Seedfolks (Joanna Colter Books)

Amazon.com

Sometimes, even in the middle of ugliness and neglect, a little bit of beauty will bloom. Award-winning writer Paul Fleischman dazzles us with this truth in Seedfolks--a slim novel that bursts with hope. Wasting not a single word, Fleischman unfolds a story of a blighted neighborhood transformed when a young girl plants a few lima beans in an abandoned lot. Slowly, one by one, neighbors are touched and stirred to action as they see tendrils poke through the dirt. Hispanics, Haitians, Koreans, young, and old begin to turn the littered lot into a garden for the whole community. A gift for hearts of all ages, this gentle, timeless story will delight anyone in need of a sprig of inspiration.

Book Description

A vacant lot, rat-infested and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Especially to a neighborhood of strangers where no one seems to care. Until one day, a young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard-packed soil to plant her precious bean seeds. Suddenly, the soil holds promise: To Curtis, who believes he can win back Lateesha's heart with a harvest of tomatoes; to Virgil's dad, who sees a fortune to be made from growing lettuce; and even to Maricela, sixteen and pregnant, wishing she were dead.

Thirteen very different voices -- old, young, Haitian, Hispanic, tough, haunted, and hopeful -- tell one amazing story about a garden that transforms a neighborhood.

Chosen as a state and citywide read in communities across the country:
Vermont
Racine, WI
Tampa, FL
Newburgh, NY
Boca Raton, FL

Customer Reviews:

Good Stories, but Too Disconnected.......2007-05-31

It all started with one little girl. Kim's father died before she was even born, and she is afraid that he might not know her as he looks down from heaven. So she decides to do something to make him recognize her and to make him proud. He was a farmer back in Vietnam, so she takes a handful of bean seeds to a trash-covered vacant lot near her inner-city apartment and plants them. When he looks down and sees them, he will know she is his daughter.

Someone looks down from a window and is intrigued by this girl who keeps visiting the vacant lot in secret. Upon investigation she sees what is going on and decides to clear a little patch of land for a tiny garden of her own. Others observe and like the idea, and soon the vacant lot is covered with a patchwork of gardens from all sorts of people living nearby. Someone is able to bully the city into moving the trash off of this land. People who usually avoid eye contact at all cost are suddenly meeting neighbors and relating to one another. Through this garden project, a neighborhood of strangers becomes a real community.

I liked the characters in this story. They were all very vivid and their stories were well thought out. I also liked being able to see the different perspectives on this garden, and the different reasons people decided to plant things here.

I didn't like that each person's story was just dropped after it was told. I wanted the author to go back and write what the people were thinking. What did Kim think when her garden idea caught on? Was Sam able to stop the segregation he saw developing in the garden? I wanted some followup to each story.

Inspiring Seedfolks.......2007-04-25

Seedfolks is a book about a vacant city lot in Cleveland, Ohio that is abandoned until one day a Vietnamese girl decides to plant some beans as a way to become connected to her father who died before she was born. It tells the story of 13 different people who come together by this garden. They are all different ages and have different ethnic backgrounds and jobs. Somehow this garden brings them all together and means something different to each of them. The individual stories are interesting and touching.

My favorite part of the book is Gonzolo's Tio Juan story. He came to the U.S. with Gonzolo's mother and brother. Because he didn't speak English and couldn't work he would wonder around all day long with nothing to do and had to be baby sat by Gonzolo who who referred to him as a baby. One day he went off on his own in the neighborhood and came across the garden. The next day he went back and started working in the garden and planting seeds. Back in Guatemala he used to be a farmer and this gave him life again and he went from being a baby back to a man again.

I would recommend that you read Seedfolks. I think you will be touched by the 13 different people who are brought together through this community garden. In Reading Gonzolo's story it made me think about my Mom's parents who are immigrants from Portugal and how they too must of felt like Gonzolo's Tio Juan when they first arrived in the U.S., like they were babies and didn't know anything.

