The Gardener

The Gardener
By Sarah Stewart
a Caldecott Honor Book and I can see why. This story is set in the 1930's and tells the story of a young girl sent from her home in the country to live with her uncle in the city. It is the depression, and money is tight for her family, as well as many others at the time. The girl's spirit, however, is cheerful, positive, and emulates the beauty and happiness that she finds in her garden during her year spent at her Uncle Jim's. The book is told through a series of letters from the girl. Thought-provoking and emotional, this book could be used a number of ways in the classroom: to teach children about the cultural and historical aspects of the 30's, to show students an example of letter-writing, or just to get kids thinking about writing in different ways.