Flower Garden

by Eve Bunting, Kathryn Hewitt (Illustrator)

Overview

Follow the progress of a little girl and her father as they purchase "a garden," and board the bus to carry it home. The pansies, tulips, daffodils, geraniums, and daisies are lovingly planted in a window box, and the candles on the cake are lighted--just as Mom walks in the door to find her daughter, her husband, and her birthday surprise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780152023720
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	03/28/2000
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	17,199
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.11(d)
Lexile:	AD460L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

EVE BUNTING has written over two hundred books for children, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere. She lives in Southern California.

Kathryn Hewitt's caricatures of famous figures led kids to dub the Lives of . . . series the "Big Head" books. She has illustrated many books for young readers, some of which she also wrote. She lives in Santa Monica, California. Visit her website at www.kathrynhewitt.com.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"An intimate family portrait."—Parenting
"An inspiration for younger children and their parents."—The Boston Globe
"Fresh as a daisy."—Publishers Weekly

Preface

Simple rhyming text and bold, realistic illustrations evoke the excitement and love associated with flowers, birthdays, and surprises. Follow the progress of a little girl and her father as they purchase "a garden" and board the bus to carry it home.

The pansies, tulips, daffodils, geraniums, and daisies are lovingly planted in a window box, and the candles on the cake are lighted-just as Mom walks in the door to find her daughter, her husband, and her birthday surprise.

Editorial Reviews

"An intimate family portrait."—Parenting
"An inspiration for younger children and their parents."—The Boston Globe
"Fresh as a daisy."—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

A plot about creating a windowbox garden scarcely portends the appeal of this lyrical, ebullient book. On a spring day in an urban neighborhood, a girl and her father visit the supermarket: "Garden in a shopping cart / Doesn't it look great? / Garden on the checkout stand / I can hardly wait.'' The youngster's anticipation grows as the duo travels home--walking down the street, riding the bus, climbing the apartment house stairs--all the while guarding their flowers. Without contrivance or strain, Bunting's verse evokes the universal yet unexpected felicity of blooming color, and the author throws in a happy surprise at the end: the "garden box'' is a birthday present for the girl's mother. Hewitt's intimate, oil paintings gain power through imaginative use of perspective and clean simplicity. The illustrations include just enough detail to prime side observations from pre-readers and still keep the focus on the verse. Fresh as a daisy. Ages 4-8.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In an oversized board book (referred to as a lap book), a young girl and her dad are off shopping. In addition to food, they purchase daffodils, tulips, daisies, and pansies—all in bloom. Dad lugs the groceries, and our young girl handles the flowers. It is pretty tiring riding the bus and walking up the stairs to their apartment; she shows it by plopping down while dad opens the door. Then, they create a flowerbox for their window ledge. It is a bright display of beautiful colors. What happens next is a nice surprise: candles are lit on a cake and what a wonderful surprise awaits mom—a garden box, just for her. It is a delightful story showing a city-dwelling family determined to bring the beauty of spring flowers into their home and neighborhood. It is also wonderful to see such a nice relationship between father and daughter and among all member of this family. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

(K - Gr.1 ) A comforting, richly illustrated story about a birthday surprise. An urban African-American girl and her father buy plants, potting soil, and a window box at the supermarket, ride the bus to their apartment, and put together a colorful gift for the child's mother. Rhyming verse carries the brief story, while wonderful, warm, full-color illustrations present scenes from novel angles, and depict a loving family with a sense of intimacy, sincerity, and joy. A reassuring choice for reading aloud. --Barbara Peklo Abrahams, Oneida City Schools, Manlius, NY

School Library Journal

An intimate family portrait.

Parenting

An inspiration for younger children and their parents.

The Boston Globe