A Garden of Love.......2006-05-11

Seedfolks is a 69 page book, an easy read. Seedfolks is a book that shows that all different races, religions, cultures, and ages can come together to make something nice and beautiful and have meaning. They took a dump-like place and made it into something beautiful.
Some things I liked about this book were, that you can see how the author makes it so everyone of different backgrounds and stuff come together and do something together as one whole. Another thing that I liked about the book was that the author demonstrates how you can except people for who they are. In this story it seems like everyone is the equal and stuff like that. Like for example there was thing young girl who was pregnant and when this book was written it was like a big deal if you were pregnant at an early age but when she went to the garden no one judged her or anything like that. Another good thing about the book is that there is like no anger or anything bad in it, it seems like when everyone goes to the garden all there problems go away and most people go there to relax and just have fun.
Some things I didn't like about the book were that you cant really get to know one character because the character only has like 3 or 4 pages and there is 13 characters in the book so there really isn't one main character. Also in this book there was no plot, climax and there wasn't that big of a problem I mean there was a little one but it really didn't have a lot to do with what was going on in the book. Another bad thing about the book is it wasn't very interesting I'm the type of person who likes to read a book that you cant put down that you get really into but with this book I didn't feel that way. Overall I think Seedfolks was a decent book.

A Book for Building Community.......2006-04-25

This small book (69 pages) contains thirteen vignettes, each written from the point of view of a different person. Although the people begin as strangers from various ethnic backgrounds, they become acquainted as each cultivates a part of a vacant lot. As the lot becomes a place of beauty, individual lives are transformed as well -- and a community is created.

_Seedfolks_ is an excellent tool for building community among people with diverse backgrounds -- perhaps especially among educators, parents, and students.

Good reading for children.......2006-04-25

This is a good book for children who does not understand the meaning of working together. Also, this book was structured very intelligently; so that any reader can follow the same story but from other people point of views. In addition; the way the author painted colorful pictures of the city was very unique.

Average customer rating:

A classic for girls
Classic
Seeds the child's imagination...
The Secret Garden
Spellbinding Book

The Secret Garden (HarperClassics)
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 006440188X

Amazon.com

Mistress Mary is quite contrary until she helps her garden grow. Along the way, she manages to cure her sickly cousin Colin, who is every bit as imperious as she. These two are sullen little peas in a pod, closed up in a gloomy old manor on the Yorkshire moors of England, until a locked-up garden captures their imaginations and puts the blush of a wild rose in their cheeks; "It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless stems of roses which were so thick, that they matted together.... 'No wonder it is still,' Mary whispered. 'I am the first person who has spoken here for ten years.'" As new life sprouts from the earth, Mary and Colin's sour natures begin to sweeten. For anyone who has ever felt afraid to live and love, The Secret Garden's portrayal of reawakening spirits will thrill and rejuvenate. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates characters so strong and distinct, young readers continue to identify with them even 85 years after they were conceived. (Ages 9 to 12)

Book Description

When orphaned Mary Lennox, lonely and sad, comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire moors, she finds it full of secrets. At night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. Outside, she meets Dickon, a magical boy who can charm and talk to animals. Then, one day, with the help of a friendly robin, Mary discovers the most mysterious wonder of all--a secret garden, walled and locked, which has been completely forgotten for years and years. Is everything in the graden dead, or can Mary bring it back to life?

Customer Reviews:

A classic for girls.......2007-09-22

The Secret Garden is a book about a spoiled girl who uncovers the mysteries of the house around her which include, but are not limited too, what is behind the wall, and why is it kept secret. It is a good classic, but girls will enjoy it much more than boys do.

Classic.......2007-08-06

Even if you are an adult you should reread this book. Helps you to see how fun it was to be a kid.

Seeds the child's imagination..........2007-07-29

This has always been one of my favorite books since childhood. When I read my first story in this book it gave me so much inspiration to use my imagination as a child should. A child's imagination is so real! This reality soon takes the form of abstract, which paves the road to anywhere he wants it to go - or not...

The Secret Garden.......2007-07-05

This edition is printed on really cheap, unappealing paper. I can't imagine anyone wanting to give this version of a children's classic as a gift, or even to read from it to a child yourself.

