Friday, August 20, 2010

Booklist Reviews In the Garden with Dr. Carver

Booklist Review
Advanced Review – Uncorrected Proof
Issue: September 1, 2010

In the Garden with Dr. Carver
Grigsby, Susan (Author) , Tadgell, Nicole (Illustrator)
Sep 2010. 32 p. Albert Whitman, hardcover, $16.99. (9780807536308).

In this charming historical-fiction picture book, a young girl relates an educational and inspirational visit by Dr. George Washington Carver to her Alabama town. When Carver visits Sally’s school, his child friendly explanations (“Plants, like people, need nutritious food to help them grow”) and hands-on demonstrations invite the students’ curiosity and participation, as they learn about gardening, including the importance of respecting nature, and plant a school “kitchen” garden of their own. Concepts like composting and planting are well conveyed through Sally’s descriptive, sometimes lyrical narrative, which includes fun details like a school picnic filled with Carver’s recipes, such as sweet-potato-flour bread. The colorful watercolor illustrations, featuring soft touches and historical details, depict the rural setting and expressive characters; and attractive renderings of garden flora and fauna, labeled with scientific and common-use names, decorate the endpapers. Overall, this is an enjoyable, accessible, and informative
introduction to Carver’s work and philosophies as well as gardening basics. A brief endnote provides additional information on Carver.

— Shelle Rosenfeld

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Cynsations!

I've been interviewed at the Cynsations blog! Check it out HERE. It's great sharing the illustration experience. Only one small snag: although I was born in Detroit, I didn't grow up there. Mostly Texas, on Long Island, and in Massachusetts. I'm still growing up in Massachusetts. ;)

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Podcast!

Here's my very first audio interview! The author, Becky Birtha, and I were interviewed about Lucky Beans here on Albert Whitman's website:

http://albertwhitman.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/awc-author-podcast-series-lucky-beans/