Uncle John's City Garden

February 1, 2022
In this swan song from one of children's publishing's pioneers, a young girl nicknamed Li'l Sissy and her siblings are recruited by their uncle to grow a garden in an inner-city housing project. Narrating in the first person, the girl shares that when they first arrived at Uncle John's Garden "there were no plants yet--just dirt." Readers see a barren plot of land surrounded by monotonous chains of tall brick buildings. Uncle John, a physical giant of a man, tills the land and labels the garden rows with plant markers, then the children dig holes, plants seeds, and water the plantings. In the following weeks, they visit the garden almost daily--there are weeds to pull and bugs to chase away--and revel in the wonder of sprouting shoots and budding flowers. When a huge storm arrives, there is high tension as the children wonder if their garden will be destroyed in the raging weather. Thankfully, all is well, and a fine harvest ensues throughout the summer. Young readers will feel the siblings' sense of accomplishment as they share the garden's produce at a big family barbecue. Ford's lovingly remembered autobiographical tale highlights the power of urban gardening to foster community, revive decaying property, create food resiliency, and even promote STEM learning. The figures in Morrison's oil-and-spray-paint paintings emote pride and quiet joy, challenging the negative association between African American people and farming. All characters are Black. A simple, lovely story about the power of blooming where you are planted. (Picture book. 5-9)

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March 28, 2022
Three Black siblings assist Uncle John, “a great big man,” with a veggie patch in this warm intergenerational portrait. Narrated from the perspective of youngest sibling Li’l Sissy, the book is based on the late Ford’s own uncle, who, per an author’s note, cultivated a similar plot in 1950s Canarsie, Brooklyn. With personal-feeling prose that centers themes of relative size and growth through life’s seasons, Li’l Sissy describes how, under Uncle John’s tutelage, she and her brother and sister plant corn, lima beans, tomatoes, onions, and okra—the ingredients for succotash, a family favorite—in a city housing development’s garden and spend the summer watching it grow until a season’s-end barbecue. Emphasizing the quartet’s kinship and pride in their work, Morrison’s distinguished oil and spray-paint art also juxtaposes expansive planes to portray the sizable horizontal garden plot amid the community’s vertical buildings. Aptly partnered, the creators present a moving picture of how food can bind people and communities. Back matter includes an author’s note and succotash recipe. Ages 4–8.

May 1, 2022
Family + gardening = a great summer feast. Li'l Sissy, the youngest of three African American siblings, tells how she and her siblings help their uncle John cultivate a garden in an empty lot between high-rise apartment buildings in their neighborhood. A gentle giant who towers above the kids, Uncle John lets them choose which plants to grow. Brother chooses corn and lima beans, Sister onions and tomatoes, and Li'l Sissy okra. Uncle John prepares the soil, the kids plant the seeds, and they all water, weed, and watch. At summer's end, at the family cookout, everyone enjoys the grilled meats, but the succotash outshines the rest because Uncle John and the kids grew the ingredients. Morrison's (R-E-S-P-E-C-T, rev. 7/20) color-saturated illustrations hint at his graffiti-art background, radiating the yellows of summer heat and the earth tones of the garden while emphasizing the bond that Li'l Sissy and her siblings enjoy. The wide-brimmed hat she wears, which mirrors her uncle's, suggests that Li'l Sissy will inherit his passion for gardening. Loosely based on the New York City childhood of late author Ford, this visually lush story paints a memorable, sensory-rich portrait of family bonding through gardening. Michelle H. Martin

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from May 1, 2022
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* A Brooklyn garden plot and a family working together are at the center of this delightful picture book. Starting with only a space of bare, brown earth, Uncle John and his nieces and nephew bring lush green growth to the borough. The cycle from seeds to succotash is playfully, but thoroughly, brought to life by award-wining illustrator Morrison. Capturing the togetherness as well as the wonder of working side by side in the garden, brown faces glisten and elongated limbs rise up toward the sun, just as the garden itself rises. The palette of browns, grays, and blues are punctuated by the green growth. The characters expressively experience the changing seasons in the garden, until harvest day arrives and culminates in a celebratory BBQ. Based on memories of "almost" summers in her own life, Ford's look back combines nostalgia and the dignity of life in the day-to-day. Young readers will no doubt be inspired to create their own gardens and look forward to using the included succotash recipe to experience the fruits of their labors. An inviting story that is also a fine example of using everyday life to exemplify science and success. A joy to experience!

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2022
Family + gardening = a great summer feast. Li'l Sissy, the youngest of three African American siblings, tells how she and her siblings help their uncle John cultivate a garden in an empty lot between high-rise apartment buildings in their neighborhood. A gentle giant who towers above the kids, Uncle John lets them choose which plants to grow. Brother chooses corn and lima beans, Sister onions and tomatoes, and Li'l Sissy okra. Uncle John prepares the soil, the kids plant the seeds, and they all water, weed, and watch. At summer's end, at the family cookout, everyone enjoys the grilled meats, but the succotash outshines the rest because Uncle John and the kids grew the ingredients. Morrison's (R-E-S-P-E-C-T, rev. 7/20) color-saturated illustrations hint at his graffiti-art background, radiating the yellows of summer heat and the earth tones of the garden while emphasizing the bond that Li'l Sissy and her siblings enjoy. The wide-brimmed hat she wears, which mirrors her uncle's, suggests that Li'l Sissy will inherit his passion for gardening. Loosely based on the New York City childhood of late author Ford, this visually lush story paints a memorable, sensory-rich portrait of family bonding through gardening.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)