1st of three book reviews

The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small

SUMMARY

This story is about a positive little girl who's cheery even when her surroundings are a little lonely or bleak or dark. Lydia Grace must move to the city with her uncle because it is the Depression and her rural parents are out of work. Her uncle starts out reticent but Lydia Grace doesn't mind. She enlivens her city milieu with flowers that everyone admires. Then she discovers an unusual gardening plot with possibilities and surprises her uncle with its loveliness. Soon after when she departs to move back home her uncle's true feelings come out in a picture that doesn't need words.

SETTING

The book is set mainly in the city in the mid '30's.

CHARACTERS

Lydia Grace is about 10. Her grandmother looks care-worn. Uncle Jim is a preoccupied baker. Ed and Emma Beech work in uncle's bakery and later help Lydia grace garden.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Beautiful chalk, charcoal and ink on drawing paper.

INTEREST LEVEL

Grade level: 3rd

Lexile: 570

The Garden on Green Street, by Meish Goldish, illustrated by Judy Jarrett

SUMMARY

This book is about city neighbors who join together to clean up an empty lot and plant a garden. Even the mayor came to admire it. But the city neighbors are distressed when they find out that a parking lot is to be built on their garden plot. So they organized and took action. They organized a protest march and wrote letters to influential people. They even formed a human chain around the garden as the bulldozers rolled toward them. At the last minute the neighbors were granted a legal reprieve and the garden was saved.

SETTING

An inner city neighborhood and trashy lot transformed into blooming beauty.

CHARACTERS

The narrator seems to be an older elementary-aged child. The characters are the collective block club members and neighbors.

CONFLICT

The conflict is between the neighbors, the developers and the city officials. This book is about people power! The neighbors make signs and get TV coverage to plead their case for beautifying their city block. The police encourage the block club to back down, but grass-roots organizing wins out.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Watercolor and pen and ink.

INTEREST LEVEL

Grade level: 3

Lexile: 500-549

Growing Vegetable Soup, written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert

SUMMARY

This simple picture book is vibrant with complimentary colors. In sequence, it describes the tools needed to garden, and the first steps in planting seeds. All tools, vegetable seeds, and plants are labeled for the beginning reader. What do plants need to thrive? Water and sun! Each page then illustrates plant growth. Finally vegetable soup is made from the harvested vegetables.

SETTING

The setting is a close-up of a small garden plot.

CHARACTERS

The narrator is an early elementary school child who talks about how she and her dad garden.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Cut paper, complimentary color collage

INTEREST LEVEL

Grade level: 1-2

Lexile: 140

MINI-LESSONS

All three books could play a part in the literacy aspect of a science plant growing unit. While the first two books would be great for later second-early third grade, the last book could be used with readers who struggle in those grades. The last book ties in most directly with science and plant growth, and is so beautiful and short that it could be a read-aloud book at the beginning of a science plant growing class.

The first two books would work well as a duo to discuss their similarities and differences starting with a Venn diagram. The first two books present ample opportunities to talk about the differences in the feeling tone and feeling quality of the books: The Gardner is mainly about a little girl and her uncle, and The Garden on Green Street is about a community.