Aunt Mary's Rose [Hardcover]

Douglas Wood (Author), LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2010 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A best-selling author and illustrator team up to cultivate a heartwarming, true story of a family linked through time by the tending of a beloved rosebush.

Aunt Mary has a very special rosebush in her garden. She says a little bit of Douglas can be found inside it. And she tells him how the rosebush has a little bit of Douglas’s daddy in it as well. And a little bit of his daddy’s daddy. And, of course, a little bit of Aunt Mary. Douglas Wood’s tender memoir is complemented by LeUyen Pham’s charming and engaging illustrations. Together they show how caring for a treasured rosebush provides a connection between generations, and an enduring expression of attentiveness and familial love.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3—Wood offers a slice of family history that exemplifies the intertwining of generations through tradition. On a visit to his great-aunt Mary's house, young Douglas is given the task of watering a large rosebush that was originally planted by his great-great grandfather and tended by four generations before him. Aunt Mary tells how her young nephews—Douglas's dad and uncle—came to live on their grandparents' farm ("Something had happened, and they needed a place to live…that's what families do. They take care of each other. They love each other."). She recalls some of the boys' shenanigans, their enlistment in the service during World War II, his uncle's death in the war, and his parents' marriage. Pham's soft watercolor paintings feature sepia-toned "photos" of the family during the 1930s and '40s, and color paintings of young Douglas, Aunt Mary, and his parents circa the 1950s. Except for the rosebush, the story is somewhat similar to that of countless families of the pre-boomer generation, and it provides a brief introduction to rural farm life during that era.—Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

Aunt Mary tells her nephew to take care of a special rosebush, and “one day there will be a little bit of you inside of it. And a little bit of the rose inside of you.” Douglas can only see a plain old bush until Aunt Mary tells the story of the rosebush from the time her father and grandfather planted it to when the war changed their lives. Details in the wonderfully realistic watercolors convey the 1950s time period, and sepia-tone illustrations of photos from a family album capture moments in a simpler time: hand milking and squirting some into the cats’ mouths, churning butter, and sliding down the barn roof. Douglas is depicted throughout wearing suspender-topped bib overall shorts and cowboy boots—an idealized portrait of a bygone childhood that may affect adults more than young ones. Still, Wood’s story proves that a rosebush can be more than just a rosebush; in this case, it’s a living thing that creates a poignant bond between generations. Grades K-2. --Julie Cummins

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (March 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763610909
• ISBN-13: 978-0763610906
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 0.4 x 11.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #463,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for all ages!, January 11, 2012

By 

Texas Dee "Texas Dee" (TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Aunt Mary's Rose (Hardcover)

Like all books by this author, this one is wonderful. Even grandparents will enjoy it. What a great gift to give to the young ones on your list.

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, December 22, 2011

By 

Maryjean - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aunt Mary's Rose (Hardcover)

This is a lovely book that I think is appropriate for either children or adults. I purchased it for a dear friend named Mary who loves roses. The illustrations are what first drew me to it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, December 4, 2011

By 

Glamazon (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Aunt Mary's Rose (Hardcover)

Great way to get students to start thinking about their own family history and the importance of ancestry. It's kind of lengthy but worth the time.