The Plant Sitter by Gene Zion & Illus by Margaret Bloy Graham

As a kid, this was one of my favorite books. I loved this book. 

I still love this book. 

Partly I love Margaret Bloy Graham's illustrations.

But a kid who loves plants and fills his house up with them while starting an innovative business? 

My dream come true!

He started a plant sitting business for neighbors on vacation. 

Of course, our hero thought the situation was too fabulous for words. 

His parents weren't as entranced. 

Eventually all the care and responsibility of his business got to him. One night in the bath, he had a dream...

He dreamed his house filled up with plants to much that his house was nothing but plants.

He went to the library (love it!) found information on what to do when plants get too big, went to the gardening center, and headed home. 

This was one of my favorite parts! All those little plants! All those little plant pots! 

At the end, all of his neighbors went home happy and their children got the tiny little plant pots. 

I was a little plant obsessed even as a kid apparently. 

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel by Kimberly Willis Holt

I admit it--I bought this for the cover. Flowers, long hair in the wind, and the phrase "Texas Sunrise Motel." A bit of a trifecta really. 

And it was SO GOOD.

Stevie is the beloved daughter of two flower/fruit farmers New Mexico . Life is good. Until some careless driver. runs into her parents roadside stand, killing both of them. That part is not good. 

When we meet Stevie, she is heading to her Grandfather and his Texas Sunrise Motel in Texas. She doesn't know her grandfather because her mother refused to speak of him. But since he is closest relative, off she goes. 

My mother and her brother were sent away from the family farm in Quebec to friends in Pennsylvania after her parent's death which made this book that much more interesting to me--I have always thought how devastating it must have been for my mother to lose her family, her farm, and her country. Stevie is much the same, minus the losing the country part.  

How do you recover from the total upset of your life?

Stevie isn't sure. But she is pretty sure that to continue life, she needs to be back on their farm. It is the only place that makes sense. But the adults in her life seem to have different ideas for her. As Stevie gets to know her gruff grandfather, the interesting residents of his motel, and the family she didn't even know she had, she begins to understand her mother and father better and learn a little of her own life story. When tough choices arise, Stevie has to think carefully about the new life she is building and what is most important to her. 

 And then, no matter where you are, there can always be flowers. Always.

This is a light book--we don't have any raw emotional scenes. But it feels authentic. Stevie is a girl I could relate to--her love of flowers! Her love of the family farm! There is a touch of friendship, a little bit of romance, family dynamics, and optimism to round it all out for a completely satisfying middle grade read. 

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies

As soon as I saw this book, I knew I would love it. I have an unreasonable delight in personified foxes. Plus, it vaguely reminded me of the Fern Hollow Books I read as a kid. Nostalgia. It is pretty hard to beat. 

Evan and his dog.

This won a Caldecott Honor this week. 

They were the best of friends

Doing everything together. 

But especially gardening. 

Evan and his dog spent a great deal of time in the garden.

And then.... the unthinkable happened. His dog died.

For days, Evan did nothing. Then, he destroyed his garden--that reminder of his dog and indicator of life moving on when Evan's world had ground to a halt. 

Weeds grew. And Evan took care of them because these weeds reflected his feelings better than pretty, tidy plants. 

Soon his garden was a desolate, soulless place, just how he wanted it. 

But when a green vine sneaks in, Evan decides to let it stay.

 See the hoe about to chop it out? Love that detail. 

That vine turns into a pumpkin....

...that turns into a trip to the fair. 

When his pumpkin places third, he has the choose of $10 or a puppy. He takes the $10 of course. 

But.....

....somehow, the puppy heads home with him anyway. 

A story of hope and love. Of death and life going on. 

AND of the importance of gardening in living a happy life and healing. 

Gardens and dogs are important. 

Red vintage pickups don't hurt either.

Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall & Illus by Barbara Cooney

This is a book from my childhood. I was a weird little history obsessed child and I LOVED this book. 

This story is a year in the life of... wait for it... the Ox-Cart Man! 

And it is illustrated by Barbara Cooney. 

Barbara Cooney is my hero. 

Her illustrations always seem exactly right. That folk art vibe! 

In October, the cart is loaded up with all the surplus of the family. 

The Ox-Cart man takes his cart to market, which involves walking for ten days. 

I was always impressed that he didn't ride in the cart those ten days. Clearly he was a conscientious farmer who didn't want to overburden his ox. 

At Portsmouth Market, he sells everything he brought. 

Including his ox and the cart.

There is something so terribly neat and tidy about this scheme. I am still just as impressed as my nine-year-old self. 

With the money he earns, he goes to the general store to get things they can't make at home. 

And then the ten day walk home. 

I bet that cozy little house looked ever so much more appealing after a month of walking, selling, buying, and walking. 

At home, our industrious family starts right in--using their new purchases to make things to sell for next year. 

As I sit here in a welter of to-do lists that always seem to be put of until tomorrow, I really, really wish I had even half of their got-it-togetherness. 

Sigh. 

I sometimes wonder if I would have been industrious back in the day, or would I have been one of those day dreaming types that gets nothing done except acquire the disapproval of all the village ladies. But then I stop wondering because, frankly, I am pretty sure everyone would disapprove of me. 

A new cart, new yoke, and more shingles are started in the barn, while the new calf grows into a nice ox. 

Meanwhile, spinning and embroidery takes place inside. 

Oh these clearly defined gender roles. 

Sugaring!!

I adore sugaring pictures. 

And after a year of industry, the Ox-Cart man and his family is ready to send their surplus to the market again. 

So neat. So tidy. So...never-ending. 

Even if they wouldn't approve of me, I am glad I am a modern woman who has the leisure to spend a few hours Cyber Monday/Tuesday shopping if she feels like it. 

Because lets face it, those 50% off deals aren't going to buy themselves. Probably Mrs. Ox-Cart would heartily approve of my thrifty nature. 

Strega Nona's Harvest by Tomie dePaola

For some reason, I have never really read the Strega Nona books. 

And, interestingly, I thought this was posted on Thanksgiving, but it wasn't. So here it is now. 

(Side note, see the Imagination Library logo on the bottom right? That is a terribly terrific program by Dolly Parton. Because her father was illiterate, she sends any child under five a free book every month. EVERY MONTH. And they are good books. You should really look into it if you have an under-five in your life.)

Strega Nona is getting ready for spring planting.

She teaches her two helpers, Bambolona and Big Anthony all her tips and tricks for making a garden grow well. 

Big Anthony decides to see if he plant a garden too. 

He does exactly what Strega Nona did. 

....Except for the straight row thing. Big Anthony thought that was overrated. 

In no time, his garden looked like a jungle.

You can see Strega Nona's terribly straight and orderly garden and Big Anthony's helter skelter one. 

Harvest begins.

Big Anthony doesn't know what to do with his bounty, so he just piles them up in front of Strega Nona's door. 

All this surplus food starts overtaking her house. 

So she goes to the nuns to see if they would like some extra food. 

Strega Nona learns that the rest of the village didn't have a good harvest. 

She goes to the mayor and offers to cook food for the entire village. 

Preparations ensue. 

A lovely feast is had by all!

And each guest is allowed to take an armful home to their larders. 

Ahh! Strega Nona feels much better with her kitchen empty of all those vegetables.

But... where did they come from?! 

Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving!