The Gardener Book Talk!

The Gardener, by Sarah Stewart and illustrated by David Small, is a Caldecott honor book. I was immediately drawn to it at the bookstore because of its beautiful illustrations. Small depicts a garden as a fantasy like oasis, but keeps its small imperfections. For example he takes the time to draw small scattered weeds into the pages and refrains from putting all the plants in sterile uniform rows. This gives the book a more honest and organic feel.

The story itself is told in the form of letters from the main character, Lydia Grace, to her Uncle Jim or to her parents, in the 1930's. Lydia moves away from her parents care to live with her uncle until her father finds work. At home Lydia Grace is an amazing gardener and uses gardening as a way to express herself. When she moves to the city, and begins working at her summer bakery, she devises a plan to share her beloved plants with the city and Uncle Jim.

The Gardener is a great story, exemplifying the idea that even the smallest gesture can mean the world. It also shows that when you come into a new space, it is important to learn from the locals but also share what you know and love from previous experiences.

I would recommend The Gardener for any classroom K-12. It can be used to teach genre, story telling, reading comprehension, vocabulary, history, and more to your students.