Neighbors

What Grew In Larry’s Garden

Grace thinks Larry’s garden is one of the wonders of the world. In his tiny backyard next door to hers, Larry grows the most extraordinary vegetables. Grace loves helping him – watering and weeding, planting and pruning, hoeing and harvesting. And whenever there’s a problem – like bugs burrowing into the carrots or slugs chewing the lettuce – Grace and Larry solve it together. Grace soon learns that Larry has big plans for the vegetables in his special garden. And when that garden faces its biggest problem yet, Grace follows Larry’s example to find the perfect solution. Inspired by a real person, author Laura Alary has written a heartwarming story about how amazing things can grow when you tend your garden with kindness. In this case, Larry, a teacher, is helping to grow community. He has his students grow tomato plants that they then give away to their neighbors with personal notes. It offers a powerful lesson on the influence of generosity, while encouraging young children to become community activists in their own neighborhoods. This uplifting story fosters an appreciation for neighborhood and community at a time when that sentiment seems to be eroding. The book also contains an environmental message about harvesting your own vegetables and, with Kass Reich’s colorful illustrations, works beautifully for a life science exploration of growth and changes in plants. There are character education connections to caring, cooperation, empathy, kindness, perseverance and teamwork.

Miracle On 133rd Street

The day before Christmas, everyone in Jose’s neighborhood seems grumpy, including his mother who is homesick for Puerto Rico, but when he and his parents return from the pizzeria where they borrowed an oven to cook their roast, the heavenly aroma reminds those they pass of all they have to celebrate.

On My Street

At No. 1, Mrs. McQueen

Her house is large and painted green,
And inside there resides a Queen,
With royal ears and regal chin,
She always wears a noble grin.

For every child born to one of her friends, Annette Fienieg used to make a colorfully decorated teeshirt, with a character you would fall in love with.
Now it is time to introduce those creations – Mrs. McQueen Fifi LaPointe, Johnny Deck, Lightfingers Louie and more– to a wider audience. From the same team who produced The Man in the Clouds.

Spike Chiseltooth

When Karl buys an orphaned bunny at the pet shop, he is met with a less than friendly reception at home.  The little boy decided to give Spike to grumpy Mr. Gribble, who lives upstairs.  Karl notices a change in his neighbour as Spike slowly nibbles her way through Mr. Gribble’s apartment and into his heart.

The Pirates Next Door

The Jolley-Rogers have traded in the high seas for suburban life. Meet the Jolley-Rogers – a pirate family who is moving to Dull-on-Sea, a quiet seaside town, while they fix up their ship. This unusual family soon has the whole neighborhood gossiping. Defying the grown-ups, Matilda becomes friends with young pirate Jim Lad. When the Jolley Rogers return to sea, the town realizes that they were wrong to assume the worst when it is discovered that the pirates have buried treasure in everyone’s yard. The neighbors are thrilled, but Matilda is sad to have lost her new friend, until she discovers her own treasure – a pen pal!

Bradley Mcgogg

bradBradley McGogg makes his home in the bog where there are plenty of yummy bugs for a frog to feed on. But one day Bradley finds that his cupboard is bare. He turns to his neighbors to see if they will share their dinner with him. He soon finds that not all animals eat alike…With its infectious rhyming text and its enchanting art, Bradley McGogg, the Very Fine Frog is bound to become a favorite with children and the people who try to feed them.