Spellbinding Book.......2007-07-03

This book is the best book I have ever read. It's a light, happy book that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Ilove the theme of hope in the book, that will convince readers about the Magic inside themselves...if they hope. If they believe something will happen, it will. That theme is so beautifully conveyed. I couldn't put it down, and it is most definitely my new favorite book. A MUST READ!!!!!!!!

I ALSO RECCOMEND THE FOLLOWING:
Arthur and the Invisibles, Artemis Fowl Series, The Book Without Words, The Kingdom Keepers, the Prophecy of the Stones, The Game of Sunken PLaces, Midnight Blue

Average customer rating:

Art"full" Wings.
But Where do Caterpillars Come From?
Color,color,color!
A Life's Journey
Toddlers and Babies, too!

Waiting for Wings
Lois Ehlert
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152026088

Amazon.com

Lois Ehlert, beloved illustrator of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and many other bold, beautiful picture books has outdone herself with this gorgeous (seriously breathtaking) celebration of butterfly metamorphosis. "Out in the fields, eggs are hidden from view, / clinging to leaves with butterfly glue. / Soon caterpillars hatch. They creep and chew. / Each one knows what it must do." As the gentle rhyme unfolds, we turn the small, partial pages that form the larger spread of fabulous foliage in this lush, oversized book. Before our eyes, the eggs turn to caterpillars, the caterpillars to cases, the cases to lovely butterflies. "They pump their wings, get ready to fly, then hungry butterflies head for the sky." The colors become increasingly dazzling, each butterfly springing to life with Ehlert's color-soaked cut-paper magic. Several pages of background material conclude the book, labeling different kinds of butterflies at different stages of development, from the buckeye butterfly to the painted lady to the monarch. A "Butterfly Information" page clearly labels butterfly anatomy and answers basic question about these fascinating fluttery insects, a "Flower Identification" page showcases butterfly-attracting flowers such as the purple coneflower (echinacea), phlox, and lantana, and the last page offers a few pointers on growing a butterfly garden. (Ages 3 to 6) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Every spring, butterflies emerge and dazzle the world with their vibrant beauty. But where do butterflies come from? How are they born? What do they eat--and how?
With a simple, rhyming text and glorious color-drenched collage, Lois Ehlert provides clear answers to these and other questions as she follows the life cycle of four common butterflies, from their beginnings as tiny hidden eggs and hungry caterpillars to their transformation into full-grown butterflies. Complete with butterfly and flower facts and identification tips, as well as a guide to planting a butterfly garden, this butterfly book is like no other.

Customer Reviews:

Art"full" Wings........2007-06-29

Lois Ehlert takes you on a colorful, intriguing story about the life cycle of a butterfly. Excellent for art students at any level! Text is simple enough for preschoolers and can be enjoyed through the elementary grades. Enjoy this exciting trip through nature and its wonders!

But Where do Caterpillars Come From?.......2006-09-12

This is a beautiful and very clever book. Pages are cocooned within larger pages, with individual illustrations blending seamlessly into the background illustrations. Like the natural world itself, this book rewards the patient observer, with rich details on the surface and others folded in more subtly. Your kids will be focused in on a little book within the big book, as the caterpillar goes on its journey. It makes the launch to the story within the bigger background pages all the more dynamic, striking as the shift from Kansas to Oz.

It starts with the eggs "hidden from view,/ clinging to leaves with butterfly glue." As we turn the pages of a little book enshrouded in the bigger book, we see the caterpillars hatch, "each one knows what it must do," and we follow the path to metamorphosis. Ultimately, the reader will be rewarded with multiple beautiful butterflies launching up towards the sky, a nice Lepidopterian metaphor for the developmental adventures in store for our little ones. It's a good job of story-telling when we know exactly where the story is going but still find ourselves awestruck.

Finally, as if Ms. Ehlert hadn't done enough, we get several pages at the end on butterfly identification, with information on colors, wingspans shown in actual size, the corresponding caterpillars that precede the butterflies, and the like. We get flower information, and then tips on growing your own butterfly garden. Nice stuff.

Get this book, drill it for a few night-night times, and then take your toddlers to a butterfly pavilion to see the real deal. Good times.

