The Topiary Garden

by Scholastic Inc. (Contributor), Anthony Browne (Illustrator)

Aspiring artist Liz loves the topiary garden of Carlton Hall and learns the story of the estate's retired gardener, ninety-year-old Sally Beck, a story of pluck, courage, and persistent good humor. By the author of Badger on the Barge.

Genres: Fiction

63 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

For more than 100 years, Scholastic has been meeting children where they are – at school, at home and in their communities – by creating quality content and experiences, all beginning with literacy. Scholastic delivers stories, characters, and learning moments that empower all kids to become lifelong readers and learners through bestselling children's books, literacy- and knowledge-building resources for schools including classroom magazines, and award-winning, entertaining children's media.

Reviews

[Ian Laird · Rating 2 out of 5]

This little story, not without charm, is about the difficulty for Liz of being creative and artistic while growing up among men, motorbikes and boys, including her thoughtless brother who decides to deface a book Liz won for her artwork.

Fortunately, young Liz’s journey towards discovering a place in the world is aided by kindred spirit Sally, but this is a bit of a weakness: Sally pops out of the forest just when Liz needs such a role model. Sally is extremely old and therefore able to exemplify trying to make your way in a man’s world many years before, when expectations for women were narrower. She masqueraded as Jack, working as the gardener’s help, among the topiary. There is consternation when her gender is disclosed.

The illustrations by Anthony Browne help us along; especially the recurring motif of something or someone almost out of reach, like a person or a ladder, signifying there is always something just out of range.

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading The Topiary Garden by Janni Howker this week reminded me to lament again that too few of her books cross the Atlantic. I first discovered her in Badger on the Barge but was delighted to find her short story from that book made into a stand-alone story, wonderfully illustrated by Anthony Browne.

Howker's characters often discover themselves at a critical moment and then make a non-standard choice, engaging with circumstances rather than opting out. Her tone is often quiet, in contrast to stories that either seem to take their tone from action movies or closely parallel the continual drama of a telenovela. Yet her work is so beautifully wrought, so true in motive and voice that I often pause at her words just to marvel that she thought to use them just so.

I not too long ago discovered why certain things make my eyes well up: it is an unexpected truth that clarifies a moment...or one that I have temporarily forgotten and just re-realize upon being reminded. It is Janni Howker's work that reminds me that beauty can reside in the homely, that silence can speak and that a printed word can affirm a truth.

[Tricia Villanueva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book for subtle discussions on gender issues and stereotypes. I like how these issues are tackled, but never explicitly. Since the book is for young readers (7 years of age and above), complex issues such as feminism and patriarchy are not fed to the reader. Instead, the book provides specific examples that will actually lead the young reader to question the things pointed out in the novel. (i.e., "Dad, when I told you I was talking to the gardener, why did you assume it was a man?") The book also raises the issue of aesthetics vs nature, but never in an explicit and theoretical way. The ending wraps up the story neatly.

[aliannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cute, so good ! lovedddd the paper it was printed on.
will give this to someone~ <+3

[Wolfie Smoke · Rating 3 out of 5]

oh boy

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encantó! Habla de la importancia de ser uno mismo a pesar de todo.

[Nekopau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Podría haberme quedado con el segundo relato de este libro, que da su nombre al título. Los personajes de Liz y Sally son de esos que marcan tu camino: cuestionadores, sobrevivientes, transformadores. Me encanta la manera en la que aborda el tema de las costumbres machistas de la época y la pequeña revolución que se monta en dos épocas diferentes, en dos muchachas que enfrentan el poder masculino de la sociedad.
Por otra parte, el primer cuento atrapa casi al final. Tiene un desarrollo lento, sereno...te deja muchas incógnitas a lo largo de las escenas.
Un libro de transición. Sugiero leerlo en aquellos días de lluvia y dudas.