The Friendship Garden Book 1
Jenny Meyerhoff
Eva Chatelain
Aladdin a division of
Simon and Schuster
ISBN 9781481439046
eISBN 9781481439077
ASIN B00TBKUXQG
This is the first book in the friendship garden series and box set. My oldest daughter and I read it together as part of our families summer reading challenge. It is at a perfect reading level for my daughter. Going into grade 5 she was able to read it all with a few minor corrections. When we read together we take turns and alternate pages. And even though she is a reluctant reader she loved this book. Even to the point of often asking for an extra chapter.
As can be guessed by the title this is a book about gardening and about friendship. But it is also the story about moving, getting settled in a new place and finding your place. Anna Fincher has moved to Chicago from upstate New York. It is a big change for her. New School, no yard and no garden. Then by chance she gets assigned to work with 2 classmates on a persuasive speech. While with them and the one girls grandma they begin working at the shoots and leaves community garden. She is working with Reed Madigan and Kaya Reynolds, and the speech soon becomes a goal of getting an adult to join them so they can take over an abandoned plot at the community garden.
This book has numerous illustrations by Eva Chatelain, there are a few every chapter. My daughter loved looking at all the details in some of the illustrations and they add nicely to the story.
The story was wonderfully written. My daughter really engaged with the book and since we have the box set of the first 4 we have a number more to read together. It was interesting as my daughter analysed the story, what was happening and what she thought would happen. It was fun reading about a stay at home dad and a family that moved because of the mother's career. The book kept us going and we are already well into book 2 Pumpkin Spice.
This book is great for those young readers who are struggling. The vocabulary is at an excellent level. The pace of the story is great. My youngest hearing part of the story read is also eager to have the book read to her. So all around it was a win.
In summary this is a good book, and we looking forward to more in the series.
Books by Jenny Meyerhoff:
Friendship Garden
Green Thumbs-Up
Pumpkin Spice
Project Peep
Sweet Peas and Honeybees
Starry Skies and Fireflies
Other Books:
The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger
Third Grade Baby
Queen of Secrets
Class B.U.R.P. (The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger)
Sami's Sleepaway Summer
Attack of the Girlzillas (The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger)
Playing Cupid
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