Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd ; Hard Cover, Memoir, Picture Book ; Recommended

Love Makes a Garden Grow

Some kids have a hard time with change, but it’s something we all have to face in life. As this author shares her own experiences of change, she weaves through a thread that keeps things connected. The story opens with her sharing her memories of time spent with her grandfather in his big garden, but then a time comes when he needs to move into a smaller apartment, and though he no longer has space for a big garden, he doesn’t leave all his plants behind. When the time comes that she must move far away from her grandfather, she shares that her new home feels lonely, until her grandfather sends her a gift in the form of a favorite plant from her childhood. Eventually, when she is grown, we see her returning to visit her grandfather’s little apartment with her own daughter in tow, and even though his potted plant garden is smaller than the big one from her own childhood, she is still able to share some of the same kind of experiences, so it still feels like home. It’s a comforting, reassuring kind of story as kids (or grown-ups) face changes, reminding us it’s still possible to maintain the ties that are important.