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Uncle John's City Garden
Bernette G. Ford, illustrations by Frank Morrison
$19

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Bernette Ford was an American author, editor and publisher. She worked as editor-in-chief at Grosset & Dunlap and later Scholastic Books, where she was vice-president of the Cartwheel imprint, which she helped launch.

Frank Morrison started his journey as a graffiti artist in New Jersey, tagging walls with spray paint. However, it was the opportunity to tour with music artist Sybil as a breakdancer, an influential high school art teacher, and a visit to the Louvre Museum in Paris that opened him up to new artistic and creative avenues. An early indoctrine into hip-hop culture can be seen through Morrison’s work, which has been dubbed a mash-up of urban mannerism, graffiti and abstract contemporary, and reflects deeply on the lost of human stories from past eras. Morrison strives to capture people as they are, translating emotions through his paintings and leaving a memoir of our life and times today. His work depicts African-American livelihood in a way that is both familiar and comforting to those who often feel histories have been forgotten and culture has been usurped.

REVIEWS

★ “Capturing the togetherness as well as the wonder of working side by side in the garden, brown faces glisten and elongated limbs rise up toward the sun, just as the garden itself rises. . . . . An inviting story that is also a fine example of using everyday life to exemplify science and success. A joy to experience!” -- Booklist, Starred Review

“This visually lush story paints a memorable, sensory-rich portrait of family bonding through gardening” -- The Horn Book

“The madly saturated colors of picture-perfect plants bring vibrancy, and the body language of the siblings is both sturdy and dynamic.” -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Aptly partnered, the creators present a moving picture of how food can bind people and communities.” -- Publishers Weekly

“Ford’s lovingly remembered autobiographical tale highlights the power of urban gardening to foster community, revive decaying property, create food resiliency, and even promote STEM learning. The figures in Morrison’s oil-and–spray-paint paintings emote pride and quiet joy, challenging the negative association between African American people and farming.” -- Kirkus Reviews

[H]  Holiday House  /  May 03, 2022
0.38" H x 11.25" L x 8.18" W (0.82 lbs) 32 pages