The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier http://bartlesville.polarislibrary.com/search/searchresults.aspx?ctx=3.1033.0.0.6&type=Keyword&term=the%20night%20gardener%20auxier&by=KW&sort=MP&limit=&query=&page=0&searchid=1
The Night Gardener by Terry & Eric Fan http://bartlesville.polarislibrary.com/search/searchresults.aspx?ctx=3.1033.0.0.6&type=Keyword&term=the%20night%20gardener%20fan&by=KW&sort=MP&limit=AVAILABILITY%20>%200&query=&page=0&searchid=2
It’s not often that two books are published with the same title – and that both are really good! So when The Night Gardener (Jonathan Auxier) was nominated for an Oklahoma Library Association’s 2017 Sequoyah Award, it was apparent The Night Gardener (the Fan Brothers) would need to be read as well.
Auxier’s book is up for the Children’s and the Middle Grades Sequoyah Awards, with a target audience of grades 4 to 8. It is spooky and kept me reading. The Fans’ book is for children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. It is a beautifully illustrated book with an important message.
A spooky setting, orphaned children and a cursed house set the background for Auxier’s book. Molly and Kip were orphaned when the ship bringing them from Ireland to England sank. Molly assumed care for her brother, and they came to work for the Windsor family in their remote, dank, overcast home. Something was clearly wrong from the beginning! A portrait of the family from the summer before showed that the good health and happiness radiating from them in the portrait had given way to forgetfulness, pale skin and haunted looks.
Outside the home was an ancient tree. It had grown to be part of the very foundation of the house – and Kip was forbidden to trim the branches which brushed against the house when the winds blew. There was a feeling that someone was entering the house through its locked doors, and making mischief with the family’s belongings.
It soon becomes apparent that the change in Mr. Windsor includes heavy gambling debts. The change in Mrs. Windsor includes shortness of memory and temper. Older child Alistair is mean, coming near to torturing his little sister, Penny, is frightened.
The story comes to a satisfying conclusion – but only after some truly creepy happenings!
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The Fan Brothers (Terry and Eric) are both artists, and Eric a writer. This is their first children’s book, filled with gorgeous illustrations.
Grimloch Lane is a sad place. Houses are grey and the people who live there walk with heads down in isolation. One night, however, change begins. When William awakes, he hears a commotion in the street. Running outside, he discovers that someone has created a wise owl from a nearby tree! Each day, a new shape appears from the foliage in the trees. And the neighborhood begins to notice and to spend time outside and to be not so sad! Each morning, William is excited to awake and see what was new.
One night after the neighborhood festivities, William notices a stranger in the street. William follows the stranger to the Park. Sure enough, it is the Night Gardener and he asked for William’s help. William worked so hard he fell asleep but when he woke, there was a gift from the Night Gardener – a pair of garden shears. The Gardener no longer appeared, but William has become the shaper of the newly busy and happy neighborhood. – Review by Jan Cravens, Youth Services assistant