At the height of the U.S. Depression, Lydia Grace Finch must leave home to spend a year living with her stodgy uncle in the city to help out in his bakery. The story of how she transforms his tenement apartment (and eventually her uncle) with her gardening skills is told through a series of letters she writes from August 27, 1935 to July 11, 1936, and through David Small's detailed pen-and-ink illustrations, as well. Small's line work, in particular, shows the determination of the plucky young heroine, contrasted with the gruff character of her hard-working uncle. (Ages 5-9)

"Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds, plenty of stationery, and a passion for gardening to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, brightening the bakery and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece, which she hopes will be powerful enough to make even Uncle Jim smile. Colored by a Depression-era setting, The Gardener introduces readers to a winsome and determined young heroine, whose generosity will reward all who meet her." --