Color,color,color!.......2006-03-20

As usual, Lois Ehlert stimulates and educates the young reader about the mysteries of caterpillars to butterflies. Not only are the colors absolutely stunning, she provides factual information about different species. This book was a fabulous preparation for my classroom of small children as they watched their own caterpillars prepare for their magical transformation!

A Life's Journey.......2005-07-27

Waiting for Wings is a picture book showing the life cycle of a butterfly. The story uses tantalizing pictures and simple words to explain how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. The book takes the reader through the stages of the caterpillar's life. Once the caterpillar has become a butterfly the story changes to how a butterfly lives its life. The illustrations pull the reader into this book. The print is large and easy to read for young reader. The text also rhymes for two pages at a time. As the caterpillar grows the pages become larger, until the butterfly hatches. As the butterfly begins its flight the pages are full size. The illustrations and page sizes are wonderful for young readers. This book also contains identification pages on butterflies and the flowers they eat.

Toddlers and Babies, too!.......2004-05-24

I have a three year old daughter who must be read to before sleeping. I also have a three month old baby girl who is often in the bed with us while we read. Often, the baby is restless and cries before we finish our books. Waiting for Wings is a fabulous solution. I find this interesting AND educational for my toddler. In addition, the colors are bright and contrasting, allowing my baby to be entertained while the book is read.

The Secret Garden (The Illus Children's Library)

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The Secret Garden (The Illus Children's Library)
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0517221152
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Book Description

What secrets lie behind the doors at Misselthwaite manor? Recently arrived at her uncle's estate, orphaned mary Lennox is spoiled, sickly, and certain she won't enjoy living there. Then she discovers the arched doorway into an overgrown garden, shut up since the death of her aunt ten years earlier. Mary soon begins transforming it into a thing of beauty--unaware that she is changing too.

But Missalthwaite hides another secret, as Mary discovers one night. High in a dark room, away from the rest of the house, lies her young cousin Colin, who believes he is an incurable invalid, destined to die young. His tantrums are so frightful, no one can reason with him. If only, Mary hopes, she can get Colin to love the secret garden as much as she does, its magic wil work wonders on him.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Average customer rating:

Been there myself!
A Trip into the creative capacity and vision of an artist through the eyes of innocent wonder
Monet's Garden
B e a u t i f u l
Impossible to resist

Linnea in Monet's Garden (Linnea Books)
Cristina Bjork
Manufacturer: R & S Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9129583144

Book Description

Linnea has visited Claude Monet's garden! In Paris, she got to see many of his actual paintings. Now she understands what it means for a painter to be called an Impressionist. This innovative art book for children contains full-color photos of many of Monet's famous paintings.

Customer Reviews:

Been there myself!.......2007-02-16

Fabulous book about places I have visited and loved -- I actually
know Michelle who owns the Hotel Esmerelda (she will autograph my
copy of book), and have spent many happy hours in the bookstore
around the corner (never go to Paris without visiting it), and
of course, Monet's art and home are the pinnacle. A wonderful
and inspirational book for all!

A Trip into the creative capacity and vision of an artist through the eyes of innocent wonder.......2006-09-05

