Celia planted a garden : the story of Celia Thaxter and her island garden

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Title:

Celia planted a garden : the story of Celia Thaxter and her island garden

Author:

Root, Phyllis, author.

Schmidt, Gary D., author.

Sweet, Melissa, 1956- illustrator.

Summary:

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. -- Amazon.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations, color maps ; 22 x 29 cm

Genre:

Picture books.

Biographies.

Creative nonfiction.

Personal Subject:

Thaxter, Celia, 1835-1894-Juvenile literature.

Subject Term:

Gardeners -- Biography -- Juvenile literature.

Poets, American -- 19th century -- Biography -- Juvenile literature.

Painters -- Biography -- Juvenile literature.

Lighthouses -- Juvenile literature.

Geographic Term:

Appledore Island (Me.) -- Juvenile literature.

Isles of Shoals (Me. and N.H.) -- Juvenile literature.

Author(s):

Schmidt, Gary D.,

Sweet, Melissa, 1956-

Publisher:

Candlewick Press,

Publication Date:

2022

ISBN:

9781536204292

Publication Information:

Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2022

Call Number:

P ROOT

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003662585	New Picture Books	ROOT	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

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.

Author Notes

Phllis Root is the author of over forty books, almost all of them picture books, both fiction and non-fiction. Her middle grade novel, Lilly and the Pirates, is currently under contract. Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble won the Minnesota Book Award, and Big Momma Makes the World won the Boston Globe Horn Book Award. Root was awarded a 2006 McKnight Fellowship for her book, Lucia and the Light. She has taught at the Loft, in the Complete and Practical Scholar program at the University of Minnesota, and in Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 2--4--Island life in the northeastern United States can be colorless, as grays and whites cover not only the sky and sea but the animals, as well. Celia Thaxter grew up on just such an island, lamenting the limited color palette that surrounded her even while embracing the beauty and tumult of the sea. In response, Thaxter decided to craft a garden filled with vibrant and colorful flowers of many types to enhance the appearance of the island. And as her life took her to new places, she discovered ways to bring the beauty of her garden to paper through words and paint. This narrative biography introduces readers to a woman who was a renowned poet in her time. Rich paragraphs of text are used to tell her story, and these blocks often use repetition of color alongside specific references to myriad natural creatures. Snippets of Thaxter's poetry are placed alongside several of the images to enhance the text, and these words stand out dramatically from the others in both size and presentation. Paired with the softness of watercolor and pencil lines within each image, the words and illustrations together create a visual tapestry that connects readers to her colorful world. An author's note and time line of Thaxter's life help to round out the overall text and provide additional information for readers to peruse. VERDICT Elementary school-aged readers will enjoy learning about a colorful and creative woman through this work.--Mary R. Lanni

Publisher's Weekly Review

Vivid nature writing infuses this picture book biography of New England artist and poet Celia Thaxter (1835--1894). The story opens with Thaxter's rugged childhood at a lighthouse on White Island and her teen years on Appledore Island, where she installed a garden near her family's hotel. After marriage takes Thaxter to the mainland, a longing (for "the tumbled shores of her island home, and the rising and falling tides, and the crash of the waves on the rocks") inspires poetry and annual visits to Appledore for gardening. In mixed media, Sweet showcases florals on every page, weaving in quotes from Thaxter's own writing. Largely eliding her artistic and writerly accomplishments, Root and Schmidt's simplified portrait predominantly emphasizes the vibrant flowers Thaxter cultivated wherever she went. Back matter includes an author's note, extensive timeline, and bibliography. Ages 5--9. (May)