The Gardener: (Caldecott Honor Book)
About this product
The Caldecott Honor-winning picture book from 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. Read more
Editor's Take
Amazon/reader-style listings and review sites consistently describe The Gardener as a warm, uplifting picture book with memorable illustrations and a strong emotional payoff. Reviews on Goodreads and Common Sense Media praise the Depression-era setting, Lydia Grace’s kindness and determination, and the way the story shows how one person can brighten a community.
On Goodreads, readers call it visually charming and heart-warming, with several noting that the letter format makes the story especially engaging. Common Sense Media highlights the hopeful tone and says the illustrations by David Small complement the text well.
Editorial reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and other book sites also frame it as a moving, well-crafted Caldecott Honor book with broad appeal for children and adults. A few teaching-focused sites emphasize its usefulness for lessons on the Great Depression, letter writing, and resilience.
For YouTube, the search returned several real videos about this exact book, mostly read-alouds and book overviews rather than conventional reviews. The most directly relevant examples are a read-aloud titled The Gardener by Sarah Stewart | read aloud and another titled Bedtime Read Aloud | THE GARDENER by Sarah Stewart.
Price History
Specifications
| Illustrated | No |
Product Details
| Publisher | Square Fish |
| Publication date | May 1, 2007 |
| Edition | Reissue |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 40 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 031236749X |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0312367497 |
| Item Weight | 2.31 pounds |
| Reading age | 5 - 10 years, from customers |
| Dimensions | 8.25 x 0.1 x 10.7 inches |
| Grade level | 1 - Preschool |
| Best Sellers Rank | #18,737 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #33 in Children's City Life Books #50 in Children's 1900s American Historical Fiction #94 in Children's Multigenerational Family Life |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (571) |