In 1988 I begged my Principal(I was a teacher in the Salinas valley) to purchase a set of this book.I taught in the "middle of nowhere " that now holds a good chunk of my heart. This was the time of teaching through literature sets, wholly in love with language, and inspiring children by creating together environments to make meaning and to find "context" for learning.It was a time to motivate lives. Toni Ungs, my then Principal, turned to me and replied, no, that I would be the "only teacher" on site who would use the set. And so it goes in teaching, yet another opportunity denied by those thinking within their prodigious logic systems.
So... I bought the set out of pocket as I do most everything, a teacher tale for another time I spend thousands each year to do what matters. This book is just a delight for students. A young, girl, Linnea and her elder neighbor embark on a trip together to see Monet's Gardens.They live in Europe and this book offers a glimpse into another world for the children. Both share a love of the actual plants/flowers/gardens Monet painted, the artist, the paintings and after planning their trip together we in turn share their gentle journey as they go see the L'Orangrie/Paris and head to the gardens. Since I've had the pleasure of those places and share the love of Monet...it's a book that I share every spring with my classes. I choose to teach Monet in the spring when "what so soon will wake and grow , utterly unlike the snow" thoughts crowd my imagination. I am fortunate in that we have a TV and I bought a DVD player to share the DVD of this book.(among other things) The DVD's as good if not better than the book. I have a pop out book of his garden and a book from a Monet Retrospective I went to in New York in my teens to supplement the images and students seem as captivated as the rest of us in these experiments in light. The notion of a "series", of the way light, time, weather affect the same image are very fascinating things for my students.Then we paint. Of course I embed this in my talking of Paris, reading Madeline, trying to teach a bit of the French, and our sharing baguettes, cheese, Napoleons and a petit four or two. My first grade enjoys my attempts at cultural contexts and bringing into their lives a notion of great artists. I can confess here on this site, I suppose, that it's heady stuff to bring Monet, Picasso and the world of art to students.First grade allows you the kind of "you heard it here first" honor. I'm all the more brilliant in their eyes for it. Of course it connects them to much larger contexts and from time to time these are revealed in the year when my class screams out "Monet" at an assembly or "Beethoven, "Ode to Joy" "or somehow lets the school collective know we are up to something in room 10. And that something includes learning about a little girl that ventures to a hotel with her neighbor and picnics on the grounds of Monet's gardens and sees for herself the beauty of his creation from the world of nature. Now that's a sweet confession to share with Amazon readers. Choose this book for a child, you'll be glad you did.

Monet's Garden.......2005-06-17

I absolutely LOVED this book when I was younger. So, if you're having doubts about your child liking it, I wouldn't...I had the doll of Linnea and I carried it around with me everywhere...and I also brought the book everywhere I could as well.

B e a u t i f u l.......2003-11-15

Linnea, a young Swedish girl has developed quite a friendship with the elderly Mr. Bloom, her upstairs neighbor. Mr. Bloom is a retired gardener who is the proud owner of a lovely book about the great French artist, Claude Monet. After hours and hours of studying Monet and his life, the pair begin the ultimate adventure: a trip to Paris, and where it all began! Linnea and Mr. Bloom visit the Marmottan museum to observe the many paintings of Monet. They study his artwork and how the genius painted. They learn about other Impressionist artists--many who were great friends of Monet. Eventually the young child and elderly gentleman make the ultimate trek to Giverny, where Monet lived and painted.
This book could almost be a 'fun' textbook. The artwork, both of the author's and of Monet's is absolutely exquisite. Becoming familiar with Monet's life and his paintings become a marvelous art history lesson. As an adult, I not enjoyed reading this lovely book but I learned a lot. In fact, a few days after reading LINNEA in Monet's Garden I was watching a Sex in the City episode where Charlotte was showing a group of people one of Monet's 'lily' murals. Being familiar with that painting because of this book was an exciting moment for me!

Impossible to resist.......2003-10-17

I picked this up at the home of a friend. Her little girl scampered over and, eyeing me with suspicion, said, "That's MY BOOK." Once she gave me permission to look at it if I promised to treat it carefully, I began to wish I really could steal it!
What a treasure. Linnea in Monet's Garden is a way to introduce children (about age 6-10, I'd say) to the appreciation of Impressionist art. The book includes photographs and drawings of Monet's home and family, a story of his life, and full-color reproductions of many of his paintings. Linnea is taken to Giverny by the elderly Mr. Bloom and, as she is entranced by all things Monet, so will you be, too.
Buy two copies: one for yourself and one for a young friend.

Average customer rating:

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden
GREAT teacher gift
Superb!

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden: [Gift Edition]
Edith Pattou
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152058028

Book Description

Mrs. Spitzer is a wise teacher who knows many things. She knows about gardens. She knows about children. She knows how similar they are. And how they will flourish if tended lovingly.

There are many remarkable teachers like Mrs. Spitzer in the world. Available for the first time in an intimate gift edition, here is a book to celebrate all that they do, year after year, to help our children grow and blossom.

Customer Reviews:

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden.......2007-09-22

Beautiful book with a beautiful message. It gets to the heart of teaching. Since we're studying plants in my class at the beginning of the year, I used it to tie in the comparison of "tending plants" and "tending young minds."

