Harlem Grown
Author: Tony Hillery
Illustrator: Jessie Hartland
Simon & Schuster
Ages 3-7
A reminder that no spot is too small, no act too little to make a big difference. The lessons of community action and personal conviction come bursting through.
Once
In a big city called New York
In a bustling neighborhood
There was an empty lot.
Nevaeh called it the haunted garden.
Nevaeh goes to school at PS-175. Across from her school is a junk filled plot of land. While volunteering at the school, Hillery, “Mr Tony the kids called him,” notices the vacant lot and he has an idea. He cleared the lot, with the help of the students and they plant 400 seedlings, “one for each kid.”
The garden yields food. TONS of fruits and vegetables! Even a chicken coop if the last image is based on the actual garden. The kids take the vegetables home and Navaeh is seen gleefully helping an adult cooking in the kitchen with a lot of produce!
What a fantastic book for kids and adults alike. A reminder that no spot is too small, no act too little to make a big difference. The lessons of community action and personal conviction come bursting through. The book includes a step-by-step guide to start your garden anywhere. That this is a true story makes it even more special and relatable.
Accompanied by Hartland’s joyously childlike illustrations that burst forth with an urgent vibrancy, this book is a great place to start talking to young kids about food insecurity, food desserts, farming in general (and urban/micro farming in particular) and so much more.
Harlem Grown (Support an Independent Bookstore)
Harlem Grown (Amazon)*
More books for this Age Group can be found here.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing a Review Copy of this book. All opinions provided herein are my own.
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