Director’s Pick: Jayden’s Impossible Garden

“Nature is the nest under the eaves or hidden below piles of autumn leaves. It’s bursting out of cracks in the sidewalk or climbing on brick walls. Sounds of nature echo through market stalls. Jayden and Mr. Curtis invite nature into their world.”

Minnesota author and school library teacher Mélina Mangal wanted students of color living in densely-populated urban areas to see kids like themselves connecting with nature wherever they are. Hence the publication of her new children’s book Jayden’s Impossible Garden, which follows Jayden as he sets out to show his mom and others the magic of nature in the middle of the city. He befriends a neighbor, Mr. Curtis, and together they have adventures both real and imagined. At the back of the book, readers will find activities to make items found in the story, such as the milk jug bird feeder.

To help young readers appreciate the nature around them, Mangal suggests encouraging them to “talk to the elders in their life, asking about their outdoor experiences.” She also invites kids to choose a spot--whether a patch of grass near the door, a tree outside the window, or the evening sky--where they can go each day and draw or talk about their observations.

Go to Free Spirit Publishing to add Jayden’s Impossible Garden to your library.