Wintergarden

by Janet Fox

Growing and harvesting an herb garden can be fun and oh so satisfying—even in the dead of winter.

Winter outside the window,
Garden on the sill.

With a little bit of love and care, a few seeds nestled in pots, and a good windowsill, there’s no better time to make an herb garden with mom than in the dead of winter. Together, a young girl and her mother can grow everything you find in a spring herb garden, from oregano to parsley and baby greens, carefully tending their plants to watch them thrive, all while frigid snow falls just outside the window. The multiple harvests of fresh greens are just what they need to stay warm through the coldest and darkest season. When Spring finally arrives, there’s one thing on the girl’s mind: more seeds!

In Wintergarden, author Janet Fox’s poetic text is accompanied by the dreamy watercolor artwork of acclaimed illustrator Jasu Hu. Additional material at the back of the book includes information on how to grow your own wintergarden, to make sure you and your family can share fresh greens year-round.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Gardening, Food, Storytime, Childrens, Plants

Unknown Binding

Expected publication February 1, 2099

About the author

Author of award-winning fiction and non-fiction for young readers. (NOT Janet Kaye Fox)

Published books:
"Get Organized Without Losing It" (middle grade, Free Spirit Publishing, 2017, new edition)
"Faithful" (young adult, Penguin/Speak, 2010)
"Forgiven" (young adult, Speak, 2011)
"Sirens" - (young adult, Speak 2012)
"The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle" - (middle grade, Viking, 2016)
"Volcano Dreams" - picture book, Web of Life Books, September 2018
"The Artifact Hunters" - middle grade, Viking 2020
"Carry Me Home" - middle grade, Simon & Schuster 2021
"Wintergarden" - picture book, Neal Porter, 2023

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. Really sweet and soothing to read.

[Haley Boggess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this story of a girl who grows a garden on her windowsill during the winter. The tastes from her garden remind her of summer even when it’s cold outside.

When they need more seeds, it’s a good thing the spring comes!

In the back of the book it describes plants you can grow inside for your own wintergarden.

[Teresa Biggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little story about growing a seeds in pots during the winter Sweet illustrations

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful and sweet story. The illustrations are soft and every page has things to discover. This story will make any child want to plant their own window sill garden and instructions are given at the back of the book.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the title is Wintergarden, Janet Fox's quiet introduction to container gardening and cold cropping is probably well suited for now as the weather changes from cold to warm (and in most states back to cold). A dark-haired, fair-skinned mother daughter duo plant seeds in pots on the kitchen windowsill, including baby greens, parsley, and oregano. As the snow falls and the frost collects on the windows, the greens begin to sprout and are harvested to flavor the family's food. Short instructions alongside a list of further reading encourage readers to start their own wintergarden. Most of the soft watercolor illustrations by Jasu Hu are either wide establishing shots of the outdoors or images of the young girl overlayed with the growing plants (credit to this Medium article for expanding my terminology), and the picture of the family traversing the snow with the bare tree backlit is likely my favorite.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and lyrical text and luminous illustrations that capture both the soft beauty of winter and the much-needed promise of new life with the greens of the sprouts and warm oranges and purples of the dresses the mother and daughter wear that bring to mind the steadfast warmth of the hearthfire. A cozy and inspiring read when the winter days feel bleak. Back matter was a surprise bonus with instructions on how to grow your own wintergarden (primarily herbs and microgreens) and a bounty of suggestions for further reading. Loved it!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children who have experienced gardening will certainly find this book. I hope adults will find it for children who have not yet learned how lovely it can be to grow food of our own. Janet Fox tells this tale with warmth and wonder that will engage readers and listeners alike. Jasu Hu's illustrations are peaceful and lovely and connect well with the words on each page.

I will likely add this to our collections.

[Libby Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a picture book I can’t stop thinking about after having read it with all three of my kids. So full of whimsy and wonder— all highlighting the miracle of plants growing even in the dead of winter.

The illustrations are magical and the back matter is inspiring. We definitely planted a winter garden in our windowsill after reading this and it was such a pick-me-up for the strange winter we’ve been experiencing in Idaho.

[TheRetiredSchoolLibrarian |Mrs. Ferraris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief summary: In the winter, a girl helps her mother grow a garden on the window sill in little pots. The child cares for and tends the plants, harvesting some for their Thanksgiving meal.

When the weather warms up, she looks forward to picking out seeds to grow more plants.

Comments: Directions for how to grow your own wintergarden are at the back of the book.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

[Kirsten Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl and her mother start a garden when winter arrives. Together, they plant herb seeds, nurture them, and eventually harvest the herbs, adding oregano to their soup. The story is followed by instructions on how to create a winter garden. Colored pencil and watercolor illustrations add a gentle touch, while the descriptive language brings the flavors and textures to life.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story of. girl in winter seeding sprouts and other plants, illusrtaed in watercolors by Jason Hsu, with a handy guide in the back to how you can grow inside seedkings in thr winter (the real attraction for me of the book, with the artwork second. I liked it, 3.5!

[Maria]

Read for RCLS Mock Caldecott...

The illustrations were lovely. They felt like the quiet of a snowstorm--they were so whimsical, soft, and delicate, and conveyed the beauty of winter.

I don't think I would award it the Caldecott, but I think it could be considered for an honor.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A child reflects on her mother's practice of growing herbs indoors in the winter. Softly colored watercolor illustrations and poetic text set a contemplative mood.
Tie-in with our school's greenhouse gardens and science units about seeds and plant life cycles.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy, wintery picture book is a perfect read aloud with glowy watercolors. The basic premise, growing an herb garden indoors in the winter, makes for a great extension activity. Works as a quiet read-aloud.

[Jennifer Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasu Hu's bright illustrations make the garden come alive with beautiful colors and fine details. Fox's poetic writing inspires curiosity about nature and encourages people to talk about ecosystems and caring for the environment.

[GS Dachslove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Use with a science wintergarten craft/activity. "Recipe" for creating a wintergarden included in the back material

[Elaine Fultz, kinda retired librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

A family plants indoor herbs during the winter and enjoys the taste of summer. That's about it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story with beautiful illustrations about growing plants on a windowsill in winter. Will inspire some readers to grow indoor gardens, I'm sure.

[Margaret]

A gentle story of bringing the green of spring and summer inside during winter.

[Thomas Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out okay, but then it got really weird. I am fine with books drawing imagination, but this was a bit too weird.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely bedtime read that made my kids want to pull out pots from the garage and start our own indoor garden

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely simple book about gardening in winter & family with lovely illustrations. This book would work well for a Library program that has in winter with growing a small indoor garden from seeds.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl watches as fresh herbs and salad greens sprout on her windowsill during the coldest days of winter. Peaceful, atmospheric little story full of gentle wonder.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cozy loving book that embraces family, gardening and food.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasu Hu is officially one of my favorite illustrators. Her artwork is so beautiful and whimsical.

[skcocnaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE the illustrations!

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shared special moments and the kindling of a love for gardening. It really does feel like magic when hidden seeds sprout. Back matter includes instructions on how to start your own winter garden.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute story about growing seeds

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyrical and lovely.