From an all-star team comes a lyrical picture-book biography about a writer and master gardener who created beauty in a harsh island habitat that was visited by literary and artistic luminaries of her time. Celia Thaxter grew up on a desolate island off the coast of Maine, where her father worked as lighthouse keeper. Amid the white and gray of the sea, the rocks, and even the birds, young Celia found color where she could: green mosses and purple starfish and pink morning glories by the shore. And she planted her first garden, tucking bright marigolds between rocky ledges. When she was twelve, Celia’s family moved to nearby Appledore Island, where her father built a large hotel, and Celia planted a bigger, ever-growing garden with nearly sixty types of flowers, from asters to wisteria. Guests flocked to the hotel from around the world, among them such writers as Longfellow, Whittier, and Hawthorne. Celia had been writing poems about the island, her garden, and the sea, and they would be printed in magazines and books, making her a foremother of writing about nature. Now, for the first time, Celia Planted a Garden showcases her life and work, in a poetic, vividly imagined picture book from a team of two authors and an illustrator, each recipients of numerous awards. More about Celia Thaxter, including a rich time line and bibliography, awaits readers in the back matter.

Celia Laighton Thaxter (1835-1894) was born in Portsmouth, NH. When she was four, her father became the lighthouse keeper on White Island in the Isles of Shoals. After resigning his post eight years later, he built a resort hotel on Appledore Island in Maine. The first of its kind on the New England coast, the hotel became a gathering place for writers and artists during the latter half of the 19th century. In her last year of life, Celia published this work, in which she lovingly describes her Appledore garden and its flowers. The flowers she grew in her cutting garden filled her own rooms and those of the hotel, and this work became famous for its descriptions of the old-fashioned flowers she grew there. Her island garden, a plot that measured 15 feet square, has been re-created and is open to visitors.

Celia Thaxter grew up on a desolate island off the coast of Maine, where her father worked as lighthouse keeper. Amid the white and gray of the sea, the rocks, and even the birds, young Celia found color where she could: green mosses and purple starfish and pink morning glories by the shore. And she planted her first garden, tucking bright marigolds between rocky ledges. When she was twelve, Celia's family moved to nearby Appledore Island, where her father built a large hotel, and Celia planted a bigger, ever-growing garden with nearly sixty types of flowers, from asters to wisteria.

An illustrated journal of a small child from the nineteenth century describes the colors, sounds, and textures of her home on the Isles of Shoals.

"This book accompanies the exhibition "Writing the Garden" organized in 2011 by the New York Society Library."

Max and Josephine plant one watermelon seed, two pumpkins, three eggplants, four peppers, five tomatoes, six blueberry bushes, seven strawberry plants, eight beans, nine potatoes, and ten corn seeds in their garden.

Lola has a big smile on her face. Why? Because it's Tuesday--and on Tuesdays, Lola and her mommy go to the library. Join Lola in this cozy celebration of books and the people who love them.

Squirrel teaches Little Groundhog how to plant and tend a vegetable garden.

" Selected for the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) 2015 OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL BOOKS list! Celia is the town listener. She listens to people's little problems, big problems, and all the in-between problems. Once they have shared their troubles with her and let them go -- giving her their seeds of sorrow -- they feel lighter and happier. Celia has the wonderful ability to take these seeds and turn them into magical balloons, twinkling stars, and blooming flowers -- literally painting the world with color. When a young boy named Julian feels sad, he waits in line to see Celia. But before he gets to the front of the line, he realizes that he has lost his seed of sorrow and will be unable to give it to Celia. Oh no! Now how will he find a way to be happy again? Celia is a quietly compelling tale about the value of kindness and friendship, and how sharing one's troubles lightens the heart -- like magic. Hardcover with dust jacket. 36 pages. Ages 4 to 8. Full color throughout. 9-3/4 inches wide by 10 inches high. Author Christelle Vallat has written many books while working in her dream job -- teaching! One of her biggest satisfactions comes from inspiring her young students. She loves spending hours in libraries and bookstores, knee-deep in books. She lives in Saint-Jean-en-Royans, France. Illustrator Stephanie Augusseau's love for art history inspired her to study graphic design and visual communication at LISAA in Paris. She primarily works with traditional techniques, such as acrylic, gouache, watercolor, and ink. She lives with her family in Toulon, France. Reviews: PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Deeply tender images." KIRKUS "Imaginative." BOOKLIST "This quiet story offers much food for thought." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "Beautiful . . . this story offers the power of kindness, the magic of transformation, and the unique tale of how beauty can be found in happiness through the seed of sadness." Click here to download a free Common Core Aligned Teaching Guide for Celia. Book trailer: "