GREAT teacher gift.......2007-06-08

I gave this book to my daughter's kindergarten teacher. She loved it. I had all the kids sign their name in the book. It's small enough to be displayed if desired.

Superb!.......2007-05-20

This is a "must have" for all teachers. Any teacher would love to end (or begin) the year with this wonderful gift. The author draws a perfect analogy between the care of a garden and the children put in her charge for a year. I LOVE IT!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Book
Poems authored in 1883 offer both classical and out-dated ideas
A Gift for a Life-time of Pleasure
Love the old world poetry
A Child's Garden of Verses

A Child's Garden of Verses
Robert Louis Stevenson
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689823827

Book Description

Here is a delightful look at childhood, written by master poet and storyteller Robert Louis Stevenson. In this collection of sixty-six poems, Stevenson recalls the joys of his childhood, from sailing boats down a river, to waiting for the lamplighter, to sailing off to foreign lands in his imagination. Tasha Tudor's watercolor paintings evoke a simpler time in the past, and celebrate two of the things she loves most -- children and nature. Her talents are the perfect match for these inspiring poems, making this a handsome gift edition that will be cherished by families for generations.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Book.......2007-03-24

I love this poetry book, A Child's Garden of Verses. I use it as part of the daily curriculum in my daycare. The children and I love the beautiful illustrations and the wonderfully written poems.

Poems authored in 1883 offer both classical and out-dated ideas.......2007-03-12

This book contains 64 poems whose subjects range from nature adventures (The "Dumb Soldier" explores the idea of a toy soldier who has been buried by a little boy but cannot report what goes on underground, due to his sealed mouth) to family relationships to far-away lands.

Many of the poems contain four stanzas or more, and for that reason, would probably be appropriate for children who are at least 5 years old.

Parents who live in our generation may be offended by some of the antiquated racial terms used to describe people of African descent. The "Travel" poem, for example, contains lines that reveal the old un-informed view of Africa from early Americans who did not have the benefit of travel to the beautiful African continent:
-Full of apes and cocoa-nuts
-And the negro hunters' huts

I'm not sure I want my five year old using the word "negro" at all outside of the context of a discussion of old racial terms which are no longer (or never were) appropriate, so I skipped sharing this poem with him all together. Indian (NOT Native-American) and Chinese families may find similar intrusions on their dignity in some of these poems.

The strength of this collection of poetry is its usability as a means to expose American children to old English speaking patterns for the first time. Consider these lines from "Winter-Time":
-Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,
-A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;
-Blinks but an hour or two; and then,
-A blood-red orange sets again.

When is the last time your kindergartner or first grader heard speech like that? :)

"A Child's Garden of Verses" is a staple of the Catholic homeschool curriculum entitled "Mother of Divine Grace." Accordingly, a few of the poems address the topic of prayer (at bedtime and mealtime) in a respectful and childlike way.

Enjoy this historical book, but use caution when you choose which pieces to share with your child.

A Gift for a Life-time of Pleasure.......2007-01-16

I ordered Robert Louis Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses" for 3 of our grandchildren, ages 2 - 5, remembering my pleasure reading it as a beginning reader some seven decades ago. Now their parents are sharing those joys with Matt,Julie and Abby - new memories in the making. The book came through in perfect condition and in a very timely manner. Thank you for a service that we expect to use again soon!

Love the old world poetry.......2006-11-10

This book takes you and your children to a time almost forgotten. It should be a part of every home, especially a homeschool library.

A Child's Garden of Verses.......2006-10-27

I was looking for the book Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne and ran across this one. It surprised me as I often mention it and think about reading it when I was a young girl in the 1950's. I still have my original copy given to me when I was six at Christmas by my parents.

