To everything there is a season in this beautiful story about gardening, seasons, and treasured memories.
and illustrated by —the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines—celebrates the friendship between a young girl and an elderly woman as they plant seeds in a community garden alongside friends and neighbors, waiting for the seeds to flower. By mid-summer, the friends welcome a rainbow of color in the garden and picnics in the sun. At harvest, the young girl’s elderly friend is bed-ridden, but jubilant as they share baskets with red tomatoes and snap peas amid the sweet smell of lavender. When the last leaves fall, everything is different. But in the spring, hope arises anew.
About the Authors
Zoe Tucker is passionate about picture books and spends (almost) every day in the world of children's publishing. Working as an art director and designer, she has the opportunity to work with authors, artists, and publishers from all over the world. Zoe lives and works on the south coast of England, with her husband, Adam, and her cat, Murray, and she uses a computer (almost) every day! She is the author of many children's books including: Greta and the Giants (Frances Lincoln Children's Books) and Ada and the Number-Crunching Machine (NorthSouth Books).
Julianna Swaney illustrates children's books for a living and couldn't feel luckier to have such an amazing job. She is the illustrator of many books including #1 New York Times bestselling The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be by Joanna Gaines. Julianna lives with her partner in a 1911 craftsman bungalow in Portland, Oregon and loves reading 19th century literature written by women. This is her first book for NorthSouth.
Industry Reviews
Connection blooms between a child and elderly companion during a spring and summer spent tending to potted vegetables and flowers planted in a space between brick buildings. Beginning with seeds ("each little dot full of hope and promise") the tan-skinned pair wait for shoots to emerge and "whisper stories to each one." The book quickly pivots to a bountiful harvest shared with neighbors of varying ages and skin tones. As the duo companionably save seeds, the older companion works from bed, briefly and suddenly foreshadowing emotional concluding scenes that extend the book's theme of seasonality as well as life and death. Tucker's lyrical prose emphasizes sensory experience ("We lie on a blanket in the grass and/ listen to the gentle hum of the honeybee"), while delicate accompanying illustrations by Swaney are washed with sage green and accented by rust oranges and warm harvest reds.-- "Publishers Weekly"
In a community garden, a young girl and an elderly lady plant seeds in a garden of hope. With anticipation, they watch and wait for the first signs of growth. They whisper their dreams to the tiny sprouts, and in a wink of time, an abundance of beauty and delightful aromas surround them. At season's end, they collect the fallen seeds and wrap them like treasured gifts. As winter approaches, the young girl mourns the loss of her companion. Memories of her are stored deep within the pits. In the springtime, they bless her with their magical blooms and the spiritual presence of one not forgotten. This is a beautiful story about a special bond between two seemingly disparate people--one a small girl and the other an old lady--who share a love for the natural world. The child learns an invaluable lesson from their relationship: when loved ones leave this life, they live on through precious remembrances of them. This poignant message will help children experiencing their own losses, and because of the sweet and subtle style of the author as well as the warm, heartfelt illustrations, readers ages five to nine won't be left feeling sad but instead touched and hopeful.-- "Manhattan Book Review"
