The Bear's Garden
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
Inspired by the true story of a community garden in Brooklyn, New York, this picture book, The Bear’s Garden, by writer Marcie Colleen and illustrator Alison Oliver, is a testament to how imagination and dedication can transform communities and create beauty for everyone in unexpected places.
A little girl sees an empty lot in a city and imagines what it can be.
She sees
a place to grow,
a place to play,
and a place to love.
With the help of her stuffed bear, the girl brings her community together to create a beautiful garden.
An Imprint Book
"A well-illustrated, beautifully written tale of encouragement." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A black girl sees "the big, bustling city" as "a place to grow, a place to play, a place to love" in this affectionate ode to a community garden. In striking illustrations that combine sharp geometric forms with expressive brushy textures, Oliver shows the girl planting a seed in a tomato can that tips off the windowsill: "One night, the girl's imagination/ spilled onto the sidewalk,/ rolled across the street,/ and sprouted." "A baby garden!" she exclaims, caring for its seedlings until the unlikely lot blooms into "A place to grow,// A place to play,// A place to love," watched over by a beloved bear the child left behind. In an author's note, Colleen shares the foundation of her fanciful tale: "The Pacific Street Brooklyn Bear's Community Garden was founded in 1985 and named for a teddy bear that was sitting in the weeds." Ages 3 6.