I loved it then and will read it to my grandchildren now. Great book! I am so glad it is still available for today's children (and their parents and grandparents) to enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Excellent plant book!
Light hearted educational picture book for kids of all ages
This Book Is A Real Winner
A book worth getting

Jack's Garden

Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 068815283X

Book Description

"Building on a rhyme that will be familiar to many children, author-illustrator Cole creates an enticing guide to creating a garden. 'This is the garden that Jack planted...' The final illustration presents a satisfied-looking boy surrounded by a lush, bird-filled flower garden....A concluding page of gardening suggestions serves as a springboard to books with more specific guidelines."--Horn Book.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent plant book!.......2003-04-23

This book is outstanding! Far from being for just the pre-school/younger elementary set, it has a wealth of information which even older kids can benefit from. In addition to the text based on the House That Jack Built, it has labeled drawings of garden tools, insects in the soil, seeds, clouds,parts of plants, plants, butterflies, birds, and other insects. We (my kids ages 4 thru 10 and I) had fun pointing out the things we know and learning the ones we didn't. The illustrations are excellent- colorful and detailed. This book is a wonderful addition to homeschool unit studies on plants.

Light hearted educational picture book for kids of all ages.......2003-01-30

Whoever coined the proverb, "a picture is worth a thousand words" could have been talking about Jack's Garden by Henry Cole.
This book is an excellent illustration of how, step by step, a garden is planted and what the seeds and living creatures do from that point on. We get to see above and below the soil as the garden progresses throughout the season. There are all the names of the plants and creatures labelled neatly next to each, on the main page and in the margins. Best of all, the classic children's poem about the house that Jack built is modified into a catchy text for each picture that makes understanding the magic of a little garden ecosystem effortless for kids as young as three years.

Top notch illustrations and a unique format set this picture book apart and earned it a permanent place in my collection. I only wish I had it in hardback!

This Book Is A Real Winner.......2001-12-07

I wish this book had been available for me when I was a young child. I'm delighted to be able to give it to my son, age 3. This book shows so many things to be found in a garden - from the first scene where Jack stands shovel in hand in an empty garden through the final page where Jack is surrounded by the beautiful outcome of his work to grow a beautiful garden. Along the way we learn the names of so many creatures and gardening items and see how a garden grows. Buy this book. It's a jewel.

A book worth getting.......1999-04-13

I'll share the review I wrote for The Home School Manual =======

Jack's Garden "This is the garden that Jack planted." The first double-spread illustration with these words shows Jack on the bare ground. Next, "This is the soil that made up the garden that Jack planted" and an underground picture of various creatures. The story repeats on each page spread adding a new line. This book is a winner. Excellent for reading practice and excellent for science with all the insects, birds, plants and so on illustrated and named.

Average customer rating:

Uno's review

Love Base!

another hit for GB!

Delightful illustrations, thoughtful message

Just the right size for any kid!

Uno's Garden
Graeme Base
Manufacturer: Abrams Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Counting | Basic Concepts | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Base, Graeme | ( B ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0810954737

Book Description

Art + Arithmetic + Environmental Awareness=Graeme Base's latest masterpiece

From the creator of the international best-sellers Animalia, The Water Hole, and Jungle Drums

Once again, beloved author Graeme Base introduces readers to a new world. And again, he interweaves the story with hidden images and mathematical problems (and solutions!), creating a book that can be read over and over, and at different levels for different ages.

When Uno arrives in the forest one beautiful day, there are many fascinating and extraordinary animals there to greet him—and one entirely unexceptional Snortlepig. Uno loves the forest so much, he decides to live there. But, in time, a little village grows up around his house. Then a town, then a city . . . and soon Uno realizes that the animals and plants have begun to disappear.

Uno's Garden is a moving and timely tale about how we all unknowingly affect the environment around us, just by being there—and how we can always learn from our mistakes and find ways of doing things better. It's an illuminating blend of storybook, puzzle book, and math book.

Customer Reviews:

Uno's review.......2007-07-10

This should be in the library of every school. Base has again gifted us with a wonderful book appropriate for all ages and relevent to today's ecological concerns.

Love Base!.......2007-05-12

Not only was the book another masterpiece from Base but my boys LOVED it as did I! One of the best authors for children ever and his illustrations are delicous!

another hit for GB!.......2007-02-13

I fell in love with Graeme Base when I stumbled across Sign of the Seahorse on a bargain clearance table. Since then I have purchased all of his books and as each new one comes out, I add them to our library. I know my girls will want these books for their kids. When I brought home 1 copy of Uno's Garden, my 4 yr old wanted clarification on exactily who the owner of the book was. Now I'm buying in triplicate! The story is sweet, the art is amazing, and the math concepts worked in are an added bonus. Love it!

