Thursday, May 14, 2020

Thank You, Garden ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Blitz, Bonus Review, & Giveaway!

THANK YOU, GARDEN
By LIZ GARTON SCANLON
Illustrated by Simone Shin
Children's Picture Book / Poetry / Environment / Ages 3-7
Publisher: Beach Lane Books / Simon & Schuster
Date of Publication: March 3, 2020
Number of Pages: 32


A community garden unites neighbors in this celebration of all the things that grow there, from flowers and fruits, to friendships! 

This ode to working together for a better world will have young readers wanting to plant gardens of their own!
CLICK TO PURCHASE



Thank You, Garden in my flower garden

HALL WAYS BONUS REVIEW: Oh my gosh! The precious factor of this book is off the charts. I'm going to start by gushing about the look of the book because I have never denied the fact that try as I might, I can't help first judging a book by its cover. 

The illustrations, done in acrylic and watercolor by Simone Shin, are adorable and reminiscent of Raggedy Ann and Andy with the characters' red, triangular noses and pink-circle blushing cheeks. [Side note: one character's nose is different from all others. I must know why!?) Their expressions show contentment and peace, which immediately envelops the reader and provides calmness. The community is multicultural, working side-by-side on something that benefits them all, big and small, old and young. Children will enjoy looking for the little toy car/truck and garden gnome found on most pages, and the color palette will grab their attention and keep them studying each of the gorgeous page spreads. Fabulous.

"Garden frog and worm and bees
Garden berries, beets, and peas"

Equally fabulous is the text -- starting with the font itself, "Artlessness," which is eye-catching, but easy to read. Author Liz Garton Scanlon's careful word choices, word placement, and minimal text tell a big story. In lovely, balanced rhymes, Scanlon weaves a tale that shows how much a garden has to offer beyond the plants it produces. Her words, complemented by the luscious illustrations, show how a garden benefits humans and critters alike, and how a garden appeals to all of the senses. Not only do the fruits and vegetables it bears provide a feast for the taste buds, but for the eyes and ears, fingers, toes, and nose. Scanlon's message of how hard work, perseverance, and patience will result in a satisfying payoff is a wonderful springboard for all kinds of discussions adults can have with children as they read along or read aloud Thank You, Garden.  

I highly recommend this book to parents and educators as a book to read-along and share with the youngsters in their lives. Even the very young can grasp the concepts and will likely want to experiment with growing their own gardens. 

Thank you to the author for providing me a beautiful print copy, which I am not embarrassed to say I hugged when I took it out of the package. Books like this make you want to sing their praises to the world. 


Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of many beloved books for kids, including the brand new Thank You, Garden, as well as the Caldecott Honor book All the World and others, including several co-authored with her pal Audrey Vernick. Scanlon also wrote the middle grade novel The Great Good Summer and is published in numerous poetry anthologies. She serves on the faculty of the Vermont Faculty of Fine Arts and is a frequent and popular presenter at conferences and festivals. Find more about her life and work at www.LizGartonScanlon.com


Follow illustrator Simone Shin on Instagram!


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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
THREE WINNERS

Each winner gets an autographed/personalized copy of
THANK YOU, GARDEN and ANOTHER WAY TO CLIMB A TREE
MAY 14-21, 2020
(US ONLY)

VISIT THE LONE STAR LIT TOUR PAGE FOR OTHER GREAT BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE BLITZ


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