive observer over the fence.

Mrs. Nosy is amazed at how beautiful Mrs. Laura’s garden is. When she asks her for the secret, they tell her that a fairy comes at night to sprinkle gold dust on everything to help it grow. Mrs. Nosy decides to try to stay up every night, waiting for the fairy to come, because she wants her garden to be as beautiful. But alas, every night, she falls asleep, instead.

While she sleeps, Sooz and her mom are creating their own “fairy dust” by taking out their kitchen scraps to their compost bin. As the worms and bugs help break down the organic waste, they leave behind a rich organic fertilizer that makes everything grow more lush and beautiful than before.

After a few days of teasing Mrs. Nosy, Sooz and Mrs. Laura take pity on the prying lady next door and decide to share their secret with her. At first she is skeptical that nasty things such as bugs and worms can help create such beauty. But after a few days of applying the “fairy dust,” she begins to see the benefits and embraces the idea.

Mrs. Nosy is appealing to young children with the idea of a fairy dusting gardens at night. The brief explanation of how composting works suffices for a younger audience. Mrs. Goldman also accompanies her words with colorful and dreamy watercolor illustrations.

In this day of “Going Green,” parents and educators can use this book as an introduction to composting. For further study, they can rely on the resources listed in the back.

I received a copy of this book through my association with BookPleasures.com.