Delightful illustrations, thoughtful message.......2007-01-15

We are big Graeme Base fans at my house. His illustrations and stories have a lot of depth and imagination. My 5 year-old loved Uno's Garden. He had a great time looking at all the animals and quickly decided on his favorite. The book has a good message about maintaining balance between people and nature and presents the message in a way that even very young children can understand. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves great illustrations and a thought-provoking story.

Just the right size for any kid!.......2007-01-04

When I look for children's books, I try to choose books that can be enjoyed on different levels as a child gets older, a book that can be shared by older and younger siblings or a book that has a worthy message. This one has it all: Its a picture book filled with lush (and humorous) images that invite stories to be created without relying on the words on the page. It is a story book about the need for balance in nature. It is a math book that goes from counting to addition and subtraction to multiplication. I gave it to my 2nd-grade-teacher husband and its one of the most popular books in his classroom.

Average customer rating:

A touching story for any teacher!
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER
the perfect gift
Mrs. Spritzers Garden
Lovely book about teachers

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden
Edith Pattou
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

School | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0152019782

Book Description

Mrs. Spitzer is a wise teacher who knows many things. She knows about gardens. She knows about children. She knows how similar they are, and how both will flourish if tended lovingly.
There are many remarkable teachers like Mrs. Spitzer in the world, and Edith Pattou's simple, moving story along with Tricia Tusa's inspired, whimsical illustrations celebrate all they do, year after year, to help our children grow and blossom.

Customer Reviews:

A touching story for any teacher!.......2007-05-15

This beautiful story about a teacher who cares for her flower garden (tilling the soil, watching for weeds, catering to each flowers different needs, as well as noticing the differences between the various flowers) makes a great gift for any teacher, care giver, etc. The symbolism is so true between the flowers and children! It's a very sweet story!

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER.......2007-05-07

Tuesday, May 8th is National Teacher Day. What a perfect gift for your favorite teacher or your child's favorite teacher.

MY favorite teacher is my daughter who teaches first grade. This book is wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated. The illustrations will be enjoyed by young and old alike. The story line is charming and caring.

Mrs. Spitzer starts each new season with new seeds she has planted. Throughout the year she watches them grow and blossom. What a lovely story this book tells about teaching and children.

I can't wait to give this gift to my daughter. I am sure it will be one she will treasure for years to come.

Thank you!

Pam

the perfect gift.......2007-04-19

I found this book at our local library. My kids never got the concept of the book. But it is perfect for grown ups! I am going to have each of the kids and parents from my kids preschool class sign the inside cover. Then, along with the book, we will give the teachers a large plant for their yard. That way, they will have two reminders of the influence they have had on our class.

Mrs. Spritzers Garden.......2007-02-20

I bought this book to give a fabulous pre-school teacher. If you have a teacher that has really made a difference to your young child- this might be the book for you.

Lovely book about teachers.......2007-01-12

Mrs. Spitzer is a teacher at Tremont Elementary School in Room #108. That's an important number because each year, at summer's end, the school principal brings Mrs. Spitzer a packet of seeds. All year Mrs. Spitzer tends to the seeds. She waters them, feeds them, and makes sure they have sun and room to grow. And she watches them carefully because she doesn't want pests or weeds to intrude.

And at the end of the growing season, Mrs. Spitzer is happy because she sees her seeds bloom. When the year is over, her job is complete, but the seeds that grew into beautiful flowers will keep on growing and maturing, thanks to her help.

Mrs. Spitzer knows about children and plants. She knows that they often need the same things to bloom.

When I first opened Mrs. Spitzer's Garden I thought it was a children's book (it can be enjoyed by children) but it really is a lovely thank you to that special teacher who loves and cares for your child during the school year. That teacher is much like a gardener. Very much like Mrs. Spitzer.

This is a thoughtful gift to the teacher who has touched a child's life. The illustrations are warm, cozy and inviting.

Armchair Interviews says: The perfect gift for your child's favorite teacher!

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