RAR recommends this book.
A girl and her mama plant seeds to grow on their windowsill in their city apartment during the winter. The similes are apt and descriptive. The illustrations are surreal and a bit too abstract for the age group who would listen to this book. After the story, the author offers tips on growing one's own wintergarden plus a great list of other gardening picture books.
-Borrowed from the library.
I read a review about this book in a seed catalog (Seed Saver's).
As a lover of garlic, this book thrilled me and made me smile. Ms. Graves gives the history of and health benefits of garlic, plus plenty of how-tos (decorating with garlic!) and recipes. I had never heard of black garlic until reading her book. After reading this book, anyone should be able to plant garlic and experience success.
I made her "Immune Booster Soup", which my husband, my youngest son, and I liked a lot (I did not use the amount of garlic she suggested-10-12 cloves!).
Ms. Graves owns a garlic farm and a CSA in Canada.
A Novel of the Garden
Originally published in 1950.
From his earliest years, Herbert Pinnegar loved flowers. When he was fourteen-years-old, he was required to visit the vicar who would help find a job on the farm. He did not want to work on a farm. Fortunately, the lady of the manor sat in on his interview and convinced the vicar to allow Herbert to work in her manor gardens. This interference provided Herbert, aka "Old Herbaceous", many years of delight --by gardening. I loved experiencing this man's life from a school boy through seventies with the best setting-a garden!
Individuals who love flowers, gardening, and British villages will find this book satisfying and relatable.
*Highly recommed.
-Borrowed via ILL.
I purchased this seasonal reflection book in the beginning of the year to read after my Bible. Mrs. Burke incorporates seasonal lessons from the garden. Each entry varies with its content-sometimes poetry, sometimes a prayer, sometimes a recipe, but always pointing to God and His truth and offering gardening tips. Her chapter epigraphs have led me to some old, unique gardening books!
*Highly recommend (although I am only partly way through the winter season). I love the cover!!
-I own this book.
This picture book reveals how Eva Sommaripa starts her produce business in Massachusetts on a small patch of land between the ocean and the woods. Soon she is growing more herbs than she and her family can eat. So she drives into Boston and offers her herbs to restaurant chefs. The chefs love her herbs and ask her to bring more. Her business booms. This book emphasizes the science of gardening, especially the soil.
Lots of information after the biography.
-Borrowed from the library.
During the winter I like to read gardening books and plan for the upcoming spring. I paged through the books below and wanted to record them so I can reference them later. All of them were borrowed from the library.
Grow More Food by Colin McCrate & Brad Halm-very practical and tons of information
The illustrations in this book are stunning. I like them more than the words!
A girl relates her days and seasons with her Nana in her Nana's garden. Each season possesses its unique joys to relish. Through the illustrations, the reader notices the grandmother aging and eventually can infer her death. She "lives on" through her garden as her granddaughter matures and gives birth to a daughter of her own.
Although sad, this book leaves the reader hopeful.
-Borrowed from the library.
This picture book is hopeful and beautiful! I was so excited to have this arrive in the mail yesterday! *The first book published from Sarah Mackenzie's new publishing company, Waxwing*
Elderly Lou Alice tries "to leave each day more beautiful than she found it". In her town she plants flowers outside of the town hall. No one notices. They just don't understand why they feel happier. When Lou Alice becomes ill and cannot create beauty anymore, someone from the younger generation resumes her role.
The pictures and text tell the story together. If one of them was missing, the story would not make sense. I love the illustrations!!
*Highly recommend.
-I own this book.
A story about transformation and gardening
Elliott Michener, a counterfeiter, was sentenced to Alcatraz. Gloom abounded. He contemplates his escape. When he finds and returns a key to a guard, his life turns in a new direction. The "bosses" at the prison were looking for a person with integrity to garden on the island and gave the job to Mr. Michener. Throughout his years at Alcatraz, Mr. Michener becomes an expert gardener and slowly, his view on how to live and earn a living is transformed. Once released, he never returns to a life of crime.
The illustrations' colors reflect the story's mood.
The author's notes offer additional information about Michener and Alcatraz. Some items included seemed like an agenda push.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
How Francis Meilland Created a Flower of Hope for a World at War
Francis loves growing vegetables, fruits and roses on his family farm in southern France. When he sees a stunning rose his neighbor has cross-pollinated and developed, he is determined to create his own rose. Years of experiments and failures ensue. Then World War II erupts. When he sends his newly developed rose to Robert Pyle, a famous rose grower in PA, he does not know if his seedlings have arrived safely. His roses thrive all over the United States and offer beauty and hope for a war-torn world.
