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The Gardener [Paperback]

Sarah Stewart , David Small
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)

List Price: $7.99
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Book Description

May 1, 2007 4 - 7 years570L (What's this?)
By the author-and-illustrator team of the bestselling The Library

Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, bit by bit brightening the shop and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece -- an ambitious rooftop garden -- which she hopes will make even Uncle Jim smile. Sarah Stewart introduces readers to an engaging and determined young heroine, whose story is told through letters written home, while David Small's illustrations beautifully evoke the Depression-era setting.

The Gardener is a 1997 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and a 1998 Caldecott Honor Book.

Frequently Bought Together

The Gardener + Miss Rumphius + Roxaboxen
Price for all three: $20.42

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Speaks volumes about the vast impact one small individual can make." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2. Through her letters to her farm family, Lydia Grace tells how she brightens her uncle's dreary bakery and his disposition with a little dirt and a suitcase full of seeds.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Age Range: 4 - 7 years
  • Paperback: 40 pages
  • Publisher: Square Fish; Reissue edition (May 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 031236749X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312367497
  • Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 0.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
(59)
4.9 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book to read aloud. Mary G. Longorio  |  10 reviewers made a similar statement
Sarah Stewart's The Gardener brings us the winsome story of a young flower lover, Lydia Grace Finch. sgibbs@somd.lib.md.us  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a CLASSIC! April 1, 2002
Format:Paperback
This book has such an unexpected gut-level impact on everyone who reads it! I have read it aloud to people of all ages and there is never a dry eye in the room! Each of the short letters begins with a date which will be meaningful to anyone who lived through the depression. Oddly enough, disasters and hard times seem to bring out the best in people and this book sets out to show just how that is true. Lydia Grace Finch is such a universally loveable little character - she is unforgettable! The text and the illustrations are so perfectly suited to each other - they seem to have been created by the same person -but they aren't! (Just a "marriage of true minds" I guess.)The book gets at the heart of what a family can give a child even without money - what it means to be poor and what it means to be rich.
This is a lovely gift book for children or adults and I hope it stays in print for a long, long time!
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Passion for Flowers April 11, 1998
Format:Audio Cassette
"April showers bring May flowers." Sarah Stewart's The Gardener brings us the winsome story of a young flower lover, Lydia Grace Finch. Forced by the hard times of the Depression, Lydia leaves her family to go to the unfamiliar city to stay with her Uncle Jim, an unsmiling baker. While traveling by train, Lydia writes to Uncle Jim, admitting she knows nothing about baking, but a lot about gardening. In Lydia's subsequent letters to her Mama, Papa, and Grandma we discover just what Lydia thinks of the city, subdued Uncle Jim, and learning to bake bread. David Small's pen and ink drawings with their softly hued watercolor washes fill the large pages with detailed views of Lydia's adventure. Where in the big gray city can Lydia ever grow all the seeds and bulbs her Grandma sends her? Will Lydia ever coax a smile from Uncle Jim? Read Lydia's charming letters to find out how one determined slip of a girl brightens her city corner of the grim 1930's world.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Retired? Never!! June 18, 1999
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
As a first year teacher, I am constantly looking for new literature to share with my children. The Reading Specialist at my school shared this book with me as part of our preparations for a retirement luncheon for our principal. Our principal, also an avid gardener, truly brought light and love to those she contacted in her 30+ years with our school district. I cried with the Reading Teacher when she showed me this book, and then eagerly ran out and bought the book for myself. When I shared it with my children later that week, they were all moved by Lydia Grace's courage and love as much as I was. This book reached my class and I on many different levels. The students, being a little younger than Lydia, learned about a time long gone, and what children in the past had to do for their families. We talked about sacrifices that had to be made, and making the best of what seems at first to be a bad situation. I am so glad I was able to share this book with so many different types of people. This book has touched many lives.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite
This is one of my favorite children's books! The illustrations are lovely and transform just the little girl transforms her world. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Bookworm Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars PLUS!
One of my favorite picture books of all time. I've given copies to several adults as gifts. Adults may get even more out of this than kids. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Alicia V Gresser
5.0 out of 5 stars The Gardener
This is a delightful introduction to the difficulties faced by families in the '30s. It also illustrates the joys of a child's imagination and persistence. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Margaret Mielke
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
My children love this book. It has fantastic illustrations which definitely add to the story. It's been a great way to discuss with our children about the Great Depression and... Read more
Published 5 months ago by 4PeasInFla
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Story
I love the story and the illustration. It touches my heart. I'm very, very inspired. It's not only for kids but also for adults. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Grace
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes me cry everytime
I love this book. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is so sweet and somehow so touching. I get choked up every time I read it to my kids. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Sjak
4.0 out of 5 stars Yes!
There's not much here in the way of story, but David Small's illustrations make the magic happen. (Check out his nearly-wordless book, "Once Upon a Banana")

Set in the... Read more
Published 15 months ago by M. Heiss
5.0 out of 5 stars Helped a Heartbroken 7 Year Old Gardener, and Adults Like it, too.
I'm sneaky. Usually I get the Reluctant Reader my sister takes care of ninja, zombie, and monster books to keep his interest level high. Read more
Published 15 months ago by IrishFire
1.0 out of 5 stars missing dust cover
The book was advertised to be in very good condition. It was missing the jacket and had writing inside. I would not rate this "very good" condition.
Published 16 months ago by Wade Chow
5.0 out of 5 stars strong message delivered to both child and grownup
I appreciate the subtle overtones and the elaborate illustration of this book. Both my children and I received the strong message that any individual can make his/her life fun and... Read more
Published 19 months ago by ayame
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