A Yard for John

by Eleanor Clymer

When John Taylor and his parents move from their apartment in the big city to a house in the suburbs, the adventure has just begun. With a big backyard and woods to explore, he quickly finds that there is a whole exciting world to discover with his new friend, Jim. As the boys search for answers to the mystery that they uncover, they learn that treasured friendships can be found in the most unexpected of places.

130 pages, Paperback

About the author

Eleanor Clymer (née Lowenton; January 7, 1906 – March 31, 2001), was a writer of children's books, best known for The Trolley Car Family (1947). She graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1928 with a degree in English. Between the years of 1943 and 1983 she published 58 books, including The Tiny Little House, My Brother Stevie, and Hamburgers–and Ice Cream for Dessert.

Clymer was born in New York City, the daughter of Russian immigrants. Through much of her life she was a resident of Katonah, New York and an active member of the nearby Unitarian Universalist fellowship. In 1980 she was awarded the Rip Van Winkle award by the School Library Media Specialists of Southeastern New York for outstanding contributions to children's literature.

Her son, Adam Clymer, was a journalist with The New York Times. Clymer died in 2001 at the age of 95 in Haverford, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Truman · Rating 2 out of 5]

You guys might like this one. I didn't. I didn't like it because it was boring about him moving from a city to a little town. I did like that he found a turtle. Happy new year!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7-year-olds gave this one 5 stars. I love how full of simple pleasures it is. John's family goes from living in an apartment in the city to moving out to the suburbs to a home with a yard. John's freedom to explore and enjoy the outdoors was gratifying, and each little "event" (even just digging in some mud in the backyard) became a fun adventure.