The Runaway Garden: A Delicious Story That's Good for You, Too!

This story begins with a little girl pulling weeds in her grandpa's garden. She is not happy about it, and says that she will run away if she has to pull anymore. Her grandpa tells her a magical (and funny) story about how vegetables runaway. The lesson in this story is that we all have a place to be and special jobs to do. I enjoy reading books that teach some type of lesson to my children. I would recommend any of Mr. Schatzer's books.

This story begins with a little girl who is angry with her grandfather for making her work in the garden. Grandpa tells her a story about the night the garden ran away. Her quiet time with Grandpa on the squeaky porch swing changes her perspective about the garden and Grandpa. "The Runaway Garden" is an adventurous, entertaining, and amusing story that teaches children that the grass is not always greener on the other side. It also presents a simple message about responsibility. I enjoy Jeffery Schatzer's subtle and humorous references to each vegetable's individuality. For example: "The potatoes all just closed their eyes and took off out the gate. All the green peas split for town; the tomatoes stewed and stirred. Celery and her friend sweet corn stalked off without a word." . . . "Some pumpkins got themselves squashed flat, and radishes all turned red. Pepper popped, snap beans snapped, and a cauliflower lost its head." The illustrations in this book are top notch. Jeffrey Ebbeler whimsically brings the vegetables to life with a gentle touch of humor thrown in here and there. Each illustration offers a healthy feast for both children's and adult's eyes. The wise old squash is one of my favorite characters. I especially like that Mr. Ebbeler cleverly created a vegetable twin (the squash character) for Grandpa. This book is entertaining for all ages and has the added bonus of piquing children's interests in vegetables. Butterfly Kisses for Grandma and Grandpa

This is a sweet story about a young girl tired of gardening and contemplating running away. After a chat with her grandfather, she sees things much differently. The best part about this story is the warm relationship between grandparents/grandchildren that invokes imagination and wisdom and always makes everything better. The last page is what earned this book a place on my favorites--'we snuggled late into the night on that creaky wooden swing. The time passed quickly as we swung, though we didn't say a thing. Just before I fell asleep in the moon's soft golden wash I kissed my Grandpa's baldy head. From then on, I called him "Squash."

The art work in this book is beautifully intricate. The author and illustrator have created a book that is enchanting for all ages!