I like how Ms. Roberts integrates the impact of WW II within the story.
Beautiful, expressive watercolor illustrations. I like any book illustrated by Mr. Ibatoulline.
-Borrowed from the library.
Read by Josephine Bailey (She is an amazing reader. For each character, she created a distinct voice. Even if the character was singing, it sounded like the voice she created. We loved her British accent also!)
Years ago I read this delightful book to myself and was happy to revisit this world. This winter my youngest son and I were on the road many hours a week for doctor appointments. He suggested we listen to audio books to make it a time to anticipate. The Secret Garden was an uplifting to story to listen to in the dead of winter!
Mary, a selfish and hateful child, finds herself being shipped from India to her uncle's home at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire, England after her parents die of cholera. In her loneliness, she uncovers two secrets and is forever changed.
Suspenseful plot, delightful characters A hope filled book.
Warning/point to discuss: My son and I did not like the "magic" aspect to the book. Colin attributes his well-being and recovery to magic. Even the transformation in creation is credited to magic.
*Highly recommend.
-I borrowed this audio version, but I own the physical book.
Recently I listened to a podcast on RAR featuring Philip and Erin Stead, a husband-wife team. I was so impressed with them, I requested a bunch of their picture books from the library.
I'd Like to Be the Window for a Wise Old Dog Words & pictures by Philip Stead-Mr. Stead imagines what it would be like to be different objects. I found the concepts a bit abstract and not very appealing. Kids may enjoy it as it employs imagination. Teachers could use it as a mentor text for creative writing.-Borrowed from the library.
Judy loves pranks . . .especially when she can pull them on her younger brother, Stink. As she observes him caring for his tomato plants, she creates the ultimate prank!
I love the colorful, bold, large illustrations and short chapters for transitional readers.
-Borrowed from the library.
The life-cycle of a queen rusty-patched bumble bee is displayed in this book featuring scratchboard illustrations. The wonder of this bee points to an amazing Creator! Additional facts are included in the back. I did not know that native bees (like the rusty-patched bumble bee) are better pollinators than honey bees. Buzz pollination is also an interesting ability!
-Borrowed from the library.
Throughout her life, Celia brought beauty to the world through her gardens (even around a lighthouse on a barren island!), poems, and paintings. In addition to the main narrative, the authors insert quotes from her poems and writings on the pages. A time line offers a closer view into her life.
-Borrowed from the library.
My ninth grader is currently reading I Must Betray You for English. To enrich his knowledge of the Romanian culture, I assigned the reading of this Romanian folktale. He told me that it was one of the more unusual stories he has read. I decided to read it!
For many years a couple is unable to bear a child. A sorcerer breaks the curse by giving the wife an apple. His only warning, "No other living creature may not eat it". Without their knowledge, the couples' horse eats the apple peels. The woman AND the horse become pregnant at the same time . . .both giving birth to healthy offspring! Eventually the boy rides away on the horse's foal and leaves home to never return. Together, he and his magical horse have many adventures.
I agree with my son; the story was unique and also entrancing.
Lavish paintings.
-Borrowed from the library.
This book included a flower journal where the reader may record the flowers he plants. It also lists and descibes the flowers in the apprentice's garden.
1950 Caldecott Medal Winner
Juan loves to visit Juilian at the Mission garden, especially when the swallows are nesting there. Each spring they arrive on Saint Joseph's Day. This spring Juan plants his own garden at his house, hoping that a pair of swallows will choose to nest there.
-illustrations include several bird's eye view
-Borrowed from the library.
How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul
Through analogies from creation, stories from her life and scripture passages, Hannah Anderson leads the reader to analyze different ways pride can manifest itself in one's life.
If I owned this book, I would have marked it up with comments and highlights. My brain can be a funnel; knowledge pours into my brain, swirls around rapidly and then leaves!! Ugh!
Mrs. Anderson has written other reflective books, which I may try to find.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed via inter-library loan.
Based on a True Story
Diana Hopkins lives in the White House with her father, Harry Hopkins, FDR's chief advisor. All around her others are "doing their part" to help on the home front during WWII. After a series of mishaps, she discovers her niche. . .the White House's garden.
-Borrowed from the library.
Mayumi and her parents visit her grandfather each year in Japan. During her visits she and her grandfather work in his garden. When her grandfather cannot reside in his home, Mayumi designs a portable, unique garden for both of them.
Sweet portrayal of a relationship between a granddaughter and grandfather.
-Borrowed from the library.
