Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns


Book Description

Nothing but a big mess of trouble and weeds.. That's what Jackson Jones thinks of the garden plot his mother gives him for his tenth birthday. What happened to the basketball he's hoped and prayed for all year? When Jackson comes up with a moneymaking scheme for the garden, it doesn't seem so bad after all. He even cuts his friends in on the action. But before long, Jackson finds out that friends and business don't always mix. When the neighborhood bully calls him "Bouquet Jones," Jackson is ready to give up. Maybe gardens don't belong in cities after all.... Winner of the first annual Marguerite de Angeli Prize.




Jackson Jones and the Curse of the Outlaw Rose


Book Description

Jackson Jones can't get away from roses. First his mother got him a plot at Rooter's, a community garden, where Jackson planted a rosebush of thorns and no blooms. Now Mr. K., a fellow gardener, enlists Jackson's help to rustle up some hardier, prettier, sweeter-smelling old-time roses. The kind that grow in cemeteries! But no sooner do Jackson and his good friend, Reuben, take the rose cutting home than Reuben's gloom-and-doom talk of curses seems real. Broken bones. Poison ivy. Stinging bees. Jackson doesn't want to believe that anyone who comes in contact with the cemetery roses or cut twig suffers any of these consequences. But could it be that by taking the cutting, Jackson places his friends, Rooter's, and even himself--gulp!--under the curse of the outlaw rose?




Jackson Jones and Mission Greentop


Book Description

For use in schools and libraries only. The community garden created in Jackson Jones And The Puddle Of Thorns is threatened by big city developers.




Jackson Jones and Mission Greentop


Book Description

Basketball-loving Jackson Jones never wanted any part of Rooter’s, the community garden where his mother got him his very own plot for his 10th birthday. But he made the best of it, even planting a thorny rosebush. Now, after months of watering, weeding, and waiting, red roses have finally bloomed. So when Jackson learns that big city developers want to bulldoze Rooter’s, he can’t believe it. The garden means something to him, and he likes hanging out with the neighbors who tend their own plots. But what can Jackson do? With unasked-for help from well-meaning friends—and going to great lengths to avoid a fearsome bully who loves to taunt him—Jackson sets out to save Rooter’s. But coming up with a winning strategy isn’t so easy.




Best Friend Emma


Book Description

As soon as Emma McGraw sees Krysten Rodriguez, she knows that Krysten would make a great best friend. There’s just one problem. Emma already has a best friend—Annie Pat! But Emma is sure she wouldn’t mind if Emma made a new friend for both of them. And she has to do it fast, before Krysten is taken! Annie Pat should appreciate that, right? Actually, no. Not when Emma is forgetting important plans they’ve made together. Suddenly Emma is faced with the prospect of no friends at all! At once charming, funny, and thoughtful, this fourth book about eightyear- old Emma is sure to find new fans.




The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans


Book Description

Fred the ghost is perfectly happy haunting his ramshackle New Orleans house until Pierre and his daughter Marie move in and turn the house into a restaurant.




Black Books Galore! Guide to Great African American Children's Books about Boys


Book Description

A Treasury of Hundreds of Books that Help Boys Grow and Flourish "Images-strong, proud and happy, brave, and now also humorous . . . what a joy it is to see black faces of all shades in our children's books."-Doug E. Doug, Actor, The Bill Cosby Show "As a child . . . I wish there had been more books that reflected my world and my interests."-Earl G. Graves, Chairman, Publisher, and CEO, Black Enterprise magazine How do you know which books are the best for boys at every age? Now, two of the mothers who founded the esteemed Black Books Galore!-the nation's leading organizer of African American children's book festivals-and the authors of the highly acclaimed Black Books Galore! Guide to Great African American Children's Books, share their expert advice. Let BBG! help you open the door to a wonderful world of reading for the boys in your life. Invaluable for parents, teachers, and librarians, this easy-to-use, delightfully illustrated reference guide features: * Quick, lively descriptions of over 350 books * Hundreds of young black heroes and positive role models * Reflections from kids, famous authors, illustrators, and public figures about their favorite childhood books * Easy-to-find listings organized by age level and indexed by title, topic, author, and illustrator * Recommended reading for parents of boys "This is a great resource that fills a tremendous need. It should be on parents' shelves at home as well as in every school."-Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D., Harvard Medical School, on Black Books Galore! Guide to Great African American Children's Books




Beyond the Bean Seed


Book Description

Have your students experience the thrill of life and growth through gardening, book-sharing, and other activities. Lessons integrate gardening, children's literature, and language arts through creative activities that that have poetry, word play, and recipes. Literature-based projects lead to learning in a variety of subjects-from ecology, history, and geography to career exploration and the sciences. An annotated bibliography provides a list of gardening-related resources. Grades K-6.




Cultivating a Child's Imagination Through Gardening


Book Description

Lead children to literacy and learning along the garden path with books and activities designed to spark interest and imagination. Each of these 45 lessons focuses on a specific book about gardening and offers related activities-such as reading, writing, poetry, word play, music, dancing, and dramatics-to enhance creativity and build literacy skills. In addition, this resource lists more books to read with each lesson and concludes with an annotated bibliography of focus books. A great companion to Beyond the Bean Seed. Grades K-6.




Winter Friends


Book Description

Celebrate the good times in winter through these delightful poems.