Author Description

First-grade gardener Gertie Green faces off with new words, an unsympathetic teacher, and an annoying new student in this beautifully illustrated chapter book for young readers. From the moment Clark shows up in her first grade class, Gertie knows he's going to be trouble. Clark doesn't follow any of the rules. He calls her Gertrude the Rude and gets her blamed for things that aren't even her fault. Then he starts blowing spit wads at her. How do you fight back against someone like that without breaking the rules yourself? A new vocabulary word brings a stroke of inspiration though, and after an afternoon planting peas in the garden with Grandma Trudy, Gertie's plan seems to be falling into place. But when things take an unexpected turn, Gertie learns that friendship, like seeds, can sprout up and grow in even the most unexpected places. This is the debut title of this beautifully illustrated, early reader chapter book series about friendship, gardening, and the power and importance of being yourself. Each book features a different vegetable as a key part of the story and includes how-to-grow information for young gardeners. Visit the Free Digital Downloads tab of the publisher's website (shelfspacebooks.com) for an extensive selection of companion resources to go along with the Gertie in the Garden books, like food and gardening activities and coloring books. "An engaging interpersonal drama for early elementary readers." Kirkus Reviews The Gertie in the Garden series is so engaging... growing vegetables and even playing with them will encourage kids to view healthy foods as helping them negotiate their way in the world. Kids will love these books (and parents will too). Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, New York University