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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
Original language
English
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IN OUR GARDEN

Pat Zietlow Miller Melissa Crowton

From the New York Times bestselling author of Be Kind comes an uplifting classroom tale about students who create a vegetable garden on their school's rooftop.
Millie has recently moved to a new city, from a place more than an ocean away. More than anything she misses the garden where her family used to grow food. Then one day she has an idea - the school has a fine flat roof, perfect for a garden. Soon her teacher and classmates are on board, but it takes more than ideas to build a garden. It takes supplies and hard work; it takes a lot of learning; and it takes a whole school - a whole community - coming together to help. And of course, it also takes a lot of waiting. But as Millie's teacher Miss Mirales says, "Be patient. Good things take time."

From building the beds and planting the seeds to the first glorious harvest, here's the story of a garden - and a girl - in bloom, and what it takes for a new place to finally feel like home.

Pat Zietlow Miller is the New York Times bestselling author of Be Kind, Wherever You Go, Sophie's Squash, My Brother the Duck, Sharing the Bread, and The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, among others. Visit her online at patzietlowmiller.com, or follow her on Twitter @PatZMiller or on Instagram @patzmill.

Melissa Crowton has illustrated numerous books for children, including Mousie, I Will Read to You by Rachael Cole, the Baby Code! series of board books by Sandra Horning, and Your First Day of Circus School by Tara Lazar. Visit her online at melissacrowton.com or follow her on Instagram @mcrowton.
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Book

Published 2022-03-15 by Putnam

Comments

Calm mixed-media illustrations, which feature a diverse and determined group of students tending to the garden, enhance this uplifting story about finding belonging and purpose somewhere new.

A simple, beautifully written story about vision, hard work, and patience... Simple text written in poetic free verse makes this title lovely for both reading aloud or sharing one-on-one... [Shows] readers that you can take a negative and turn it into a positive with just a little bit of passion and hard work, no matter how old you are.

Reads aloud smoothly, with a pleasant cadence and occasional internal rhymes. The lively mixed-media artwork supports the text effectively with varied scenes of students involved with each other and the project of creating their garden, while Millie glows with happiness as her idea becomes a satisfying reality.

Values of speaking up, persistence, and patience are all embraced in a quiet tale of settling into a new community.

The act of gardening is as much the focus here as the community that builds around it... An excellent way to welcome spring.

...extraordinary illustrations... Miller's lyrical prose is breezy and engaging... A nourishing delight.