The Gardener (by Sarah Stewart)

Lydia Grace arrives in a gloomy train station, shown in a wordless double-page spread that communicates perfectly her smallness in the vast city. Undaunted by the change in her surroundings and by her unsmiling uncle, she immediately sets about planting flowers. When she finds a secret place and devises a plan, the excitement builds. We are as eager as Lydia Grace to share the secret.

David Small's watercolors with pen and ink perfectly complement the text, highlighting details such as a cat's scrawniness and the bare light bulbs in the kitchen. Lydia Grace's talent for seeing and creating beauty makes THE GARDENER a tale of hope to treasure. Children will be excited to see Lydia Grace create beauty from squalor, to see if she can get Uncle Jim to smile, and to see the surprise conclusion which avoids cliche.