This story makes the best of an unfortunate situation. It appears this single mother, Janelle, and her daughter, Tiffany, are struggling economically but Tiffany finds a way to make the best of a bad situation. I love the inclusion of a garden in this tale as gardens inspire hope, growth and change. It also demonstrates that help can come from unexpected places, like the mailman who brings flowers and lends advice to Tiffany on how to grow her garden. ( )

I loved this story. There was inter-generational sharing as the mailman advised Tiffany about her garden. Tiffany had to wait to discover what her mystery plants would become. Then she discovered the joy of the harvest.

This represents a Realistic Fiction book because it is true to life and readers can see the complexity of human interaction as the mailman, the girl, and the woman interact in trying to grow plants. Also, a variety of people are present in the story that are unique. Tiffany, the main character in the story, is a round character. We learn a great deal about who she is by the end of the story. She is revealed through appearance, the narrator, other characters, her actions, her interactions, and her thoughts. The medias used in this book are pen and ink and watercolor paints. This book is best for the Primary and Intermediate Levels.

This is a realistic story about a girl and her mom as they move to a trailer in the middle of nowhere, but are still able to create a happy place to live. ( )