We Are the Gardeners

by Joanna Gaines, Julianna Swaney (Illustrator)

Overview

Teach children that the greatest rewards come from patience, hard work, and learning from mistakes!

In the #1 New York Times bestseller We Are the Gardeners, Joanna Gaines and the kids chronicle the adventures of starting their own family garden. From their failed endeavors, obstacles to overcome (bunnies that eat everything), and all of the knowledge they gain along the way, the Gaines family shares how they learned to grow a happy, successful garden.

We Are the Gardeners is a whimsical picture book perfect for:

• Ages 4-8
• Parents, libraries, classroom story times, and discussions focusing on springtime and gardening
• Households that enjoy watching HGTV's Fixer Upper
• Young children and families interested in gardening and plants

After reading, children will learn:

• Trying something new isn't always easy, but the hardest work often yields the greatest reward
• The basic steps and process of starting a garden
• The importance of patience and how it is possible to learn from your mistakes

You and your children will learn all about the Gaines family's story of becoming gardeners in Joanna's first children's book—starting with the first little fern Chip bought for Jo. Over the years, the family's love for gardening has blossomed into what is now a beautiful, bustling garden.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781400314225
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	03/26/2019
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	46,101
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Joanna Gaines is the co-founder of Magnolia, a New York Times bestselling author, editor-in-chief of Magnolia Journal, and creator and co-owner of Magnolia Network.

Born in Kansas and raised in the Lone Star State, Jo graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Communications. It was an internship in New York City that prompted her desire to discover how she could create beauty for people. In a big city unknown to her, Jo always felt most at home whenever she stepped inside the cozy and thoughtfully curated boutique shops, which inspired her to open a shop of her own in Waco, Texas.

Alongside her passion for design and food, nothing inspires Jo more than time spent at home with Chip and their five kids—whether they're messing with recipes in the kitchen or planting something new in the garden.

Julianna Swaney’s work is inspired by whimsical details of daily life and the fairy tales she loved reading as a child. She grew up homeschooled, which allowed free range for her imagination and interests in folklore, nature, and history. She graduated from the Maine College of Art and now lives in Portland, Oregon. Her illustrations are created using watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil. She is the illustrator of We Are the Gardeners, also by Joanna Gaines. www.juliannaswaney.com

Editorial Reviews

03/25/2019

Persistence and teamwork pay off in this picture book debut by the costar (with husband Chip Gaines) of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, who recounts her family’s gardening exploits. Relayed in the communal voice of four Gaines offspring, the narrative retains its chirpiness even when things go awry, as when the very first plant their father buys—a wispy fern—droops and dies, a victim of the kids’ overzealous watering efforts (“death by overhydration”). In pastel-hued pictures, Swaney (Mermaid School) underscores the young gardeners’ good intentions as they line up, each holding a watering can, to do their part, but they soon acknowledge that “by mistake, we loved that plant to death.” A replacement fern sips from a teacup after library books teach the children that “most plants have good manners and like to sip, not gulp.” The family eventually moves their garden outdoors, where their diligence yields bountiful vegetables and flowers, charmingly depicted in the art, despite occasional interference by villainous insects and “sneaky” animal trespassers. The arrival of a new baby boosts the feel-good quotient of this book about hard work and “everyday miracles,” a surefire hit with the Gaines family’s followers. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

The trials, tribulations, and joys of gardening are brought to light in this entertaining tale of one family's introduction to caring for indoor plants and using that know-how in a garden, from Joanna Gaines of HGTV's Fixer Upper fame. Beginning with a fern that dies after being over-loved and over-watered, four children and their parents study up on what plants require: light, water, and a bit of conversation. Once they feel ready, the family works together to design a fruit, vegetable, and flower garden. As the plot takes shape, the family gains knowledge about seeds, garden critters—both good (worms and ladybugs) and bad (aphids)—and pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Though the family has some trouble with animals eating their produce, they remember that 'every failure or setback teaches us something.' Delicately detailed and engaging illustrations deftly follow the garden's progress. Packed with useful information in an easy-to-understand format, this will help children, and their adults, who wish to venture into the world of growing some of their own food and flowers.

Booklist

The trials, tribulations, and joys of gardening are brought to light in this entertaining tale of one family's introduction to caring for indoor plants and using that know-how in a garden, from Joanna Gaines of HGTV's Fixer Upper fame. Beginning with a fern that dies after being over-loved and over-watered, four children and their parents study up on what plants require: light, water, and a bit of conversation. Once they feel ready, the family works together to design a fruit, vegetable, and flower garden. As the plot takes shape, the family gains knowledge about seeds, garden critters—both good (worms and ladybugs) and bad (aphids)—and pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Though the family has some trouble with animals eating their produce, they remember that 'every failure or setback teaches us something.' Delicately detailed and engaging illustrations deftly follow the garden's progress. Packed with useful information in an easy-to-understand format, this will help children, and their adults, who wish to venture into the world of growing some of their own food and flowers.

Booklist

The trials, tribulations, and joys of gardening are brought to light in this entertaining tale of one family's introduction to caring for indoor plants and using that know-how in a garden, from Joanna Gaines of HGTV's Fixer Upper fame. Beginning with a fern that dies after being over-loved and over-watered, four children and their parents study up on what plants require: light, water, and a bit of conversation. Once they feel ready, the family works together to design a fruit, vegetable, and flower garden. As the plot takes shape, the family gains knowledge about seeds, garden critters--both good (worms and ladybugs) and bad (aphids)--and pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Though the family has some trouble with animals eating their produce, they remember that 'every failure or setback teaches us something.' Delicately detailed and engaging illustrations deftly follow the garden's progress. Packed with useful information in an easy-to-understand format, this will help children, and their adults, who wish to venture into the world of growing some of their own food and flowers.

Booklist Maryann Owen

08/09/2019

Gr 1–3-Plants and flowers may grow with abandon in nature, but gardening is no easy task. In this book about learning from failure, one family discovers what it takes to care for many kinds of plants. Four children want to see a small potted fern grow; they water it, give it plenty of sun, and even talk to it. Before long, however, the fern perishes owing to its less than ideal conditions. The children turn to the library and read as much as they can about what ferns need to thrive. They try again with a second fern, and they do much better, adding more plants until their garden grows so vast that it needs to be moved outside. Readers will learn a great deal about gardens, from seeds to pollinators to soil dwellers. Even when it is hard or when things do not go as the children would like, they persevere in the face of adversity. Pastel-colored images evoke spring, bringing the garden to vibrant life. VERDICT Elementary school students learning about gardens and the importance of persistence will enjoy this story.-Mary Lanni, formerly of Denver Public Library

School Library Journal